Anyone who listened to GRIP’s new album I Died For This?!, his first since inking a deal with Shady Records, will know that the Atlanta rapper is one of the game’s sharpest lyricists out. It’s no wonder that Eminem brought him into the fold, sensing a kindred spirit where the bars are concerned.
Evidently, the respect is mutual. During a recent conversation with GRIP for our ongoing Rise & Grind interview series, the rapper explained how he actually drew inspiration from Eminem’s classic album The Eminem Show when crafting his own theatrically inspired body of work.
LISTEN: GRIP ft. Eminem – Walkthrough
“We wanted to be theatrical, just kind of big,” explains GRIP. “And we knew the roses — how you receive roses after the play. So for us, it was more that you don’t receive that rose until it’s too late. That’s why the skeleton has a rose in his mouth. And also, it kind of became an ode to The Eminem Show. It’s like a play of your life.”
“I kinda explained what the album was before I played it for him,” he continues. “We just talked a little bit more about shit. But yeah, I’m sure he understood where I was coming from with it.”
Given that this was one of the first times the pair connected in person, one has to wonder if they’ll develop further creative chemistry moving forward. We’ve already seen them uniting on I Died For This?! highlight “Walkthrough,” a track that GRIP approached specifically with Eminem in mind. We can only hope that this album is the beginning of a prosperous run at Shady, as the game could certainly benefit from even more new music from GRIP — luckily, he’s already started work on his next endeavor.
For more from the newest Shady Records signee, be sure to check out our full Rise & Grind interview with GRIP right here.