Would you believe us if we told you Eminem released an album this year? Maybe it’s because of this year’s whirlwind of chaos, or maybe it’s because no one listened to the thing, but yes, let us remind you that Eminem dropped his 11th studio album, Music to Be Murdered By, in January 2020. And now, he’s bookended the year with a collection of B sides to the album, which he released by surprise (like the album itself) on December 18. Music to Be Murdered By – Side B includes 16 new tracks, including songs featuring Dr. Dre (both rapping and producing), Ty Dolla $ign, Skylar Grey, and DJ Premier, among others. A new music video for the song “Gnat†also accompanies the release. At the very least, the whole thing explains that SNL cameo last week, right?
On another song off the new album, Eminem addresses a scrapped track from his 2009 Relapse sessions that leaked in 2019, in which he rapped, “Of course I side with Chris Brown, I’d beat a bitch down too.†At the time, an Eminem spokesperson told XXL, “Obviously he and Rihanna have a great relationship.†Rihanna went on to feature on Eminem’s follow-up album Recovery, on the hit “Love the Way You Lie.†Now, on the new song “Zeus,†Eminem raps, “And wholeheartedly, apologies, Rihanna / For that song that leaked, I’m sorry Ri / It wasn’t meant to cause you grief / Regardless, it was wrong of me.†Rihanna isn’t the only artist referenced in the song either; Eminem also takes shots at 6ix9ine, references his ongoing feud with Machine Gun Kelly, and offers some advice to Drake. Unsolicited, of course, just like a certain release this week.