Eminem has released a new single, "Houdini," Eminem - Houdini Official Music Video

Eminem - Houdini [Official Music Video]

Eminem has released a new single, "Houdini," referencing Megan Thee Stallion, Steve Miller Band, and his 2002 single "Without Me." This track offers fans the first taste of his upcoming 12th album, "The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce)," set to drop this summer.

The song begins with a classic Eminem trope, featuring a voicemail from his longtime manager, Paul Rosenberg, expressing his disapproval of the upcoming album. “Hey Em, it's Paul. I was listening to the album... Good luck, you’re on your own,” Rosenberg says.

"Houdini" is somewhat of a callback to his 2002 single "Without Me," starting with the line "Guess who's back, back again / Shady's back, tell a friend." Produced by Eminem and his long-time collaborator Luis Resto, the song quotes Steve Miller Band's "Abracadabra" on the chorus and references the shooting incident involving Megan Thee Stallion in one of the verses. “If I ask Megan Thee Stallion to collab with me / Will I really make an achievement? I don't know, but I'm glad to be back,” he raps.

In classic Eminem fashion, he stirs controversy by referencing transgender individuals, RuPaul, and calling his kids "bawwa." "Cancel me, what? Alright, that’s it, go ahead Paul, drop / Poke a snake in the butt, you male cross-dresser, fake-ass bitch / And I’ll probably catch heat for this (look) / But you all can suck my dick, really, fuck them / Fuck Jimmy, fuck me, fuck / Fuck my own kids, they’re bawwa (fuck them) / They can screw, them and all of you (yeah) / You too, Paul, got two balls, as big as RuPaul."

The music video is a direct homage to "Without Me," with Eminem stepping into a portal back to the year the song was released. Shot in a comic strip style similar to the "Without Me" video, the clip features guest appearances from 50 Cent, Pete Davidson, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, and Alchemist, showcasing two Eminems—one from 2002 and one from the present—rapping along to "Houdini."

Details about "The Death of Slim Shady" have been relatively scarce since the album was announced last month. In March, his longtime collaborator Dr. Dre appeared on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" and revealed that Eminem was working on a new project, and Dre had contributed to several tracks. He also mentioned that he would hear the album for the first time the day after his TV appearance.

In April, during the NFL draft, Eminem announced "The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce)" with a teaser for the Detroit Murder Files crime show, suggesting that the project would signify the end of his long-standing alter ego. A few weeks earlier, he ran a fake obituary for Slim Shady in the Detroit Free Press, bidding farewell to the persona.

Earlier this week, Eminem released an Instagram reel with magician David Blaine, announcing "Houdini" as the first single. He told Blaine, "For my last trick, I'm gonna make my career disappear."