Jay-Z and Eminem Get Shared Credit for First Time in 25 Years, Joining Hip-Hop Legend Rakim on New Album

Two of the biggest heavyweights in hip-hop history, Jay-Z (J-Z·56) and Eminem (Eminem·53), are getting their names on the same music track for the first time in a staggering 25 years, thrilling hip-hop fans around the world.

■ A historic reunion after “Renegade” for the first time in 25 years… Made possible on Rakim collaborative album

According to U.S. music outlets including Rolling Stone and Complex on the 15th (local time), it has been confirmed that on the tracklist for a major collaborative album featuring hip-hop legend Rakim, Kurupt, and Masta Killa—set to be released on Aug. 28—Jay-Z and Eminem are listed simultaneously as featuring artists.

Matthew “M80” Markoff, who serves as the project’s A&R and executive producer, pre-released the album tracklist in a long-form post on his social media. He wrote his confident message—“Album of the Year 2026. Pay respect before my name”—and placed Jay-Z’s and Eminem’s names side by side next to track No. 6, signaling a major surprise. The two hip-hop legends receiving credit on the same song is exactly 25 years since the track “Renegade” included on Jay-Z’s 2001 classic album The Blueprint.

■ No disappointing “rap battle”… “An interlude that carries respect for Rakim”

Fans quickly zeroed in on whether a second “rap battle” between the two heavyweights would happen, but producer M80 stepped in himself, laying out the specifics and pushing the story forward.

In an exclusive interview with Rolling Stone, M80 explained, “This song is not a full version of a rap track, but an official ‘Interlude’ track,” adding, “It does not include direct rap verses from Jay-Z or Eminem.” Instead, the track is built in the form of an audio message in which the two titans offer a direct homage to Rakim’s great legacy and influence, who is effectively the living originator of hip-hop. M80 added, “This isn’t archived material, and every part of the album was newly recorded within the past two years—fresh work you can feel.”

Behind the two stars’ involvement, an additional solo track produced directly by Rakim after a full 15 years will be placed, adding to the dramatic effect.

■ Jay-Z is putting in work in 2026… From diss tracks to a major concert run

The collaboration is drawing even more attention in tandem with Jay-Z’s latest moves, as he has been having the most active year of the moment. Jay-Z, who had held back on releasing new songs in recent years, fired up a comeback early this year with an unusual deep-dive interview with GQ.

Last month, in particular, he took the stage as the headliner of “Roots Picnic,” delivering a razor-sharp freestyle that seemed to directly target hip-hop powerhouses including Drake, Ye (Kanye West), Diddy, and Nicki Minaj, sparking one of the biggest debates in hip-hop this year.

Even while showing his presence on a relaxed retirement path, Jay-Z is preparing for sold-out concerts at New York’s Madison Square Garden celebrating the 30th anniversary of Reasonable Doubt and the 25th anniversary of The Blueprint, the two most important albums in his career. He also plans to flex the grandeur of a legend by locking in additional large-scale shows in France, Paris on Sept. 10 and in Los Angeles (LA) on Oct. 23.

Meanwhile, the new collaborative album by Rakim, Kurupt, and Masta Killa—backed by Jay-Z and Eminem—will begin preorders in July before its official release on Aug. 28. The album is expected to become the hottest black music big release in the second half of 2026, with a large roster of all-star collaborators taking part, including Snoop Dogg, KRS-One, Raewon, and Ghostface Killah, among others who helped define hip-hop’s golden era.