Fake Obituary for Eminem's Alter Ego Slim Shady Appears in Detroit Newspaper

Eminem is killing off his alter ego Slim Shady as he prepares to release a new album.

The 51-year-old rapper ran a "covert" ad disguised as an obituary in newspaper The Detroit News this week, with the headline, "Slim Shady Made Lasting Impressions." A subheading read, "Fans 'Will Never Forget' Controversial Rapper."

The "obituary," shared by Complex on social media, read in part, "Shady first became a household name in 1999 with the debut of his playfully deranged single 'My Name Is,' which—along with its uniquely eye catching video—exposed the young artist and his lyrics to a wider audience."

It continued, "That audience was soon exposed to the extreme darkness of the muse/rapper, as he led millions of music fans down a road that glorified a demonstrably nihilistic worldview."

The dramatic next paragraph read, "Ultimately, the very things that seemed to be the tools he used became calling cards that defined an existence that could only come to a sudden and horrific end. His complex and tortured existence has come to a close, and the legacy he leaves behind is no closer to resolution than the manner in which this character departed this world."

The fake death announcement concluded, "May he truly find the peace in an afterlife that he could not find on Earth."

The context of the fake obituary is that Eminem recently announced a new album, slated for release this summer and titled The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce).

A promotional video for the record poses as a fake documentary tracing the "murder" of Slim Shady.

Eminem (real name: Marshall Mathers) has been known by the stage name Slim Shady since the start of his career, with one album and one LP titled for the character, and with his hit track "The Real Slim Shady."

With this new album, it sounds like Eminem is staging a reinvention of his persona of some description—a creative move that aligns with changes he's made in his personal life over the last few years.

The rapper has been open about his sobriety journey for many years, and celebrated 16 years recently, sharing the Alcoholics Anonymous chip he received on Instagram to mark the milestone.

Excited to see what's next for his music!