"The King and I" is a song by American rapper Eminem featuring CeeLo Green. It was released on June 16, 2022, as the fourth single from the soundtrack to the Elvis Presley biopic film Elvis (2022).[1] It was later included on Eminem's second greatest hits album, Curtain Call 2, via Shady Records, Aftermath Entertainment, and Interscope Records.

"The King and I"
Single by Eminem featuring CeeLo Green
from the album Elvis and Curtain Call 2
Released	June 16, 2022
Genre	Hip hop
Length	3:12
Label	Shady Aftermath Interscope
Songwriter(s)	Marshall Mathers Thomas Calloway Andre Young Luis Resto Jerry Leiber Mike Stoller
Producer(s)	Dr. Dre Eminem (co.)
Eminem singles chronology
"Last One Standing" (2021) "The King and I" (2022) "From the D 2 the LBC" (2022)
CeeLo Green singles chronology
"Love" (2022) "The King and I" (2022) "Falling" (2022)

Background

In an interview for KTLA, CeeLo Green spoke about the collaboration process, saying, "Me and Eminem have been friends for years; I've longed for an opportunity to work with him. He said, 'Hey man, can you do this for me? I need it really quickly, I need it tonight.' So when Eminem says he needs something tonight, you deliver."[2]

Composition

Produced by Dr. Dre, the song samples Presley's "Jailhouse Rock", and showcases the two artists taking turns paying homage to Presley: "'Cause me and Elvis jailed together like cellmates / Yeah, this the jailhouse, bitch and I don’t give a..." raps Eminem, before being joined by Green on the hook: "Middle fingers up, we 'bout to do this shit again". Eminem also references and interpolates Presley's song "Blue Suede Shoes" in a similar way he did on his song "My 1st Single" from Encore. Eminem name-drops rappers 2 Chainz and Wiz Khalifa, and reflects on the critics who have hounded his career: "I stole Black music, yeah, true / (For what?) Perhaps used it as a tool to combat school kids". He also points out the parallels between him and Elvis in the music industry: "One, he’s pale as me / Second, we both been hailed as king / He used to rock the jailhouse and I used to rock The Shelter."[3]

Release history

References