Hip-hop fans had a collective moment this week - and it started with a handwritten tracklist.
On June 7, Matthew "M80" Markoff, the A&R and executive producer behind an upcoming collaborative album from Rakim, Kurupt, and Masta Killa, posted a sneak peek of the project's tracklist on Instagram. Fans immediately zeroed in on track number six: both Jay-Z and Eminem's names, handwritten right there on the page.
The internet did the rest.
Markoff later confirmed to Rolling Stone that the track is an official release and will serve as an interlude on the album - with both artists paying homage to Rakim's legacy and influence. He also clarified that neither Jay-Z nor Eminem will have traditional rap verses on the track. "The entire album with all its parts were recorded in the past two years," he said.
There is, however, one significant detail. A representative for Eminem told Rolling Stone: "There has not been any outreach made to Eminem's team regarding the Rakim/Kurupt/Masta Killa project." A representative for Jay-Z did not immediately return requests for comment.
So yes - complicated. But the buzz is undeniably real.
If it holds, this would mark the first time Jay-Z and Eminem have appeared on the same track since "Renegade" from Jay-Z's 2001 album The Blueprint - one of the most celebrated rap collaborations of its era.
The album is targeting an August 28 release and features an all-star lineup including Snoop Dogg, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Daz Dillinger, and KRS-One. Preorder details are expected in July.
At its core, this project is a tribute - legends gathering to honor a legend. Rakim, one of the most revered voices in hip-hop history, built a catalog rooted in discipline, wisdom, and purpose. That kind of legacy deserves exactly this.
