Hip-hop artists react to Eminem’s “Houdini”

Via: @eminem

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.”

The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce) will be Eminem’s first album since 2020’s Music to Be Murdered By, which not only topped the Billboard 200, but also was the artist’s 10th to do so. That set was packed with a generation and genre-spanning guest list, ranging from Dr. Dre to Ed Sheeran to Juice Wrld. Not much has yet been revealed about the forthcoming full-length, but fans have been searching for clues in a special episode of Detroit Murder Files, and a mysterious obituary published in the Detroit Free Press. Dr. Dre has confirmed his involvement.

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.”