Eminem returns with “Houdini,” a hard-hitting new single accompanied by a fitting video. Em teased the drop earlier this week in a FaceTime with David Blaine — the clip ended with the magician eating a wine glass, and the rapper declaring, “Well, for my last trick, I’m gonna make my career disappear.” “Houdini” gives fans the first taste of Eminem’s 12th album, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce), due out this summer.
“Houdini” is produced by Eminem himself and – continuing the theme- features a sample and interpolation of Steve Miller Band’s 1982 hit, “Abracadabra.” The accompanying clip imagines Eminem’s antagonist character Slim Shady emerging in the present day via a “portal” — and finds himself confused and unsettled by what he sees in 2024. Determined to mold the modern era into a place more suited to his unique worldview, he sets off on a mission to do exactly that. Only current day Eminem’s alter-alter ego “Rap Boy” can save the world from Shady, along with his long time mentor- the legendary Dr. Dre. In an effort to neutralize these nefarious actions things go sideways and an unholy hybrid version of Eminem is created. Dr. Dre is less than thrilled with the results and hastily leaves the hybrid Shady to continue on his own… until a wandering stranger joins in and takes the wheel. Guess who’s back, indeed.
Directed by long-running collaborator Rich Lee (“Not Afraid,” “The Monster,” “Venom,” etc.), the innovative “Houdini” video freely calls back to classic Eminem videos such as Joseph Khan’s “Without Me” and Phillip Atwell’s “Real Slim Shady”. “Houdini” is packed with cameos including Dr. Dre, Pete Davidson, Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, Jimmy Iovine, Grip, Westside Boogie, Denaun Porter, Royce 5’ 9”, Paul Rosenberg, The Alchemist, EZ Mil, Ryan Keely, Samantha Mack, and comedian Shane Gillis. The generative AI used in the video was created by Metaphysic, with Jo Plaete and Chris Ume supervising production.
Rich Lee speaks on the video more by mentioning “What if Shady from the 2000s got teleported into the modern day and we got his take on what the world has become…and what if “Rap Boy” was the only person who could stop him? But, 20+ years have passed so theres a little less stamina and some bad knees. The crazy combination of new tech that made this music video possible. We are in such an awesome time now for filmmaking, and we were able to leverage so much of the great tech we have at hand.”
We have compiled reactions to “Houdini” from hip-hop artists and it includes B-Real, Big Daddy Kane, Ice T, Big Sean, Mickey Factz, Math Hoffa, DJ Hed, Punch TDE, Obie Trice and many others. Check them below.
“I was on the tour lately and I randomly got a text from Eminem and apparently he had heard the song that I did with Mr. Criminal. We did a song recently and somehow that’s the one Eminem heard. He hit me up and he’s like ‘dude! the bar work on Mr. Criminal song…’ and he starts quoting the bars. I was like ‘hey man, coming from you that means a lot cause I respect the hell out of my bro. To me, he’s top 3 all day. No one could shake that foundation, ever! Don’t try to throw other MCs in front of the names that I choose as my three. It’s my three and Eminem’s on my top 3.” – said B-Real.
Then he continued: “He was giving me feedback on some stuff cause I sent him the Real Psycho album and we had like two-three day conversation and he’s like ‘man, I’m listening to this s–t and your bars on this and that…’ It surprised me. I only gave it to him for an opinion cause I respect him as an MC and writer. He was kinda giving me feedback on all of it and I was like ‘thank you bro, it’s much love all day.’ And then, when I heard the new joint ‘Houdini’ the other day I had to hit him back like ‘bro! your pocket is still just ridiculous!’ Every bar flipped. It’s like an old Eminem s–t. Like, got bars and its funny. He has brought the shock humor cynical bars back. The video is also hilarious. I don’t care what anybody says, that s–t was hilarious to me. That’s him singing the chorus and he killed that. And I said to him ‘that Steve Miller s–t you put on the chorus was f–king hard son. There’s gonna be a lot of people scrutinizing my dude but hate if you want, we are not. We f–k with it. If you hate it’s just because you got a problem. Art is subjective, some people are going to get down with it and some ain’t but I’m just saying I get down with it cause he came back with a smasher right there and the video just backs it up cause its hilarious and just as funny as the first one, if not more funny. That was gold. I can’t wait what the album sounds like.”
News
Daylyt blames Eminem for mumble rap rise
About 3 months ago, during one of the episodes of Last Second Sea, one of the best battle rappers Daylyt gave one of the weirdest compliment to Eminem I’ve ever heard. While reacting to one of…
Wallie the Sensei describes witnessing Eminem, Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg in recent studio session
Wallie the Sensei emerged as the new face of Compton hip-hop with his 2020 single “Scandalous,” where he offsets grim gangsta narratives with silky-smooth production and an elastic, irresistibly melodic flow. He has recently sat down with Bootleg Kev where…
Eminem’s Adopted Daughter Works at Hair Salon despite His Millions — He Walked Her Down the Aisle
Eminem proved that he is a family man by adopting and raising his niece who now works at a salon. Earlier this year, the rapper did something special for her, for which she feels “beyond blessed.” Eminem during the ceremony…
Dr. Umar Johnson says Eminem can’t be considered the greatest rapper of all time because he’s white
Dr. Umar Johnson says Eminem can’t be considered the greatest rapper of all time because he’s white During an episode of The Joe Budden Podcast, Pan-Africanist motivational speaker, Dr. Umar Johnson expressed his resentment over Eminem’s GOAT…
Eminem was saying there were too many concert dates at a time when he wanted to rest. And Eminem, he was like, ‘I don’t want to go on tour and come back with [my daughter] Hailie all grown up
Hailie Jade Scott posted photos from the game that poked fun at Taylor Swift’s recent “seemingly ranch” viral moment Eminem and his daughter Hailie Jade Scott seem to have brought the Detroit Lions a bit of luck. The father-daughter duo stepped…
Eminem disses his own kids as the real slim shady returns in first song from new album
Eminem fans claim ‘real rap is back’ Eminem is well and truly back, back again, as his new single plays on the idea of making his ‘career disappear’ ahead of upcoming album The Death of Slim Shady. And his…
End of content
No more pages to load