Eminem kicked off the 2024 MTV VMAs on Wednesday with the performance of Houdini, the lead single from his latest album The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grace). The performance began with a brief spoof in which Eminem led a mob of Slim Shady impersonators around the arena while he rapped the opening lines of Without Me from The Eminem Show (2002). The entrance was a call back to his 2000 MTV VMA performance when he sang The Real Slim Shady and The Way I Am with over a hundred lookalikes while sporting a choppy blonde wig.
The rapper changed into his modern look as he transitioned into Somebody Save Me, ditching the wig in favour of a black hat. The song also features Jelly Roll but his parts were shown in the onstage video because he was unable to attend the awards show due to his ongoing music tour. The performance ended with Eminem sitting on a chair.
Eminem was nominated in 8 categories at MTV VMAs this year, including Best Hip-Hop, Song of the Summer, Video of the Year and Most Iconic Performance for his renowned 2000 medley of The Real Slim Shady and The Way I Am. He went on to win in the Best Hip-Hop and Best Visual Effects category for his latest song Houdini from The Death of Slim Shady album. With this, Eminem became the most decorated solo male artist in VMA history with 15 Moonman under his name. The rapper is also one of the most nominated artists in VMA history, only behind Madonna, who has 71.
Eminem last performed at VMAs in 2022 with Snoop Dogg, when the duo gave their joint performance of From the D 2 The LBC. Along with opening the show in 2010 with Not Afraid and Love the Way You Lie with Rihanna, he also made a cameo appearance during Dr. Dre and Snoop's 2012 VMA performance. In 1999, he made his stage debut with Guilty Conscience and My Name Is.