Eminem has shared a letter to listeners of his new album Music to Be Murdered By in which he addresses the criticism surrounding some of its lyrical content.
The album, Em said, wasn't made with "the squeamish" in mind. Em added that murder "isn't always literal nor pleasant" and that certain elements of the album were designed to "shock the conscience" of the listener into action. He also shared some words of tribute for anyone he suspects may have become "victims of this album."
If reading the stylized version of the letter that Em shared to his socials isn't doing it for you, see below for a transcribed version:
Gentle Listener,
In today’s wonderful world murder has become so commonplace that we are a society obsessed and fascinated by it. I thought why not make a sport of it and murder over beats? So before you jump the gun, please let me explain.This album was not made for the squeamish. If you are easily offended or unnerved at the screams of bloody murder, this may not be the collection for you. Certain selections have been designed to shock the conscience, which may cause positive action. Unfortunately, darkness has truly fallen upon us. So you see, murder in this instance isn’t always literal, nor pleasant. These bars are only meant for the sharpest knives in the drawer. For the victims of the album, may you rest peacefully. For the rest of you, please listen more closely next time. Goodnight!With deepest sympathy,
Eminem
As is par for the course when it comes to new albums from Em, several headlines were spawned by the surprise release of Murdered. Among the most-discussed moments are Em's self-comparison to the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing on "Unaccommodating" and the depiction of the 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas on the gun safety-advocating "Darkness."
The album features Skylar Grey, Royce da 5’9”, Ed Sheeran, the late Juice WRLD, and more. Current projections have Murdered on pace to become Eminem's 10th No. 1 entry on the Billboard 200 albums chart thanks to a predicted equivalent album units haul of around 280,000.
