American rapper Eminem’s 12th studio album The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grace) will be releasing this summer, he announced on Friday alongside a teaser on Instagram.

The teaser features a true crime reporter who satirically discusses the death of Eminem’s alter-ego, known as Slim Shady. Owing to his “complex and oft-criticised, tongue-twisting rhymes”, Slim Shady has never had a shortage of enemies, the reporter says.

Eminem’s longtime collaborator 50 Cent also makes an appearance in the video. “He’s not a friend, he’s a psychopath,” the 21 Questions rapper mentions. “The same rude lyrics and controversial antics may have ultimately led to his demise,” the reporter adds while scenes of Slim Shady’s murder are showcased. The camera then pans to Eminem, who appears with his face blurred and confesses, “I knew it was only a matter of time for Slim.”

At the end of the trailer, the reporter asks the audience to join him on his journey to hound out the murderer of Slim Shady. “THE DEATH OF SLIM SHADY (COUP DE GRÂCE). Summer 2024,” Eminem wrote alongside the trailer on Instagram.

Fans flooded the comment section to express their excitement about the upcoming album. “I have a feeling this album is gonna be some heat,” a fan wrote, while others contemplated whether this album would be the rapper’s last.

Slim Shady first appeared in Eminem’s Slim Shady EP in 1997 and threw light on the rapper’s darker, more rebellious side. Several controversies ensued due to the EP’s unapologetic and often provocative lyrics, pushing boundaries and challenging societal norms.

One of the earliest controversies surrounding Slim Shady emerged with the release of Eminem’s major-label debut album The Slim Shady LP in 1999. Tracks like Guilty Conscience and Role Model courted controversy for their explicit content and themes of violence, drug addiction and misogyny. Slim Shady’s notoriety escalated after the release of Eminem’s other albums like The Marshall Mathers LP (2000) and The Eminem Show (2002).

Eminem surprised his fans with the release of Music to Be Murdered By in January 2020 without any prior announcement in a similar fashion to the Rap God singer’s previous album Kamikaze. Nominated for the Juno Award for International Album of the Year and the ARIA Music Award for Best International Artist, Music to Be Murdered By turned out to be an instant hit and topped Billboard 200.