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Jay-Z and Eminem are set to reunite on a track from legendary rapper Rakim's upcoming album, marking their first collaboration in 25 years. Their last joint effort was the track "Renegade" from Jay-Z's 2001 album, 'The Blueprint'.
The new song will be featured on a collaborative album by Rakim, Kurupt, and Masta Killa, scheduled for release on August 28.
The news broke on Sunday (June 7) when Matthew “M80” Markoff, the album's executive producer, shared a sneak peek of the tracklist on Instagram. The track featuring Jay-Z and Eminem is listed as an interlude and will pay homage to Rakim's legacy. Markoff confirmed that while the interlude will not include verses from the two rap icons, it will contain new material recorded over the past two years.
A representative for Eminem stated that no official outreach had been made to his team regarding the project, and Jay-Z's team has not commented. Despite this, the announcement has generated significant excitement among fans, reviving discussions about the duo's classic collaboration on "Renegade".
The album will also feature contributions from other notable artists, including Snoop Dogg, KRS-One, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Buckshot, and Daz Dillinger. Rakim's album will include a posthumous executive production credit by Oliver “Power” Grant of Wu-Tang Clan.
In addition to this collaboration, Jay-Z is preparing for several anniversary shows at Yankee Stadium in July, celebrating his albums 'Reasonable Doubt' and 'The Blueprint'. He has also announced concerts in Paris and Los Angeles later this year.