Eminem is set to release his ninth studio album December 15. Revival will be the rapper’s first solo LP since 2013’s The Marshall Mathers LP 2 and it includes a star-studded lineup of features. Em’s been pretty quiet about the album up to this point, but here’s everything we know so far.
Revival will cure what ails you
Or at least Eminem sure thinks it will. There hasn’t been a ton of press for the upcoming album, but the promotion has been medically-themed. The first single, “Walk on Water,” was teased with an image of a prescription pad urging listeners to “Take as needed.” The album itself was given its own prescription drug ad parody, with executive producer Dr. Dre cautioning everyone to “Use as prescribed by your doctor.”
Use as prescribed by your doctor. @Eminem pic.twitter.com/hje9I92C17
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— Dr. Dre (@drdre) November 28, 2017
Beyoncé, Ed Sheeran, and Pink will appear on the album
Eminem released the tracklist for Revival December 5, and the lineup of features caused some stir. Beyoncé’s appearance wasn’t a surprise, as the lead single “Walk on Water” had already been released prior to the full tracklist coming out. The inclusion of the likes of Ed Sheeran, Pink, and Skylar Grey — who produced “Walk on Water” along with Rick Rubin — left some scratching their heads, however, as the lineup isn’t particularly rap heavy. This lead to some speculation that perhaps Revival would end up being a double album, with a second disc comprised of guests who more easily fit into the hip-hop genre. A list of some theoretical extra tacks started going around, but there’s no indication it’s anything beyond wishful thinking.
12/15 pic.twitter.com/zUCLSbY8mN
— Marshall Mathers (@Eminem) December 5, 2017
We’ve only heard two tracks so far
Only two of the 19 tracks form Revival have been released. The Beyoncé collaboration “Walk on Water” got things going, and that was followed up with “Untouchable.” The former is a deeply personal song while the latter tackles larger political issues like white privilege and police brutality. The two official releases appear to go hand in hand with the album artwork, which features an American flag superimposed over an image of Mathers.
Eminem hasn’t decided if he’ll tour to support the album
While most big artists usually do a pretty lengthy tour around the time they drop a new album, Em doesn’t know what his concert plans are just yet. “We usually do mini tours,” the Detroit rapper told Elton John in Interview. He also added that he doesn’t like spending a lot of time away from home, which an extended tour would obviously necessitate.
Eminem isn’t a fan of Trump
Em made his biggest headlines of the year after his BET Hip-Hop Awards freestyle “The Storm,” which heavily criticized Donald Trump. Trump is famously thin-skinned, and loves to pick fights, so Shady was a little surprised when POTUS didn’t bother commenting on the track. ““I feel like he’s not paying attention to me,” Eminem told Shade 45. “I was kinda waiting for him to say something, and for some reason, he didn’t say anything.” In that same interview, Eminem reiterated his distaste for Trump, saying bluntly “I can’t stand that motherfucker.” He elaborated a little more in his interview with Elton John, explaining “We have a president who does not care about everybody in our country; he is not the president for all of us, he is the president for some of us.”
Album pre-orders come with some expensive merch options
Various bundles are available for pre-order, with the option to get dog tags, “Walk on Water” prints, and album art lithographs along with a digital copy of the album and even a CD, if physical digital media is still your thing. The most expensive package will set you back $500.
NEW SONG + ALBUM PREORDER #UNTOUCHABLE #REVIVAL: https://t.co/1acPsetWBJ pic.twitter.com/2VfgKaqcUH
— Marshall Mathers (@Eminem) December 8, 2017