There are rarely any quality, high-profile releases hitting the marketplace in the last few days before Christmas, but this year is a little different. Eminem's Relapse: Refill, a seven song bonus disc that acts as a sorta-sequel to Em's comeback album Relapse, which was released earlier in 2009.
Slim Shady is taking the playful route with the promotion of Relapse: Refill, as he has debuted a pair of video clips where he masquerades as "Shady Claus." In the first video, titled "Bathroom," Em is dressed in a Santa suit and standing in front of a medicine cabinet that opens to reveal dozens of bottles of pills. In the second, called "Living Room," Shady Claus comes town the chimney to flatten some boxes, crush a few ornaments and leave copies of Relapse: Refill and "DJ Hero: Renegade Edition" (which also features original Eminem tracks) under the Christmas tree. It's a pretty amusing piece of video.
Em has taken the Shady Claus concept pretty far, as he is also offering up another holiday-themed bonus to coincide with the release of Relapse: Refill. "Come here kiddies ... on my lap," Em wrote on his Twitter page. "Shady Claus is coming to town." He included a link to this site, which lets you upload a photo of yourself and add it to a shot of Eminem as Shady Claus, which makes it look like you're actually sitting on Shady's lap. Fancy prints will cost you $24.95, with the proceeds going to the Marshall Mathers Foundation, a charity that assists disadvantaged youth in Michigan (Slim Shady's home state). Em even stated on Twitter that he would sign your photo and send it to you.
Delivery of the photos won't be in time for Christmas, but you can pick up a copy of Relapse: Refill today, just in time to stuff your stockings.