Eminem has finally delivered on his promise to his followers in an atmosphere rife with anticipation for the premiere of the previously postponed music video for 'Tobey'. The video, which features Michigan rappers Big Sean and Babytron, showcases the developing sound of Michigan rap across generations.
The trio came together shortly after the demise of the Big 3 feud, going as far as using the artwork of Tobey to potentially insinuate Top 3 status using the popular Spider-Man meme motif — much like J. Cole and Drake did, in the recent past. Eminem’s verse comes in hot off the proclamation of always being in that conversation, even as fans debate on whether or not Slim Shady fell off with the times.
While older hip hop enthusiasts seemed to love Em's raps for their sentimental value, the younger generation mostly ridiculed Eminem's concern with multi-syllabic rhyme patterns, as well as his lack of political correctness and sensitivity.
Eminem tries to counter that narrative by stating how he has been around long enough to see rap change and evolve, whereas younger hip hop heads have not. These younger fans, however, continued with the expression of disappointment on social media, remarking on how Eminem’s music and outlook hasn’t really changed or grown with time.
The upcoming album, The Death of Slim Shady, is meant to play with this very narrative, but so far, it seems like it is not the chess move Em intended it to be. In order for a narrative change to be successful, Em might have to focus on more introspective and relatable themes, and provide young fans with enticing visuals; cue ‘Tobey’, the music video.
Directed by Cole Bennett, the visuals are undeniably exquisite and feature transitions and effects that mark the low-attention span consumption of modern music. The neat edit (which took longer than anticipated to complete) hits the nail on the head for the newer generation, while using the familiar and nostalgic sepia filters in portions as a subtle nod to the MMLP2 cover art — which arguably represents skills Eminem was known best for. What do you think?
You can also cop the album early with an exclusive Track #2 here!WATCH VIDEO
