In Eminem’s new “Houdini” video, he resurrects the “Rap Boy” character from his 2002 “Without Me” video to chase down his rampaging Slim Shady alter ego. The comedic video revived Em’s tradition of launching album rollouts with cartoony videos highlighting his sense of humor — which hasn’t changed much in the 25 years since “My Name Is.”
Eminem, as Rap Boy, gets into all sorts of shenanigans, but perhaps his name should be “Fall Boy,” as he slams into the ground over and over again in a behind-the-scenes video Eminem posted on social media. And while Em puts on a display of lyrical feats in the video, perhaps the 51-year-old’s most impressive is doing his own stunts.
I do my own stunts. #Houdini video shoot behind the scenes- don’t try this at home!!! pic.twitter.com/LKypN6N53A
— Marshall Mathers (@Eminem) June 10, 2024
While the reception of the song has been… well… mixed, Eminem did say his mission is to be the best rapper, not make the best songs. That didn’t stop the song from debuting at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, over 25 years into his career.
And as for the video, which, like the visual for “Without Me,” parodies the 1960s Batman show, it received a warm reception from the family of that show’s star, Adam West, whose campy depiction of the comic book legend was a big inspiration. You can watch the video above.