Eminem, born Marshall Mathers, has dropped the video for "Houdini," the lead single from his forthcoming album, *The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce)*. The video is star-studded, featuring appearances from Snoop Dogg, Pete Davidson, and Shane Gillis, the host of *Saturday Night Live* on February 24.
"Houdini" samples the Steve Miller Band’s 1982 hit “Abracadabra” and pays homage to Eminem's iconic 2002 video for “Without Me.” It even begins with the memorable lines: “Guess who’s back, back again/Shady’s back, tell a friend," likely to send millennials on a nostalgic trip.
In the video, the 2002 bleach-blond Slim Shady travels through a portal to 2024. The young Slim Shady roams the city, bemused by modern tech gadgets like selfie sticks and VR headsets.
This marks Eminem's first release since his 2020 album *Music to Be Murdered By*. Dr. Dre, who signed Eminem in 1998 and appeared in the original "Without Me" video, makes a cameo, calling the 2024 Eminem and saying, "We've got a problem, check this out. Get your ass down here."
The video also includes comic book-style panels featuring cameos from stars like 50 Cent and *The Voice* coach Snoop Dogg, all joining in on the infectious chorus: "Guess who's back?"
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| Shane Gillis at the 17th Annual Stand Up For Heroes held at David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center on November 6, 2023 in New York City; Pete Davidson poses backstage at The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Friday, April 28, 2023; Snoop Dogg attends the 2024 NBCUniversal Upfront from Radio City Music Hall in New York City on Monday, May 13, 2024; Eminem attends the rag & bone X Eminem London Pop-Up Opening on July 13, 2018 in London, England. Photo: Steve Eichner/Variety via Getty Images; Rosalind O’Connor/NBC; Jennifer Graylock/NBCUniversal; David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for Rag & Bone |
Eminem knows this is a job for his superhero alter-ego, Rapboy. Slipping into spandex, he reunites with Dr. Dre, and the two cruise the city searching for Slim Shady. Slim Shady, unimpressed with the modern world, even interrupts a podcast recording with Shane Gillis, trashing the studio out of frustration.
Rapboy and the 2002 Slim Shady finally confront each other in an epic rooftop battle. After exchanging blows, they merge into "some kind of unholy hybrid," becoming one entity. Present-day Eminem emerges from the fight with bleach blond hair, as the video shows the dye job spreading to other citizens.
Eminem returns to Dre in their car, but Dre eventually exits after Eminem starts rapping insults directed at Dre, former record exec and Beats Electronics CEO Jimmy Iovine, and even his own kids.
Momentarily left without a driver, Eminem is soon joined by another celebrity cameo: Pete Davidson, now blond like the other Slim Shady clones.
"Trust me, I'm a great driver. Don't worry, I just got my license back," Davidson assures as he takes the wheel. The video ends with Eminem and Davidson driving recklessly, disappearing into the dark city streets.
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