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Eminem just released the second single featuring Big Sean and BabyTron titled Tobey, which will be included in the rapper's upcoming 12th studio album, Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce). Earlier this week, the rapper uploaded a trailer for Tobey where he can be seen wearing a Jason Voorhees hockey mask, standing alongside fellow Michigan rappers, as he revs a chainsaw and begins to violently cut down on a chalk outline.
The trailer also hints at an upcoming music video from Lyrical Lemonade, marking Marshall and Cole Bennett's fourth creative collaboration, following up on the rapper's appearance on the production house's debut studio album All Is Yellow.
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Tobey's cover art references the classic Spiderman multiverse meme, which originated from a 1967 episode of the superhero animated cartoon series in which multiple Spidermen are visibly confused by each other's appearances and argue over who is the imposter.
The cover art substitutes the comic book characters for animated versions of Eminem, Big Sean, and BabyTron, along with a goat peeping over a van that seemingly references the Detroit Police Department (D.P.D.).
A complete breakdown of Eminem's latest single Tobey
Aside from the cover art referencing the animated Spiderman series, the title of this track, along with the first line of the chorus, pays homage to Sam Raimi's Spider-Man film trilogy, where American actor Tobey Maguire was cast as the web-slinging superhero.
Eminem's verse on this track finds him drawing comparisons to Tobey's character dynamic in the 2021 MCU film Spider-Man: No Way Home, where Raimi's Spiderman acted as a mentor for Andrew Garfield and Tom Holland's characters.
The production on Tobey is eerie and electric, credited to Marvy Ayy, John Nocito, Daniyel, and Carlton McDowell, creating the perfect atmosphere for the dark lyricism each rapper, especially Eminem, portrays on this record. Notable themes highlighted on Marshall Mather's latest single have been listed below:
- Success
- Status
- Wealth
- Luxury
- Gun Violence
- Drug Abuse
- Addiction
- Womanizing
- Pop Culture
- Expertise
- Crime
- Hope
- Perseverance
- Dedication
Disclaimer: This review is rated explicit. Reader's discretion is advised.
(Chorus)
"Tobey Maguire got bit by a spider, but see, me, it was a goat / If you want space, I hope you take your helmet off soon as you get up to Venus and choke / Even while sleepin', be thinkin' so woke / White Cartiers, all I'm seein' is dope / My city Leia and I'm Obi-Wan, got a mission to pass, I just might be the hope"
BabyTron opens on the track by delivering a catchy hook where he compares himself to Tobey Maguire, where instead of being bitten by a radioactive spider, Tron claims to have been bitten by a G.O.A.T., an abbreviation for the Greatest of All Time.
The violent lyricism appears to be inspired by Eminem's early work, with Tron using a double entendre to suggest that if anybody wants "space," they should head up to Venus. His final line references the Star Wars franchise, where the rapper refers to himself as Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi.
(Verse 1)
"No español, I'm allergic to rojo and legally blind, all I'm seein' is gold / D to the A, there and back, if we ride with the Drac', can't smoke from the T to the O / Upped in the bitch, you can keep what you owe / Granny told me, Boy, you reap what you sow"
Tron then delivers his verse, where viewers see the rapper highlight his affinity for luxury and success. He also recounts his grandmother's teachings about the consequences of one's actions.
The flow and cadence are fast and upbeat, keeping pace with the track's production and inviting listeners into the darkness of the record.
"Do the most, we over, even the score / Steady on the run, glued his feet to the floor / Up in my Tesla, I'm rollin' up 'Ishers, I stopped at Valero, think I should quit smokin' / Life is a gamble and I'm playin' slots, pull it down, close my eyes and I pray I win tokens"
The following bar highlights both Tron's perception of life as a "gamble" as well as his dedication to continue working hard at his craft. The duality of his mindset appears to have led to his excessive indulgence in vices, which he counters by suggesting he should give up "smoking.".
"All Wock', no pop, how we drive, you can come and take a baby sip, still tasted just potent / One of one, sittin' 'round the stars, double R, finna race, hit the Wraith, like a spaceship it's floatin' / All this drip, think I am below sea level / Cut your own wrist off with that weak bezel"
BabyTron proceeds to mention sipping on potent "wock," a cough syrup containing Promethazine and Codeine which is recreationally used along with soft drinks for its sedative effects.
The rapper also highlights his rise to fame while maintaining his individuality by suggesting he's now seated around and collaborating with the biggest stars in hip-hop. This bar could also be a reference to the Rolls Royce Wraith, which he brings up later, where the inner roof of the car is made to resemble a starry night.
"Ride around with the iron giant, make 'em eat metal / Watch unc' break a rock down to three pebbles / Bam-bam, down three, hit the grand slam / Four pockets full, fully switched, go wham-wham / Pants cramp, pull it out, I'm countin' 'til my hands cramp / Road DSM on the beach, not a sand stand"
BabyTron ends his verse by alluding to his susceptible nature toward gun violence while also referencing the 1999 animated film The Iron Giant, which tells the story of an extraterrestrial being coming down to earth and befriending a young boy.
The Iron Giant resembles a robot, and throughout the film, he is seen consuming metal objects for sustenance, which is what Tron is referring to in the first line of this bar. The term "eat metal" is also urban slang for someone being riddled with bullets, which seems to be an apt analysis given the highly aggressive gun bars that follow.
(Verse 2)
"They wanna bleed me and lead me to act like they need me, but f--k it, I do it alone / She wanna touch me and rub me and go back to hubby, he probably could smell my cologne / I was immersed in the Merce, I show 'em no mercy, I really was watchin' the throne / N----s ain't turnin' me down, when my baby asleep only time that I'm watchin' my tone"
The production starts to ramp up, incorporating more electric riffs into its composition, as Big Sean opens in the second verse.
Sean delivers his first couple of lines taking shots at the people around him for using him and being fake, and ending the bar by asserting himself with an elevated status in the rap game.
"We don't want chips with a chip on our shoulder / If he Obi-Wan, then I gotta be Yoda / Don't need no promoter, we pull up, they know us / I'm the Ayatollah snatching your controller"
This bar references BabyTron's hook, where the young rapper compared himself to Obi-Wan Kenobi. Sean too makes a Star Wars reference by playing on the same theme but instead suggests that if Tron is Obi-Wan, then he "gotta be Yoda."
Yoda was one of the strongest characters in the sci-fi franchise and was known as a legendary Jedi Master, who played a pivotal role in the Clone Wars.
"I don't give a f--k about you when I'm focused / F--k all the drugs you take, I'm takin' over / I paid attention, don't need no payola / Can't take 'way from me, you just need to take cover (Frr)"
He follows up with a bar that explains his desire to be the best, citing an extreme focus and dedication to his craft. Sean appears to be coming for his competition's throat as he aggressively implies that since he's "taking over," they should look for cover.
"I can paint a picture like I made the stencil / F--k your whole image, I'm with Cole Bennett / I don't know what the f--k they done told n----s / I put all of my heart and my soul in it / I met you in person, you so different / I can't listen to you for a whole minute / Took a blood test, ain't no ho in it / Watch your motherfuckin' mouth 'fore I go in it"
Big Sean's ability as a rapper is at the forefront halfway through the song as the rapper delivers bar after bar, in rapid succession, speaking on themes of relationships, status, success, and skill.
Cole Bennett gets a shout-out as the rapper praises his own artistic ability for being able to "paint" a vivid picture by putting his heart and soul into what he writes and creates.
"They like, No, he didn't, got 'em more invested / If it's one thing I make, I make no exceptions / I got new addresses, I got no reception / I got love and hate comin' from both directions"
The beat slows down, placing a higher emphasis on Sean's vocal performance and lyricism.
The rapper begins to delve deeper into the intricacies of fame by highlighting how he moves around a lot in an attempt to stay out of the spotlight, since he receives both, praise and criticism, everywhere he goes.
"B---h, I come from the D where they BMFing / Where they movin' them keys like a chord progression / B---h, I'm omnipresent, I got no reflection / Made a livin' off bars, I need no correction (No) / Grindin' shit out, gotta stay patient / While you outside, we on staycation"
Sean's use of the letter "D" here references his city, Detroit. He alludes to the city having a rampant drug problem by name-dropping the Black Mafia Family (BMF), a known drug trafficking and money laundering organization that was founded in 1985, in Southwest Detroit, United States.
As the rapper delivers the final line of the bar, the beat drops, returning to its paced-up electric production, as Big Sean reaches the end of his verse.
"Locked the f--k in, ain't no playin' for real 'less you playmakin' / I take the chances you hate takin' / F--k it, dog, I'ma go Wes Craven / I'm at the safe, f--k a safe haven / They play with my name and I can't take it"
The final bar Big Sean delivers showcases his unwillingness to stand down against the criticism he receives. He even suggests an intent to take darker measures in his actions by comparing himself to American film director and producer Wes Craven, who is well known for his pioneering work in the horror genre and slasher films.
BabyTron's chorus returns again before Eminem opens on the third and final verse of the song.
(Verse 3)
"Tobey Maguire got bit by a spider, me? Must've got bit by a goat / I used to dream as a kid I would grow / To be one, I hope that I inspire hope / For you to go get what you desire most / Spit fire, b---h, I was just flyin' coach / Y'all thought you was sick, you were misdiagnosed / I'm dope and you'll never have this high a dose"
Eminem starts off his verse by directly referencing the first line of BabyTron's hook, before delivering an intricate rhyme sequence that gets more detailed as the song progresses.
Mathers' play on words and rhyming ability draws listeners in as the rapper recounts his childhood dream to be somebody who inspires "hope" in others, to achieve their goals and desires.
"Now my estates in the buildin', and b---h, I done slept on more floors than the Empire State Building / I got so many stories, but I hate ceilings / Ain't feelin' your top five favorite rappers"
Eminem explains his tough come-up, using the Empire State Building as a metaphor when he proclaims he's slept on "more floors" than one of the tallest buildings in the United States.
"So I know they 'bout to be pi--ed at me / But this, to me, is a mystery / How rappers I've already ripped could be / Higher up on a list than me / Yet here I sit on your list though at five, which still was fine / But just know inside, to me, that s--t's hilarious"
Marshall then delivers a bar where he states his displeasure at finding out he isn't in most people's "top 5" anymore. He appears more perplexed as he contemplates the hilarious nature of being ranked below many of the big names in hip-hop.
Despite having outperformed several major artists both commercially and critically, Eminem finds himself questioning how these same rappers claim to have surpassed him and are often ranked higher on all-time lists.
"So when I get dissed though and by a pioneer / Who was one of the reasons why I am here / They tell me I should just let that shit go and slide (Why?) / "Melle Mel shouldn't get no reply" (Why?) / That man is a legend, b---h, so am I"
Eminem spends the following bar recounting his 2023 beef with Grandmaster Melle Mel of The Furious Five when he alluded to the allegations of the iconic rapper abusing steroids.
Although this feud was short-lived, ending with Mel publicly apologizing after releasing his diss track, Kickback, in August 2023, Eminem continues to assert himself over the Old School rapper.
Marshall cites how several people asked him to not respond or reply to Melle Mel because of the Grandmaster's accomplishments, but Eminem ends the bar by highlighting his distinguished career deserves more acknowledgment.
"And anyone else who thinks it'd be wise and easy as pie / To beat me and tries, can treat me just like poison, they can eat me and die / Middle finger stuck up, but I never conceded / When have I ever retreated? (Never) You never seen it / Every dream that I ever dreamt, I exceeded"
Eminem continues on this theme of being better than most of the rap industry, using previous feuds as an example to rhetorically state how he's never "retreated" or backed down from any rapper threatening to take his place.
He proceeds to highlight his determination and desire for success when citing he not only accomplished but exceeded every goal he had set for himself.
"Cement my legacy, I definitely did controversy, I always said all I needed / Treat it like a truck, hit it head-on, I meet it / I get on a beat and it's like that Eye of the Tiger song is playin' on my head on repeat"
Eminem proceeds to speak on his legacy by acknowledging that he has been controversial throughout his career, citing how he's always been direct in whatever he felt needed to be said. He even references the famous theme song for Sylvester Stallone's 1982 movie Rocky III, Eye of the Tiger, highlighting a similar dedication to his craft as Rocky had for training and his boxing career.
"I been knocked down so many times, can't count / Sometimes, s--t does not pan out / That's just the way that the card hand's dealt / Jon Manzel, odd man out"
Continuing on this theme of boxing, Eminem highlights how the rap game has been and always will be competitive, citing how he's been "knocked down" many times in his career. This could also be alluding to the several addictions that almost cost him his life back in 2007 when he overdosed on methadone.
"But heavyweight, word to Scott Van Pelt / I can't help but feel like a victim of child abuse / 'Cause I am 'bout to get that goddamn belt / Way beyond crazy, Shady gone, but hey, maybe, I am the GOAT / With Big Sean and BabyTron, and that's why they be on the s--t they be on, 'cause"
The final bar has almost four entendres, all of which refer to fighting sports, where Eminem shouts out sportscaster Scott Van Pelt, seemingly asking for him to cover this "heavyweight" fight between Eminem, his critics, and the hip-hop industry.
Eminem ends his verse by praising Big Sean and BabyTron for drawing inspiration from him. This leads him to believe that although his alter ego Slim Shady, who garnered him his fame and fortune, is no longer around, he still considers himself the G.O.A.T. for inspiring a newer generation of rappers and hip-hop artists.
Eminem's newest single, Tobey, was released on all streaming platforms on Tuesday, July 2, via Shady Records, Aftermath Records, and Interscope Records. This record follows up on Houdini, the lead single for his upcoming 12th studio album, which was released last month alongside an accompanying music video.
