Eminem is back with his brand-new single ‘Houdini’
Eminen. Image from Shady, Aftermath and Interscope
Whether he goes by various personas such as Eminem or Slim Shady, Marshall Mathers is a living music legend. Beyond that, he has become one of the foundational figures in modern Hip-Hop, blazing a career unlike no other and inspiring many to follow in his footsteps. When it comes to his artistry, Eminem is impeccable in his vocal delivery, lyrical precision, and creation of substantive songs that cover a wide range of subjects, from the serious to the mundane. All of these have become hallmarks of his music. Apart from those things, Eminem is one of the greatest rappers in history. Eminem has sold more physical albums than most artists can ever dream of and has won numerous awards, including an Oscar. WOW!
Eminem has accomplished a lot, but he still raps with purpose, a fiery disposition, and above all, conviction. Once again, after a considerable amount of time away, Eminem has released a new single titled “Houdini” from what could potentially be his last full-length album, ‘The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce).’ Here, Eminem showcases a playful, mischievous, comical, fun and villainous side that has not been heard from in a long time.
Why so? The scene has become overcrowded with numerous artists and faces, all attempting to appear “artistic” only to end up borderline bizarre in their styles. Let us be brutally honest here: some of these newer artists may be demonic (seriously) or unstable as a result of certain substances in their systems. This leaves one unsure if they are authentic or pretending to be genuine to who they are. Either way, if you can’t decipher or comprehend their artistry, they become nonsensical from the start and lose their purpose. His return to the scene offers a clearer perspective. Compared to almost everyone else, Eminem stands out as the most sane. He knows who he is, what he has helped pioneer, and who his audience is.
Eminem is one of the few remaining modern hip-hop artists who can deliver his lyrics quickly while remaining clear and understandable, and not the garbled, mumble rap style that often results in utterly incomprehensible lyrics that many younger and “trying too hard” rappers frequently find themselves in. Indeed, there is no need for a fast-tempo song/backing track/instrumental if you can’t match it in the speed of your lyrical delivery.
Photos from Shady, Aftermath and Interscope
In the lyrics of “Houdini,” he references matters from his earlier professional life and some of the more controversial events spanning his Hall of Fame-esque music career. There are many callbacks to Eminem’s prime era in “Houdini,” unfortunately, as great as it sounds, it quickly ends, leaving you wanting more because beyond the midway point of the song, he goes up another gear and when you hear the last verse that is Eminem as Eminem can be.
Eminem’s music videos were always meant to grab your attention. This same strategy can be seen in Eminem’s newest song and music video “Houdini,” where he is having more fun. Many longtime fans have sorely missed this side of him. At one point, we all wondered, “What would the old Eminem say about current events?” That question is answered loud and clear in “Houdini.” And no, this is not a throwback or nostalgia, but a gut punch for anyone claiming that Eminem is no longer “Slim Shady.”
Eminem, with his classic blonde hairstyle, military tags, white shirt, and khakis, quickly brings to mind a time when many teens and youngsters used hydrogen peroxide and other chemicals in their hair to emulate Eminem’s blonde look. haha… Those were wild times. Not only did the youth want to sound like Eminem, but they also wanted to be like him. Was he a bad influence on the youth? Well, that can be argued, but who cares? That was a long time ago, and Eminem is still around.
In those years, Eminem had countless supporters, fans, and fanatics worldwide, and it is not an exaggeration to say that “Slim Shady” caused a frenzy of people who closely resembled clones of himself. Eminem had feuds with Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Moby, Will Smith, Fred Durst, Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, and many others. They were either jealous of Eminem’s skyrocketing fame or did not like him. But leave it to Eminem to make the best of the situation and diss them in his songs. It felt like Eminem had the music industry by the ***** and, upon reflection, it was true during those years because it was “Slim Shady” mania, literally. For those too young to remember how massively popular Eminem was, you can ask your parents and they will tell you.
Seeing Eminem as he was during my youth takes me back to his era, prime, and glory days. However, watching the music video for “Houdini,” you wouldn’t think it had been years since we last saw and heard him in this form. This is the best version of Eminem because he doesn’t delve into deep, dark, and depressing topics, nor does he curse senselessly. He is as balanced as Eminem can be. You get more than half of Slim Shady, with the rest being the more mature, calm, and toned-down Eminem today. Indeed, hearing those two personalities together is the best combination for him.
“Houdini” is a reminder that Eminem’s wordplay is unmatched; he can switch up his flow in any section of the song as if he were driving with no speed limits at all. It is utterly unbelievable how he has not aged in that regard. Eminem’s showcase of his superior rap skills in “Houdini” proves that he is as lyrically dangerous as ever; he does not miss a beat and remains as sharp as a knife. Have today’s children and young people ever wondered what Eminem was like in the early 2000s and what he would be like now? Well, this is it.
“Houdini” is the lead single from Eminem’s upcoming twelfth studio album entitled, “The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce).”
