Eminem and Cole Bennett’s productive working relationship continues to bear fruit, four months after the release of their latest video, “Doomsday 2.” They return to the drawing board for a new concept for the “Tobey” video, reminiscent of featured rapper BabyTron‘s “100 Bars.” Just like in that video, Bennett produces duplicates of Eminem, BabyTron, and Big Sean that each rap a line from their respective verses while they scroll through various tableaus, from a busy packing plant to the bloody, brutal murder scene from the teaser Em shared ahead of the single’s release.
“Tobey” will presumably appear on Em’s upcoming album, The Death Of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce). First announced in April after a “shady” pump fake for April Fools’ Day, Eminem’s twelfth studio album seems to be a return to form after the more political leanings of prior recent projects like Kamikaze and Revival. At the very least, it teases a return to the tongue-in-cheek, comedic material he created early in his career, judging by the video and lyrical content of lead single “Houdini.” Even so, he still finds time on “Tobey” to do a little more Music To Be Murdered By-style grousing about his placement on a recent “best rappers” list.
Watch Eminem’s “Tobey” video featuring Big Sean and BabyTron above.
Big Sean still is having a hard time wrapping his head around the fact that he has made it. Even after several successful records, major hits, and numerous big-time collaborations, it does not seem real somehow. The Detroit, Michigan native is still one of major players from his era, even without dropping a lot of music in the 2020s. However, his limited output is still of high quality. He dropped perhaps his best record to date with Detroit 2, a follow-up to his over decade old fan-favorite mixtape. Additionally, Sean has put out several singles, including his high-octane “Precision” which did not receive the proper praise as it dropped on the same day as “Like That”.
Now, Big Sean can add his fiery guest verse on Eminem’s recently-released “Tobey” single. He holds his own on it, going toe to toe with Slim Shady, as well as the new kid on the block, BabyTron. “I was immersed in the Murcié, I show ’em no mercy, I really was watchin’ the throne (For real) / N****s ain’t turnin’ me down, when my baby asleep only time that I’m watchin’ my tone, look (Shh)“. Sean is certainly a major reason as to why the song has been receiving so much love and because of it the hitmaker is now seeing this as a “full circle” moment.
Big Sean Looks Back At How Far He’s Come After “Tobey” Drops
Not gon hold you, Slim Shady LP was the first CD i bought wit my own money at Costco. Me n Em bout 4 songs in now (DVE, No Favors, Detroit 2 cypher) but being on the Death Of Slim Shady is full circle. I aint know when i bought that, that id be one of the next 1’s out da city…
According to Billboard, Sean tweeted out about Em’s debut, The Slim Shady LP, being the first one he bought personally. He also cites how wild it has been to have now worked with someone he admires on four occasions and to see his growth since purchasing that classic album. “Not gon hold you, Slim Shady LP was the first CD i bought wit my own money at Costco. Me n Em bout 4 songs in now (DVE, No Favors, Detroit 2 cypher) but being on the Death Of Slim Shady is full circle. I aint know when i bought that, that id be one of the next 1’s out da city…”. The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce) drops on July 12 and an accompanying music video for “Tobey” is coming Friday, July 5.
What are your thoughts on Big Sean’s tweet following his appearance on Eminem’s “Tobey”? Do they have any misses together, why or why not? Who had the strongest verse out of the two? Is Big Sean a top five Detroit rapper of all time? We would like to hear what you have to say, so leave your thoughts in the comments. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Big Sean and Eminem. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the music world.
Only a month after igniting the music world with “Houdini,” the first single off his upcoming album The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce), Eminem returns with “Tobey.”
Featuring fellow Michigan hip-hop heavyweights BabyTron and Big Sean, “Tobey” presents a new, yet familiar side of Eminem. The track, layered over a sparse beat by producers Daniyel, Cole Bennett, John Nocito, Car!ton, and Marvy Ayy, showcases the trio’s lyrical prowess and the vibrant musical landscape of Detroit rap.
Eminem first teased “Tobey” via a short video on his social media on June 29, hinting at the return of his hockey-masked Slim Shady persona. The teaser also included a snippet from the Cole Bennett-directed video set to release this Friday, July 5. “Tobey” is the second single from Eminem’s highly anticipated 12th album, slated for release on July 12.
The album’s first single, “Houdini,” dropped on May 31 and became an instantaneous global hit. It debuted at #1 on the Billboard Global 200 and Streaming Songs charts and at #2 on the Hot 100. “Houdini” continues to dominate, sitting in the top 20 of the Spotify Global and US charts, the Apple Music Global chart, and the Top 40 and Rhythmic radio charts. It is Eminem’s highest-charting single since 2013’s “The Monster” and his first to chart on Rock radio.
With “Tobey,” Eminem proves once again that he remains a powerhouse in the hip-hop world.
Big Sean and Eminem don’t have a lot in common on the surface. Well, corny punchlines aside. Sean is a hitmaker, a lyricist who dedicates himself to making smooth, R&B-influenced music. Em is the definitive lyrical miracle, a wordsmith who can seemingly make anything rhyme (angrily). That said, these Detroit superstars get along. They have collaborated multiple times over the years, but their new single may be their best yet. It may be a hit, but for Big Sean, it means something much more.
Sean hopped on X (formerly Twitter) to reflect on the new single, “Tobey.” The former GOOD Music star took the opportunity to reveal some interesting details about his past. Namely, the first rap album he ever bought. “Not gon hold you,” he explained. “Slim Shady LP was the first CD I bought wit my own money at Costco.” He then broke down the ways in which this childhood purchase led him to this specific moment in time. “Me n Em bout 4 songs in now (DVE, No Favors, Detroit 2 Cypher),” he noted. “But being on The Death of Slim Shady is full circle. I ain’t know when I bought that, that I’d be one of the next 1’s out da city…”
In a separate tweet, Big Sean praised Eminem for being “real” in his interactions. The praise has run both ways for quite some time, however. Em named Big Sean as one of the rappers who inspire him to work on his craft and not get lazy. “I don’t hyper-focus on numbers and being on charts,” he told XXL in 2022. “What I hyper-focus on is people like Kendrick Lamar, Joyner Lucas, J. Cole and Big Sean, and watching them and how the f*ck they’re doing their sh*t. Because they’re also focused on being the best rappers.”
If we let Sean tell it, Eminem considers him to be one of the most dangerous emcees alive. The rapper went on Big Boy Radio to relay Eminem’s high praise after the release of “No Favors.” “He was telling me how much he loved my verse,” Big Sean recalled. “He was like, ‘I respect you […] you’re one of the most dangerous emcees.” An unlikely pairing, but one that has seemingly stood the test of time. Especially for Detroit fans.
Eminem continues the rollout for his new album The Death Of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce) today with a new song. “Tobey” features Em’s fellow Detroiters Big Sean and BabyTron — what a look for the latter — and finds the trio trading verses full of their signature punchlines.
Yesterday, Em shared a trailer revealing the release date for the long-awaited album, which will be his first since 2020’s Music To Be Murdered By and his twelfth studio album overall. The controversial MC got the ball rolling with the release of “Houdini,” a comedic single calling back to his Eminem Show single “Without Me,” complete with a return of his Rap Boy persona from that video (he even did his own stunts in the new video).
However, not everybody enjoyed the return of the trollish persona. Megan Thee Stallion fans called out the rapper for making a joke of her injuries in the lyrics to the song, while defenders argued that he’s always made light of serious situations. Whether “the dead of Slim Shady” will mean an end to such juvenile “jokes” remains to be seen.
Listen to Eminem’s new song “Tobey” featuring Big Sean and BabyTron below.
The Death Of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce) is due 7/12 through Shady Records/Aftermath/Interscope.
Despite fans’ pushback, the seemingly professional burial of Eminem’s rap alter ego is moving full steam ahead. With his forthcoming album The Death Of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce) on the way, Em is treating supporters to another taste of what’s to coming from the project.
Yesterday (June 28), the “Houdini” rapper took to X (formerly Twitter) page to tease his next single, “Tobey,” which is set to feature Big Sean and BabyTron.
“TOBEY. @babytron. @bigsean. New music 7/2. Video 7/5 by @colebennett,” he wrote.
In the gory clip, the trio, dressed in uniform coveralls, serve their most intimating mean mug to prove that Detroit has vested stakes in the “Big Three” conversation. With a chainsaw and creepy Jason Voorhees mask replica, Eminem hacks away at something just outside the camera’s frame, it is clear he means business.
As Babytron is heard rapping, “Tobey Maguire got bit by a spider but see me it was a GOAT,” Eminem’s love for film certainly found its way into the forthcoming collaboration.
Instead of fighting crime (as hilariously seen in the “Houdini” visual), Eminem, Big Sean, and BabyTron plan on wrecking havoc in the rap streets. With creative mind, Lyrical Lemonade’s Bennett, tasked to bring the vision to the screen, come July 5, the nightmares are soon to follow.
Jessie Reyez is an emotive singer. She puts her all into everything she sings, whether it be heartbreak on “Forever” or sex on “Jeans.” There’s a tension and electricity that she brings to the table as an artist, and it’s led to her landing massive collaborations with the likes of Miguel, 6LACK and most notably, Eminem. Jessie Reyez decided to change things up on her new single, though. Instead of leaning into her emotive vocals, the turns down the melodrama and dishes out a slick, minimal track that’s menacing as it is cool. It helps that Reyez brings another Detroit rapper, Big Sean, into the mix.
“Shut Up” may sound like the title to a loud, aggressive song, but it’s anything but. The instrumental is punctuated by hard bass hints and creeping strings that switch before the background and foreground. Jessie Reyez never reaches into her higher register. She adopts a whispery, menacing flow that’s closer to rapping than actual singing, and it works. It suits the callous lyrics like a glove. “Phone full of options, bank full of bills,” she raps. “Don’t do it ’cause I need to, I do it for the thrill.” The verses follow suit, with talk of ex-boyfriends and put downs aimed at unnamed enemies. “Know your ex watchin’, know they see me locked in,” she adds. “Came from a different angle (What?), I can’t be boxed in. B*tch, better read the room like you telepromptin’.”
Big Sean brings the energy while still matching menacing vibe. He’s become one of the more reliable names in hip-hop when it comes to pop-rap guest features, and he delivers yet again. The Detroit MC drops some clever bars about Batman and Robin, exes who tried to kiss and make up, and the general bragging one would expect from the guy who made Finally Famous. “Old school, pair of gold chain, goin’ Rakim,” he raps. “Batman, black man, billionaire but ain’t nobody robbin’. I tell a bad b*tch to her face that she grounded.” “Shut Up” isn’t going to be a smash hit or anything, but it’s a catchy song worth checking out.
What are your thoughts on “Shut Up” by Jessie Reyez and Big Sean? Do you like Reyez’s break from her usual sound? Do you want to hear more of it on her next album? Does Sean’s verse deliver? We would like to hear what you have to say, so be sure to leave your takes in the comments section. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Jessie Reyez. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the music world.
Quotable Lyrics:
And tell her she on punishment ’til further announcement She know that I’m daddy, I never been stingy with allowance Baby girl, good ain’t good enough, be astoundin’ Half the time she need a man, other half counsellin’ Baby, when you hit the top, gotta stay grounded
It has been about two years since Jessie Reyez’s last album, Yessie, and, aside from a pair of singles in 2023 with Miguel and 6lack, she hasn’t released too much new music since then. But if you thought you’d seen the last of the Canadian singer, she’s back with a two-word message for the haters, doubters, and anyone else with anything negative to say: “Shut Up,” the title of her new single featuring Big Sean.
The video for the song features cameos from singers JoJo and Nija, who help Jessie judge a f*ckboy beauty pageant alongside actress Inanna, and from Jessie’s mom Carmen, who rides along with the singer in a Ferrari. Big Sean shows up midway through the video to offer a signature, boastful verse with one colorful sex punchline, and the video ends with a short snippet of another new song, suggesting that a follow-up to Yessie is definitely in the works.
Reyez’s recent collaborative output has been some of her strongest work yet; “Jeans,” her collaboration with Miguel, and “Homicide,” her third collab with 6lack, were solid songs that highlighted her seductive new direction. Stay tuned for more from Reyez.
Watch Jessie Reyez’s “Shut Up” video with Big Sean above.
Last year, Hit-Boy released the album SURF OR DROWN Vol. 2. The album is largely made up of collaborations with his dad, Big Hit. The album features multiple appearances from Big Sean as well as Dom Kennedy and Garren. The track was appreciated by fans and critics alike even beyond the novelty of its appeal. Earlier this year, the pair announced another project together. This time it also includes The Alchemist and they’ve dropped multiple singles from the record already.
Hit-Boy, Big Hit, and The Alchemist’s upcoming collaborative album is called Black & Whites. The project is due out later this month on May 30 and has already received three singles. The first of the bunch was “Foreclosure” which dropped earlier this month and was followed up the next week by the title track “Blacks & Whites.” The song has already racked up more than 200k streams on Spotify alone, but the third single is getting even more attention. “Gank Move” dropped over the weekend and is even more of a family affair and some of the producer’s former collaborators like ASAP Rocky and Big Sean are loving it. Check out what they’re saying about the new song below.
In addition to the father/son combo across the first few singles the newest song also features a verse from Hit-Boy’s little sister. She raps as HitgirlLENA and delivers a memorable verse on the track. Posts about the song got cosigns from ASAP Rocky praising her performance and Big Sean who said the entire song “goes crazy.” LENA herself also turned up in the comments to flex the quality of her performance. The song has only been out for a few days but already has more than 30k streams on Spotify.
What do you think of Hit-Boy’s new song teaming up with his dad and sister as well as The Alchemist? Do you agree with ARAP Rocky and Big Sean’s praise directed towards the song? Let us know in the comment section below.
“It’s hornier than Pornhub on here, sheesh,” the Detroit rapper posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday night, April 23. “Damn near gotta be dolo just to open dis b*tch up… this is NOT one them tweets to drop no freaky sh*t under either.”
Its hornier than pornhub on here, sheesh. Damn near gotta be dolo just to open dis b*tch up… this is NOT one them tweets to drop no freaky shit under either
Earlier Tuesday, Big Sean was revealed as the latest Essence cover star. The accompanying cover story written by Elijah Watson explored Big Sean’s experience as a relatively new father, including Sean’s admission that he has enjoyed “slowing down and focusing solely on Noah.” (He and Jhené Aiko welcomed Noah in November 2022.)
“I’m excited about a lot of things we’ve got dropping this year,” Big Sean said, in part, in a video posted on Instagram on April 3. “A lot of new music, new projects, but aside from the music, it’s another project that’s been years in the making that’s finally time — I can’t even believe it, for real.”
He continued, “I’ve always been about speaking from the heart, following your intuition, checking in with yourself mentally, because that’s how I was raised.”
And so, it goes without saying that Big Sean was raised better than those acting up on X.
Go Higher is out 10/8 via Simon & Schuster. Find more information here.
