Eminem apologizes to Rihanna on surprise new album

Eminem apologizes to Rihanna on surprise new album. (Theo Wargo/Getty Images North America/Getty Images)

Eminem has released a new surprise album, a companion to his 11th studio album, "Music to Be Murdered By."

The Detroit rapper dropped "Music to Be Murdered By --- Side B," Thursday at midnight. The album, produced by Eminem and longtime collaborator Dr. Dre, also features DJ Premier, Ty Dolla $ign and Sly Pyper.

Eminem also took a surprise-release approach to his two previous albums "Music to Be Murdered By," released in January and "Kamikaze,"released in 2018.

Among the 16 new songs is a track tilted "Zeus," in which the rapper offers an apology to Rihanna over decade-old lyrics about Chris Brown that leaked in 2019. On the song, Eminem rapped that he "sided" Brown after he pleaded guilty to felony assault involving Rihanna in 2009.

The new lyrics read: "But, me, long as I re-promise to be honest / And wholeheartedly, apologies, Rihanna," he raps. "For that song that leaked, I'm sorry, Ri / It wasn't meant to cause you grief. Regardless, it was wrong of me."

Speculation that a new Eminem album was coming had been bubbling on social media all week.