With the release last year of his album Relapse, Eminem
announced to the world that he was looking after himself and his music after a
five-year hiatus. Now, as he puts the finishing touches on his follow-up, Recovery,
the Detroit MC says he plans to focus on his record label, Shady Records.

In an interview with BBC’s Radio 1 on Friday (June 4), Eminem was
asked about mentoring up-and-coming rappers, and Em admitted he’d been eying a
few acts.

“We’re kinda trying to start the process of rebuilding our
label, Shady Records,” he said. “I’m sure I’ll be looking for younger
talent, coming up. There’s a new group we’re looking to sign,
Slaughterhouse,” he said referring to the rap supergroup made up of Joe
Budden, Joell Ortiz, Crooked I and Royce da 5’9″. “But I don’t want
to give anything away. We’re looking at a few [artists] now.”

Slaughterhouse has been linked to Em for some time, beginning last
year when the foursome appeared with Eminem in Drake’s “Forever”
video. Their cameo led to speculation that the heralded underground lyricists
would soon be connecting with the Slim Shady camp.

Royce da 5’9″ spoke to MTV News in September and didn’t deny
the rumors.

“It’s very much what it looks like,” Royce said of
Slaughterhouse joining the Shady roster. “That’s always a possibility.
It’s conversations being had, very good conversations. I just did an interview
recently and they asked me to address the rumors. I said, ‘Rumors are what they
are, people see things and they jump to a conclusion.’ I never said it wasn’t
going to happen — I left it right there in the middle. I think it would be a
great thing if it could happen.”

Earlier this year, Ortiz said negotiations were in the “ninth
inning,” but more important, the Brooklyn wordsmith revealed Slaughterhouse
and Emimem have already begun collaborating on music while they wait for the
ink to dry on the paperwork.

“We got in the studio with Em already,” he said.
“We traded bars and stuff with all of us.” (Via MTV News)