“Houdini”: lyrics, videoclip and references in Eminem’s first song from ‘The Death of Slim Shady’

Eminem’s new single “Houdini”, which is out today, is a typically potty-mouthed affair: it contains 10 uses of “fuck” in some form, in addition to several “shits”, a couple of “pricks”, a “bitch” and a “dick”. And amongst all that agricultural language, there is no shortage of eye-catching digs, quips and name-drops.

Megan Thee Stallion, RuPaul, Sherri Papini...

Notably, Eminem recalls the July 2020 incident in which his fellow rapper, Megan Thee Stallion, was shot in the foot by the Canadian musician Tory Lanez. “If I was to ask Megan Thee Stallion if she would collab with me, would I really have a shot at a feat?” the 51-year-old raps. In August 2023, Lanez was sentenced to 10 years in prison for the shooting.

Elsewhere in “Houdini”, Eminem takes aim at drag queen RuPaul and disgraced singer R Kelly, and hits out at ‘cancel culture’: “I hop on tracks like a kangaroo, and say a few things or two to anger you, but fuck that, if I think that shit, I’ma say that shit. Cancel me, what?”

The 15-time Grammy winner dismisses his children as “brats”, and references California woman Sherri Papini, who in 2022 was jailed for staging her own disappearance. “See the kidnappin’ never did happen, like Sherri Papini, Harry Houdini, I vanish into thin air as I’m leavin’ like,” Eminem raps.

Familiar tropes, callbacks in “Houdini”

“Houdini”, whose chorus samples the Steve Miller Band’s “Abracadabra”, begins with a skit involving his long-time manager, Paul Rosenberg, who tells the rapper in a voice message: “Hey Em, it’s Paul. Uh, I was listening to the album. Good fucking luck, you’re on your own.”

This is a device that Eminem has frequently turned to over the years; Rosenberg has starred on a number of the rapper’s other records, in mock messages questioning the wisdom of releasing his latest work. “The skits are always based on real conversations,” Rosenberg told an interview with Music Business Worldwide in 2018. “So while they’re not necessarily real voicemails, they are things that have really been said amongst us - particularly mine.”

“Houdini” contains clear callbacks to his 2002 song “Without Me”. Notably, the song begins with lyrics that mirror those of his 22-year-old hit: “Guess who’s back, back again? Shady’s back, tell a friend.” As Variety’s Steven J. Horowitz points out, the video to “Houdini” is also shot in a comic-book style that was likewise used for “Without Me”.

In the “Houdini” video, there are cameos from several major names, including Dr Dre, 50 Cent and Snoop Dog. The comedian Pete Davidson also appears, in a scene in which he and Eminem are involved in a high-speed car wreck. In real life, Davidson was charged with reckless driving last year, for a late-night incident in which he crashed his car into a house in Beverly Hills. The 30-year-old former Saturday Night Live star was sentenced to 50 hours of community service over the accident.

“Houdini” - watch the video to Eminem’s new single:

“Houdini” - the lyrics in full:

Paul Rosenberg skit:

Hey Em, it’s Paul. I was listening to the album. Good fucking luck. You’re on your own.

Intro:

Guess who’s back, back again? Shady’s back, tell a friend. Guess who’s back, back again? Shady’s back, tell a friend. Guess who’s back, back again? Shady’s back, tell a friend. Guess who’s back, guess who’s back, guess who’s back, guess who’s back, guess who’s back, guess who’s back, guess who’s back.

Verse:

Well, look what the stork brung. Little baby devil with the forked tongue. And it’s sticking out yeah like a sore thumb. With a forehead that it grew horns from. Still a white jerk pulling up in a Chrysler to the cypher, with the Vics, Percs and a Bud Light shirt. Lyrical technician, an electrician, y’all light work and I don’t gotta play pretend, it’s you I make believe.

And you know I’m here to stay ‘cause me, if I was to ever take a leave, it would be aspirin’ to break a feve’. If I was to ask Megan Thee Stallion if she would collab with me, would I really have a shot at a feat? I don’t know, but I’m glad to be back like.

Chorus:

Abra-abracadabra (and for my last trick) I’m about to reach in my bag bruh. Abra-abracadabra (and for my last trick, poof), just like that and I’m back bruh.

Abra-abracadabra (and for my last trick) I’m about to reach in my bag bruh. Abra-abracadabra (and for my last trick, poof), just like that and I’m back bruh.

Verse:

Now back in the days of old me, right around the time I became a dope fiend, ate some codeine, as a way of coping post opiates, case of O.E., turned me into smiley face emoji, my shit may not be age appropriate but I will hit an eight-year-old in the face with a participation trophy. ‘Cause I have zero doubts that this whole world’s ‘bout to turn into some girl scouts, that censorship bureau’s out.

So when I started this verse it did start off light-hearted at first, but it feels like I’m targeted. Mind-bogglin’ how my profit has skyrocketed, look what I pocketed. Yeah the shit is just like y’all have been light joggin’ and I’ve been runnin’ at full speed and that’s why I’m ahead like my noggin and I’m the fight y’all get in when you debate who the best but opps I’m white chalkin’ I step up to that mic cock it then, “Oh my god it’s him not again.”

Chorus:

Abra-abracadabra (and for my last trick) I’m about to reach in my bag bruh. Abra-abracadabra (and for my last trick, poof), just like that and I’m back bruh.

Abra-abracadabra (and for my last trick) I’m about to reach in my bag bruh. Abra-abracadabra (and for my last trick, poof), just like that and I’m back bruh.

Verse:

Sometimes I wonder what the old me’d day, if he could see the way shit is today. He’d probably say that everything is gay, what’s my name, what’s my name.

So how many little kids still wanna act like me, I’m a bigger prick than cacti be, and that’s why these words sting just like you were being attacked by bees. In the coupe leaning back my seat, bumpin’ R. Kelly’s favourite group the Black Guy Pees, in my Air Max 90s, white Ts walkin’ parental advisory.

My transgender cat’s Siamese, identifies as black but acts Chinese. Like a motherfuckin’ hacky-sack I treat the whole world ‘cause I got it at my feet. How can I explain to you that even myself I’m a danger to. I hop on tracks like a kangaroo, and say a few things or two to anger you, but fuck that, if I think that shit, I’ma say that shit. Cancel me, what? OK, that’s it. Go ahead, Paul, quit: snake-ass prick, you male cross dresser, fake-ass bitch.

And I’ll probably get shit for that, but you can all suck my dick. In fact, fuck them, fuck Dre, fuck Jimmy, fuck me, fuck you, fuck my own kids they’re brats, fuck ‘em. They can screw off, them and you all, you too Paul, got two balls, big as RuPaul’s. What you thought you saw ain’t what you saw, ‘cause you’re never gonna see me caught sleepin’ and see the kidnappin’ never did happen, like Sherri Papini, Harry Houdini, I vanish into thin air as I’m leavin’ like.”

Chorus:

Abra-abracadabra (and for my last trick) I’m about to reach in my bag bruh. Abra-abracadabra (and for my last trick, poof), just like that and I’m back bruh.

Abra-abracadabra (and for my last trick) I’m about to reach in my bag bruh. Abra-abracadabra (and for my last trick, poof), just like that and I’m back bruh.

When is Eminem’s new album out?

“Houdini” is the first single on Eminem’s 12th studio album, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grace), which is due to be brought out in the summer. The rapper officially announced the new record in April, but is yet to confirm its exact release date.