Eminem to release two new CDs

SANTA MONICA, Calif., March 5 (UPI) -- U.S. rapper Eminem has announced that "Relapse," his first original studio album in more than four years, will be released in May.

The first single from the album and its accompanying video will get a simultaneous release April 7, Interscope Records said. The album is set to drop May 19.

With Thursday's announcement of the release date for "Relapse" also comes confirmation of something that has been rumored in recent weeks -- Eminem is already working on a follow-up album, "Relapse 2," which fans can expect in the second half of 2009.

"A lot of people were expecting 'Relapse' to drop last year," Eminem said in a statement. "I was one of them. Then (producer Dr.) Dre and I went back in the studio in September for a few days, and that turned into six months. We were on such a roll; we wound up with a ton of new music produced by Dre. Putting out 'Relapse 2' will let everyone get all of the best stuff."

Eminem has sold more than 75 million albums worldwide, Interscope said.