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Tobey (song)

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"Tobey"
Single by Eminem, Big Sean, and BabyTron
from the album The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce)
ReleasedJuly 2, 2024
GenreHip hop[1]
Length4:44
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Marvy Ayy
  • John Nocito
  • Daniyel
  • Carlton McDowell
  • Cole Bennett
  • Eminem (add.)
Eminem singles chronology
"Houdini"
(2024) 		"Tobey"
(2024) 		"Somebody Save Me"
(2024)
Big Sean singles chronology
"Shut Up"
(2024) 		"Tobey"
(2024) 		"Yes"
(2024)
BabyTron singles chronology
"Drank Wars"
(2024) 		"Tobey"
(2024)
Music video
"Tobey" on YouTube

"Tobey" is a song by American rappers Eminem, Big Sean, and BabyTron. It was released on July 2, 2024, through Shady Records, Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records as the second single from Eminem's twelfth studio album The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce). The song makes numerous references to Star Wars and Spider-Man, the latter of which has been portrayed by the song's namesake, Tobey Maguire. It has charted within the top 30 in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Production and release

[edit]

"Tobey" is a collaborative effort from Michigan natives Eminem, Big Sean and BabyTron.[2] Released on July 2, 2024, through Shady Records, Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records, it was produced by Eminem, Cole Bennett, Car!ton, Daniyel, Marvy Ayy, and John Nocito.[3] "Tobey" is the fourth collaboration between Eminem and Big Sean, following "Detroit vs. Everybody", "No Favors" and "Friday Night Cypher",[3] and the second single taken from Eminem's twelfth studio album The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce) following "Houdini".[4] Shortly after the music video was released, Cole Bennett stated on Instagram that the track started life as a BabyTron track, with Big Sean brought in later as "a moment for Detroit" and Eminem brought in after that to bring "three generations of Detroit" together.[5] "Tobey" marks BabyTron's first entry on the US Billboard Hot 100.[6]

On June 28, Eminem posted a horror-themed trailer for "Tobey" on his social media accounts, containing himself, Big Sean and BabyTron, announcing that it would be released on July 2, 2024, and its music video, directed by Bennett, set to premiere three days later on July 5.[7] The trailer featured Eminem in a Jason Voorhees mask carving into a bleeding invisible figure with a chainsaw,[2] intended to represent Eminem's alter ego Slim Shady,[8] followed by BabyTron rapping "Tobey Maguire got bit by a spider, but see, me, it was a goat".[9] The video was delayed by three days after it became apparent that it was not ready, with Eminem instead releasing a short snippet in which he rapped outside his house.[10]

Cover art and composition

[edit]

The single cover is a reference to a meme in which three Spider-Men point at each other,[11] derived from episode nineteen of the 1967 Spider-Man television series,[12] and the song was titled in reference to American actor Tobey Maguire, who played Spider-Man in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man film trilogy and the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Spider-Man: No Way Home;[13] Eminem had previously referenced Spider-Man characters in his songs "Rap God" and "These Demons", while BabyTron had referenced the title character in his earlier single "Spidey Senses".[9]

Over a beat including bells and a hard rock guitar riff,[1] BabyTron uses his hook to reference Princess Leia telling Obi-Wan Kenobi that he was her only hope in the 1977 film Star Wars and The Iron Giant's consumption of scrap metal,[9] and Big Sean references Yoda[1] and Wes Craven.[14] Eminem uses his verse to criticise his fifth-place ranking on Billboard and Vibe's "50 Greatest Rappers of All Time" list[15] and criticise Melle Mel for questioning his high ranking;[15] upon release, many fans interpreted some of his verse as taking shots at Jay-Z, prompting Royce da 5′9″ to opine otherwise.[10]

Music video

[edit]

The music video for "Tobey" was directed by Cole Bennett, who previously directed Eminem's videos for "Godzilla", "Gnat" and "Doomsday Pt. 2", and was released on July 8, 2024.[16] The video features multiple copies of each rapper delivering their verses,[17] and contains scenes of Eminem rapping outside his childhood house[18] and carving into his alter ego Slim Shady.[8] Shortly after release, Bennett posted to Instagram to state that the video had been shot six weeks earlier during a single day, with post-production stopping only two hours earlier. He also stated that he had intended a more embellished version of his video for "100 Bars",[5] his earlier BabyTron track.[19]

Critical reception

[edit]

Tom Breihan of Stereogum, who had previously panned "Houdini", expressed that "Tobey" was "more like it," describing the latter as "rap for rap's sake, without headline-chasing edgy jokes or forced, rushed cadences." He also opined that the song's central concept was "a little goofy," but felt that it worked.[20] Upon release, Anthony Fantano criticized the instrumental, but admired the concept and lyrics and felt that the track was a "big Detroit deal" on the grounds that the track comprised "three generations of Detroit artists".[21] Upon reviewing the album, however, he felt that his words made its narrative "a little confusing" due to the conflicting messages he was getting from "Tobey" and that album's "Guilty Conscience 2".[22]

Personnel

[edit]
Musicians
  • Eminem – primary artist, vocals, songwriter, additional producer
  • Big Sean – primary artist, vocals, songwriter
  • BabyTron – primary artist, vocals, songwriter
  • Luis Resto – keyboards, songwriter
  • Cole Bennett – producer, songwriter
  • Carlton McDowell – producer, songwriter
  • Daniyel – producer, songwriter
  • John Nocito – producer, songwriter
  • Marvy Ayy – producer, songwriter
Technical

Charts

[edit]
Chart performance for "Tobey"
Chart (2024) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[23] 29
Australia Hip Hop/R&B (ARIA)[24] 7
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[25] 58
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[26] 21
Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[27] 97
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[28] 48
Germany (GfK)[29] 65
Global 200 (Billboard)[30] 23
Greece International (IFPI)[31] 38
Ireland (IRMA)[32] 43
Lithuania (AGATA)[33] 84
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[34] 86
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[35] 25
Portugal (AFP)[36] 99
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[37] 69
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[38] 74
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[39] 31
UK Singles (OCC)[40] 29
UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[41] 7
US Billboard Hot 100[42] 24
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[43] 7

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "Eminem Links with BabyTron & Big Sean on New Single "Tobey"". Consequence. July 2, 2024. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
  2. ^ a b England, Adam (June 30, 2024). "Eminem drops trailer teasing new single 'Tobey' featuring Big Sean and BabyTron". NME. Retrieved July 2, 2024.
  3. ^ a b Strauss, Matthew (July 2, 2024). "Eminem, Big Sean, and BabyTron Share New Song "Tobey"". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 2, 2024.
  4. ^ Horowitz, Steven J. (June 28, 2024). "Eminem Taps Big Sean and Babytron for New Single 'Tobey,' Releasing July 2". Variety. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  5. ^ a b "Cole Bennett | the tobey video is finally out 🕷️ this one took a lot of intense planning, patience & persistence. We shot this 6 weeks ago and began editing it right away on set & have been working on it day in and day out until literally 2 hours ago. Shot entirely on blue screen with dialed in lighting set ups & static shots..." www.instagram.com. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
  6. ^ Zellner, Xander (July 9, 2024). "Hot 100 First-Timers: Yuki Chiba, Loco & BabyTron All Score First Entries Thanks to Collaborations". Billboard. Retrieved July 13, 2024.
  7. ^ Saponara, Michael (June 28, 2024). "Eminem Recruits Fellow Detroit Natives Big Sean & Babytron for Ominous 'Tobey' Single: Watch the Trailer". Billboard. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  8. ^ a b "Eminem's The Death of Slim Shady album a mixed bag, say critics". BBC News. July 12, 2024. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
  9. ^ a b c "Eminem name-checks Tobey Maguire and recreates Spider-Man meme on new single". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
  10. ^ a b Nevares, Gabriel Bras (July 5, 2024). "Eminem Returns To "The Marshall Mathers LP" House In "Tobey" Music Video Teaser". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
  11. ^ Duran, Anagricel (July 2, 2024). "Eminem teams up with Babytron and Big Sean on new 'Spider-Man' inspired single 'Tobey'". NME. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
  12. ^ Child, Ben (February 24, 2022). "The Spider-Man pointing meme perfectly encapsulates why fans adored No Way Home". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
  13. ^ McCollum, Brian (July 2, 2024). "Eminem joined by Big Sean, BabyTron on new song 'Tobey' as 'Slim Shady' release set". AOL. Retrieved July 2, 2024.
  14. ^ Cowen, Trace William. "Eminem Recruits Big Sean and BabyTron for Latest 'Death of Slim Shady' Track "Tobey"". Complex. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
  15. ^ a b Sadler, Armon (July 3, 2024). "Eminem Addresses 'Billboard' Ranking Him No. 5 On Greatest Rappers List In New Single "Tobey"". Vibe. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
  16. ^ "Eminem Dusts Off Chainsaw & Hockey Mask In 'Tobey' Video With Big Sean & BabyTron". HipHopDX. July 9, 2024. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
  17. ^ Horowitz, Steven J. (July 8, 2024). "Eminem Reps for Detroit in the Cole Bennett-Directed Video for 'Tobey' Featuring Big Sean and Babytron". Variety. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
  18. ^ "Eminem releases Tobey music video featuring his childhood home, Detroit natives Big Sean & BabyTron". The Express Tribune. July 9, 2024. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
  19. ^ "Eminem Shares His Brutal 'Tobey' Video With Big Sean And BabyTron". UPROXX. July 8, 2024. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
  20. ^ "Eminem Teams With Big Sean & Babytron On New Single "Tobey": Listen". Stereogum. July 2, 2024. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
  21. ^ "I Like Eminem's New Song". The Needle Drop. July 2, 2024. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
  22. ^ "Eminem - The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce)". The Needle Drop. July 16, 2024. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
  23. ^ "Eminem / Big Sean / BabyTron – Tobey". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  24. ^ "ARIA Top 40 Hip Hop/R&B Singles Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. July 15, 2024. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
  25. ^ "Eminem / Big Sean / BabyTron – Tobey" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  26. ^ "Eminem Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  27. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 29. týden 2024 in the date selector. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  28. ^ "Eminem: Tobey (feat. Big Sean and BabyTron)" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved July 13, 2024.
  29. ^ "Eminem / Big Sean / BabyTron – Tobey" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
  30. ^ "Eminem Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  31. ^ "Official IFPI Charts – Digital Singles Chart (International) (Week: 29/2024)". IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on July 24, 2024. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
  32. ^ "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
  33. ^ "2024 29-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. July 19, 2024. Retrieved July 19, 2024.
  34. ^ "Eminem / Big Sean / BabyTron – Tobey" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved July 13, 2024.
  35. ^ "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. July 22, 2024. Retrieved July 19, 2024.
  36. ^ "Eminem / Big Sean / BabyTron – Tobey". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  37. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 19. týden 2024 in the date selector. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  38. ^ "Eminem / Big Sean / BabyTron – Tobey". Singles Top 100. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  39. ^ "Eminem / Big Sean / BabyTron – Tobey". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  40. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
  41. ^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
  42. ^ "Eminem Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
  43. ^ "Eminem Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
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