Rapper says darker track is representative of his Relapse album, due May 19.
By Jayson Rodriguez

Eminem
Photo: Interscope

With all the hoopla surrounding the release of Eminem's first solo album since 2004, it seems like everyone is forgetting about Slim Shady.

Well, Em's evil rhyme persona blasts his way back on the Detroit lyricist's "3 A.M.," a track from the upcoming Relapse that leaked online Thursday night (April 23). Over a menacing Dr. Dre beat, Shady exhibits a pronounced zigzag flow as he paints the picture of a fictional late-night homicidal crusade.

"I duck and I splash/ Lights and gas/ Last night was a blast/ I can't quite remember when I had/ That much fun with a half-pint of the Jack/ My last Vic and half/ A flashlight up Kim Kardashian's ass," the rapper spits on the third verse of the more-than-five-minute opus.

Eminem appeared on his Sirius satellite radio channel Shade 45 on Thursday morning and discussed his project. The rapper said Dr. Dre produced the majority of the album, with the exception of one track Em did himself. He said stepping away from the boards enabled him to play with his flow more, resulting in different rhyme styles from the rapper.

"I tried to pick the [Dre beats] that challenged me, rhythm-wise," Em said. "I ended up experimenting with a bunch of different flows. I try to do that every album, but this time I had a chance to go all out with it. Make every flow different and pick unique beats."

Em also confirmed that he had filmed a video recently for "3 A.M." The rapper said the clip was shot in Detroit and would be the next video from his project, which is due May 19. Em called the darker song more in line with what his album would sound like. The first single from the effort, "We Made You," is a spoof track that takes aims at celebrities.

• Eminem
• Dr. Dre