Eminem will kick off MTV’s awards show for the first time in almost 15 years — since he did it with Rihanna.
Per Billboard, Slim Shady is scheduled to open the VMAs on Wednesday (September 11) at the UBS arena, just outside of NYC. The last time he did that was back in 2010, when he and Rih duetted on “Love the Way You Lie.”
In the years since, Em has actually performed at the show several more times: in 2012 with Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg; and again with just Snoop in 2022.
The iconic rapper has eight VMA nominations this year, six of which are for “Houdini.” He has the most VMA wins of any Hip Hop artist ever, and the second-most nominations in history of any artist, behind Madonna.
Houdini” was a smash success upon its release in June, debuting at number two on the Hot 100, according to Billboard, becoming the Detroit rapper’s highest charting single since his Rihanna collaboration “The Monster” hit the top spot in 2013.
“Houdini”’s first-week streams totalled just shy of 50 million, while it also notched up four million radio impressions as the nostalgic track continues to perform well with audiences.
The song took aim at Megan Thee Stallion and R. Kelly. It finds Slim Shady making light of Megan’s 2020 shooting at the hands of Tory Lanez, which left her with bullet fragments in her feet.
Rapping over a cartoonish beat that samples the Steve Miller Band’s “Abracadabra” as well as his own “Without Me,” he spits: “If I was to ask for Megan Thee/ Stallion if she would collab with me/ Would I really have a shot at a feat?”
The wordplay continues when Em later makes a joke about R. Kelly and the leaked sex tape that allegedly showed him urinating on a minor.
“In the coupe, leaning back my seat/ Bumpin’ R. Kelly’s favorite group, the black guy pees,” he quips, playing on the name of the Black Eyes Peas.
The video for the single features Eminem donning his Robin-inspired Rap Boy superhero outfit from the 2002 “Without Me” visual and battling his Slim Shady alter ego, who has teleported to the present day from that year.
When the two face off, comic book style, things spiral further out of control as they combine to create a hybrid “monster” who is even more controversial and unfiltered.
The video, directed by frequent collaborator Rich Lee, features an array of famous faces including Dr. Dre in a prominent role similar to his appearance in the original “Without Me” video.
It also boasts cameos from 50 Cent, Snoop Dogg, Royce Da 5’9″, The Alchemist, Jimmy Iovine, manager Paul Rosenberg and Shady Records signee Westside Boogie.
