Eminem Endorses Red Bull on New Song "For Old Time's Sake," Featuring Dr. Dre: "It's An Incredible Energy Drink," Says Rapper
And yet, on the strength of four songs --"Crack a Bottle," "We Made You," "3 A.M.," and now "Old Time's Sake," which just leaked this morning--it's nearly impossible to figure out what's motivating Eminem to rap in 2009. And though the craft is on a slow upward burn--"3AM," for all the jerking off to the Neve Campbell/Skeet Ulrich sex scene in Scream zero-content horrorcore lyrics, was technically dazzling, and "Old Time's Sake" has a kind of swagger that's been conspicuously missing to date, although that brutal crutch of an accent remains--it's completely baffling that Eminem's returning to a wrecked industry and even more ravenous tabloid culture to peddle a series of track 11-type filler. These are below average songs by a great rapper--his old records are full of 'em, and god knows it's not a crime to rap well about not much over production by Dr. Dre. "Old Time's Sake"--on which Dre fully embraces the faux-Dre cadence of the reference tracks Eminem ghostwrites for him--is about getting high and angry and laid, three things you'd think both MCs would be over by now. There are some weird product endorsements--Verizon Wireless, Creatine, Hpnotiq, Red Bull. "It's an incredible energy drink, and it's giving me wings," he says about that last one. Which, if nothing else, is further evidence that in 2009, Eminem's best friend is very likely his own television. Maybe that's why he's coming back?