Guess who’s back, back again? Eminem’s back, tell your friends! The lyrical legend himself, Slim Shady, is about to kick off the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards, and if you’re not ready… well, too bad! Clear your calendars for Wednesday, September 11, at 8 p.m. ET, because that’s when Eminem will be unleashing his musical madness live from the UBS Arena in New York. (No, he’s not showing up in the Metaverse. This is real life, people.)
Slim Shady Rises from the Ashes Like a Rap Phoenix
Eminem’s about to bless our eardrums with the first-ever TV performance from his new album, Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce). Sounds dark, right? Well, just when you thought he might be done with alter-egos, he drags Slim Shady back to life just to kill him off again. Classic Eminem. It’s like a soap opera, but with more swearing and less… dramatic zoom-ins.
Tied with Peter Gabriel…Who?
Okay, so Em’s got a bunch of shiny Moon Persons (you know, the creepy space dudes they hand out at the VMAs), and he’s tied with… checks notes… Peter Gabriel? Yeah, that guy who sang about sledgehammers in the ’80s. It’s basically a rap god versus a guy who really loves construction tools.
Let’s rewind to the last time Em opened the VMAs in 2010 when he was all “Not Afraid” (probably because he’s too busy battling his inner demons to care). He also roped in Rihanna for a duet, because apparently, the VMAs need at least one emotionally charged duet to survive.
VMAs Noms Galore… Someone Get This Man a Shelf!
This year, Eminem is up for a whopping eight nominations. You could say he’s practically hoarding Moon Persons at this point. And if he wins just one more, he’ll officially become the most awarded male artist in VMA history, which means Peter Gabriel might finally be able to retire that Moon Person tie he’s had with Eminem for so long.
But wait, there’s more! Em is also nominated for the VMAs Most Iconic Performance – throwback to the year 2000 when he literally made an army of Slim Shadys march down the street like some kind of rap cult. (And if you think that wasn’t iconic, please go stand in the corner and think about your life choices.)
Slim Shady in the Metaverse? Oh, the Irony
The last time Em graced the VMA stage was in 2022 when he teamed up with none other than Snoop Dogg for From the D 2 the LBC. And no, they weren’t just rapping about Detroit and Long Beach – they were inspired by the metaverse, because of course they were. Picture Eminem and Snoop as digital avatars, probably high-fiving each other while floating in space. Or maybe they were just shopping for virtual Slim Shady hoodies.
But this time around, it’s all live, baby. No avatars, no CGI, just raw Eminem energy.
So buckle up, because Slim Shady is back to open the 2024 VMAs, and he’s bringing enough rap fire to melt the Moon Persons right off the shelves. Get ready for the chaos – it’s gonna be lit (as the cool kids say).