Jay-Z and Eminem are collaborating for the first time in 25 years. The hip-hop powerhouses will appear together in a new track from rap legend Rakim’s forthcoming untitled collaborative album with Kurupt and Masta Killa.
The last time that Em and Jay collaborated was in 2001, on the song “Renegade” from Jay-Z’s The Blueprint album. The album topped multiple Billboard charts, and many outlets cite it as one of the greatest rap albums of all time.
Eminem and Jay-Z’s reunion was revealed by “A&R Extraordinaire” and executive producer of the album, Matthew “M80” Markoff. In a June 7 Instagram post, he shared a sneak peek at the album’s track list, and people quickly noticed the Em and Hov collab.
Rakim’s new album releases on August 28
“AOTY 2026,” M80, President of Holy Toledo Productions, wrote in the post’s caption. “PUT SOME COT DAMN RESPEK ON MY NAME.”
Speaking exclusively to Rolling Stone, M80 divulged that the track is an interlude and that it will be an official release. He added that the track is a way for the two men to pay tribute to the legacy of Rakim.
He adds that the interlude will find Hov and Em paying homage to Rakim’s legacy and influence. “Em and Jay do not have verses on the interlude,” M80 explained. “The entire album with all its parts were recorded in the past two years.”
Other guests on Rakim’s new album include Snoop Dogg, KRS-One, and Raekwon
While they’ve rarely collaborated, Eminem and Jay-Z have long been transparent about their mutual respect.
“I look to Jay for a lot of shit,” Em previously told Complex. “I look to Jay for where he’s at in life, and I look for 4:44, the punch lines. I’m listening to music in a way that most people probably aren’t. I’m looking, just like they might be looking for a different thing. They might be looking for a feel, or whatever it is. I’m looking for the sharpness, and I’m looking for the punchlines. He’s got a lot of funny punchlines on that s–t.”
Eminem later added that Jay-Z’s career is a really good example of how there’s “no time limit” when it comes to making art. “It’s almost like he can see what’s going on in hip-hop,” the Detroit rapper said. “He’s very in tune with the times, and then he does something his own way, and then other people follow it. That’s amazing to me, so I’ve always looked up to Jay for that.”
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