UPDATE: The EP has been officially announced and released. Hear songs from it here, here and here.
After a period of relative quiet following the multi-platinum success of Recovery, Eminem has been popping up with quite a few guests spots at the end of the year. It just got interesting: on each of the last two days a new Eminem/Royce da 5’9″ track has hit the web (first “Living Proof”, then “Echo”), setting the rumor mill ablaze. Not one, but two, Eminem songs leak out of nowhere, with no announced album from either artist on the horizon? Adding to the mix was a tweet by Royce boasting that some mysterious record to be released in the near future would dwarf Kanye West and Jay-Z’s approaching Watch the Throne. Bold words to be sure, but exciting ones nonetheless.
Things began to patch up between Royce and Em some time ago, and culminated with Royce doing a considerable amount of press for Recovery with Slim and a bonus track collaboration along with the rest of his group Slaughterhouse. These tracks, however, are simply Royce and Em goin’ at it like it’s ’99. Not only are they refreshing to hear, but the relatively simple songs hearken back to an earlier sound as well.
Based off Royce’s own words and the absolutely out of left field nature of these songs, there may well be a Bad Meets Evil EP approaching. The material released thus far would suggest a far less commercial effort on the part of Eminem in comparison to his most recent album. Exciting news for any fan of early Slim Shady and hip hop.
