Renowned rapper Eminem has publicly apologized to pop star Rihanna for comments he made in a previously leaked track, in which he appeared to side with her ex-boyfriend Chris Brown, who assaulted her in 2009. The apology came through his new song “Zeus,” featured on his surprise album Music to be Murdered By – Side B, released last Friday.

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Eminem and Rihanna have collaborated a number of times

In “Zeus,” Eminem raps: “And wholeheartedly apologies, Rihanna, for that song that leaked / I’m sorry, Rih, it wasn’t meant to cause you grief.” He was referencing a decade-old track that surfaced in 2019, in which he controversially stated, “Of course I side with Chris Brown.”

When the track initially leaked, Eminem’s spokesperson clarified that the verse in question had been recorded over ten years ago and was scrapped shortly afterward. The spokesperson added that Eminem had rewritten the song, acknowledging the lapse in judgment. In “Zeus,” the rapper admits, “It was wrong of me,” fully owning the mistake and expressing remorse for the hurt it may have caused.

The incident stems from Brown’s 2009 assault on Rihanna, which resulted in a guilty plea and a sentence of five years probation alongside community service. While Eminem’s 2019 leak reignited controversy, the rapper’s apology in Music to be Murdered By – Side B seems to close the chapter on the matter.

Eminem and Rihanna have a longstanding professional relationship, having collaborated on several major tracks over the years, including the chart-topping hit “Love the Way You Lie” in 2010, “Numb” from her 2012 album Unapologetic, and “The Monster” from Eminem’s The Marshall Mathers LP 2 in 2013. Despite the controversy, their musical collaborations remain some of the most successful of the past decade.

With his latest apology, Eminem appears to be taking accountability for his past actions, closing an uncomfortable chapter while continuing to evolve as an artist.