Eminem's newest track Houdini, the first from his new and highly speculated LAST album "The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce)" has made waves in both the rap scene and his personal career. The song has landed iTunes No. 1 in over 17 countries, debuted at #3 on Global Spotify Charts with 7.85 M streams and at #4 on US Charts with over 2.97 M streams. This is Eminem's biggest success in one-day streams and certaintly left listeners anxious for the album in its entirety set to release this summer.
However, as with most Eminem songs since his return from hiatus in 2009, there is of course a deeper meaning. Music videos are often overlooked in the days of streaming services both by listeners and artists themselves - but the Houdini music video currently sitting at 22 million views is vital to understanding the real message.
Of course, it's no secret that the Eminem we know of today has had several transformations over the past 30 years with some even identifying these changes as his "eras". Still, whether you think of him as Slim Shady, Eminem, or simply Marshall Mathers, you know that he has always taken his music game to the next level - and Houdini is certainly NOT an outlier.
The music video opens with Eminem in a very Batman-esque bedroom receiving a video call from none other than Dr. Dre himself (dressed as a rather convincing Professor X) while a sample of Without Me plays in the background. A portal from 2002 has been opened and Slim Shady, blond buzzcut intact, has stepped into the ultra-modern - and hypersensitive - world of 2024.
Eminem (operating as the superhero Rap Boy) immediately springs into action. The video then cuts to the rapid-fire spread of the news, comic book-style text bubbles appearing over faces both unrecognizable and VERY familiar with Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, and even the Pope all asking the very same question.
"Guess who's back?"
We then see both Eminem and Slim Shady next to each other and while it's nice to see that Eminem has aged well (seriously the blond buzzcut is all he needed. Who is his plastic surgeon??) it's very clear this is not a welcome reunion.
This video has it all - the sampling of many nostalgic songs of his own and of course Steve Miller Band's Abracadabra, Dre and Eminem cruising in a yellow Lambo (still donning their superhero garb), and 2002 Eminem wreaking havoc in 2024 in an attempt to cancel the modern Eminem.
It's well known that Eminem, both past and present, takes delight in a little shock factor and has always thought that society was too sensitive. However, throughout both battles (one in the superhero universe on a city rooftop and one taking place in a liminal space) one thing is very clear - Eminem has changed.
The video climaxes when Eminem (2024) and Slim Shady (2002) both land a punch and seemingly fuse and create a new monster. Eminem returns to the Lambo with his facial hair well intact and a new blond cut as well. We see a cameo from Pete Davidson when the merged Eminems get too out of hand for Dre to handle and even from his very own kids. While this video holds the level of cinematography required to make a splash in 2024 and the Eminem brand humor we've grown to love, it also contemplates a deeper question - How do you deal with problematic behaviors from your past?
There's a lot to be said for the behavior of Marshall Mathers throughout his career and I truly think the media has done its due diligence. Still, this video makes it clear you can't outrun your past. There will always be someone (or in Eminem's case, thousands) waiting in the wings to bring it back to light. In an age where no one is safe from their past actions, no matter how much time has passed, there is no escaping - there is only reconciliation.
At the end of the video, we see the visualization of what every person who has a toxic past has to go through to heal. You can't destroy who you used to be. You have to learn acceptance and build upon your past. Eminem is no stranger to this, having recently celebrated 16 years of sobriety, and he's certainly no stranger to having his past thrown in his face. He does what he's always done - says "Fuck you" to anyone and anything who stands in his way.
At the end of the day, Eminem's existence is still widely controversial but trust me when I say that whether this is his last album or not he has already broken his own records and will continue to do so because of his faith in himself and what he's built. There's nothing harder than letting go of the past (except for maybe watching 2024 Eminem try to keep up with 2002 Slim Shady's moves - turns out not even Eminem is excluded from aging knees).
Love him or hate him, Eminem has proven that he's not playing games. His use of modern technology mixed with his never-ending lyrical genius will leave a significant portion of the world begging for more every time. All I can hope for is a farewell tour when it finally does come to a halt.
How can I explain to you
That even myself I'm a danger to?
I hop on tracks like a kangaroo
And say a few things or two to anger you
But fuck that, if I think that shit, I'ma say that shit
Cancel me, what? Okay, that's it...
