Eminem Enlists Cole Bennett for "Tobey" Video
Lifting visual inspiration from Eminem’s old cover art.
After unleashing “Tobey” last week, the second single lifted from his forthcoming The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce), Eminem has further expanded the track’s scope with a cinematic visual. Though initially slated to drop on Friday, director Cole Bennett explains the striking visual – which also stars the track’s featured artists Big Sean and BabyTron – was a complex one to craft.
“We shot this six weeks ago and began editing it right away on set & have been working on it day in and day out until literally two hours ago. Shot entirely on a blue screen with dialed-in lighting setups & static shots,” explained Bennett in an Instagram carousel showcasing the behind-the-scenes process.
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In the easter egg-filled visual, the three rappers are factory workers and don custom Detroit workwear sets.
The visual evokes similarities to Bennett’s “100 Bars” video for BabyTron, which was an intentional point of inspiration for Bennett. “Explaining this video concept to people wasn’t the easiest thing to do. As I was explaining it to Marshall he scratched his head and said ‘I guess I’m just going to have to trust you on this one.’”
Bennett also drew notable inspiration from Eminem’s The Marshall Mathers and The Marshall Mathers 2 cover art, placing the rapper outside the Detroit house for his final verse on the track.
The video comes to a close with a Jason Voorhees mask-wearing Shady stepping into the frame and killing the rapping Shady.
Stream the video for “Tobey” in the gallery above, and stay tuned for Eminem’s The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce) – which drops everywhere this Friday, July 12.
