Eminem And Slim Shady Do Battle In Nostalgic “Houdini” Music Video
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Eminem has returned to Hip-Hop in a nostalgic music video for “Houdini,” the lead single from his twelfth studio album, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce).
The video and song were released on Friday (May 31). The song features cameo appearances from Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Alchemist, 50 Cent, Westside Boogie, Royce Da 5’9, Paul Rosenberg, Pete Davidson, Shane Gillis, and more.
Em’s music video begins with the rapper receiving a call in bed from Dre alerting him that Slim Shady has found his way to 2024 after stepping through a magical portal. The scene is a direct callback to Slim Shady’s “Without Me” music video from 2002, almost playing out the exact same way, beat for beat.
Additionally, “Houdini” makes various lyrical callbacks to the same song, notably interpolating the chorus and even rapping on a beat reminiscent of the song that soundtracked his alter ego’s coming out party. But the nostalgia doesn’t stop there.
Later in the video, Em finally confronts Slim Shady, squaring off on a rooftop. However, the result of the battle causes both of Marshall Mathers’ characters to fuse together to become “some kind of unholy hybrid,” as the video notes. Other “Without Me” Easter Eggs present in the Rich Lee-directed video include an exterior shot of the house, the Dr. Dre phone call scene, the comic book aesthetic, Rap Boy’s suit-up scene, the close-up crotch shot, the wall climb, and “must use powers.” The visuals also include a callback to “The Real Slim Shady” video. Elsewhere, “Houdini” references the Megan Thee Stallion and Tory Lanez shooting incident with a sly reference to potentially seeking out a collaboration with the Houston native.
“Houdini” marks the first single of Em’s The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce). Interestingly enough, the famed magician Harry Houdini tragically died on October 24, 1926, in Detroit, at age 52. Marshall Mathers, a native of Detroit, turns 52 in October 2024 and seems to hint that this LP is the end of the road for his alter ego, Slim Shady. With Em and Slim fusing together in “Houdini,” it’ll be interesting to see what happens next in the subsequent singles for the final chapter of Slim’s story.
Watch the “Houdini” video above.
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