Eminem and Jay-Z’s rumoured collaboration may not be happening after all.
While the rap icons were recently listed as collaborators on Rakim’s upcoming album, Eminem’s team says they haven’t even been contacted about the project, per USA Today.
The speculation began after executive producer Matthew “M80” Markoff shared a handwritten track list for Rakim’s forthcoming album on Instagram on June 7. The list appeared to show Jay-Z and Eminem together on track six, fuelling excitement over what would be their first musical collaboration since 2001’s Renegade from Jay-Z’s sixth studio album The Blueprint.
But in a surprising turn of events, a representative for Eminem told USA Today that no one had reached out to the rapper’s team regarding the Rakim, Kurupt and Masta Killa album.
Even if the appearance ultimately materialises, fans shouldn’t expect a full-fledged sequel to Renegade. Markoff told Rolling Stone that neither Jay-Z nor Eminem contributes a verse to the track. Instead, their involvement comes through an interlude that pays “homage to Rakim’s legacy and influence.”
The tribute will reportedly lead into Rakim’s first self-produced solo track in 15 years. Markoff added that “The entire album with all its parts were recorded in the past two years.”
