Slim Shady is Reborn with Eminem’s 2024 MTV VMAs Performance of Hit Song “Houdini” – Watch Now

The 2024 MTV VMAs opened with quite the resurrection!

Rap icon Eminem harkened back to his irreverent past with a live performance of his latest hit “Houdini” during the show, which aired LIVE from the UBS Arena on Wednesday (September 11) in Elmont, New York.

Kicking things off in true Eminem fashion, the 51-year-old arrived onstage donning a blonde Slim Shady wig and was surrounded by nodding individuals also wearing blonde wigs, referencing the song’s music video. 

During his second verse, a Slim Shady-lookalike — played by dancer, TikTok star and a Celeb Secrets fav Josh Killacky — sprang to the front of the stage, shaking his head disapprovingly of the current state of music. As his doppelgänger grimaced next to him, the “Without Me” rapper aired out his feelings on the current state of music, rapping; “Sometimes I wonder what the old me’d say, if he could see the way s**t is today.” 

The surrounding crowd danced along to “Houdini,” most memorably pop queen Taylor Swift swaying along next to actress and friend Margaret Qualley. Eminem’s role as the opener for the ceremony was a rousing success, getting fans on their feet and 90’s kids feeling nostalgic.

Soon after the raunchy bounce of “Houdini,” Eminem changed the mood to something a little softer, performing his verses on the Jelly Roll-assisted “Somebody Save Me.” The tender ballad reflects on both singers’ troubled struggles with addiction and the importance of awareness.

The audience waved along to the song’s slow tempo with their sea of glowing wristbands covering the stadium. The camera also panned to celebrities GloRilla and Camilla Cabello waving along with the crowd.

Eminem is up for eight moon person awards at this year’s VMAs, including Video of the Year, Best Hip-Hop, Best Direction, Best Editing, Best Visual Effects and Song of Summer for “Houdini,” plus Artist of the Year and VMAs Most Iconic Performance for his mash-up of “The Real Slim Shady” and “The Way I Am” at the 2000 ceremony.

In the short span of five minutes, Eminem was able to open the 2024 MTV VMAs with an electric performance playing toward both his creative lyrics and his more tender vulnerability. It’s these two strengths that listeners are captivated by the Detroit rapper, and it’s this performance that proves that he’s still got both of them. One thing’s for sure: Shady’s back. Tell a friend.

Watch Eminem’s full performance from the 2024 MTV VMAs below and don’t forget let us know what you think of the rapper’s return to the stage by either leaving a reaction at the bottom of the post or by sliding into our DMs on Instagram at @celebsecrets.

For more coverage from the 2024 MTV VMAs, click here.