He boldly declared “Shady’s back, tell a friend” in 2002 megahit Without Me.
And more than a decade on the words could not be truer for Eminem after he stormed our charts once more.
He is sitting proudly at No1 with comeback single Houdini, ending Sabrina Carpenter’s five-week run at the top with Espresso.
Real name Marshall Mathers, it is the rapper’s biggest opening week since Without Me debuted at No1 in 2002.
And it means Eminem — who resurrects his savage alter ego Slim Shady in the song’s video — is tied with DJ Calvin Harris in fifth place for the most UK No1 singles by a solo artist, with 11.
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Houdini is Eminem’s first solo No1 since 2005 hit Like Toy Soldiers. The video, which features nods to his record-breaking career, has also picked up more than 60million views on YouTube.
It contains cameos from Eminem’s rap pals Dr Dre, 50 Cent, and Snoop Dogg, as well as comedians Pete Davidson and Shane Gills.
The hitmaker, who made his debut in 1998 with Just Don’t Give a F***, has also leapfrogged his mentor Sir Elton John when it comes to No1s. They formed an unlikely friendship after they performed Em’s track Stan at the 2001 Grammy Awards.
Elton also helped him get sober after witnessing his very public battle with drink and drugs.
The Rocketman has gushed: “We’ve been amazing friends ever since. He’s an amazing guy. I just adore him.”
Only four musicians stand ahead of Eminem with a higher UK No1 hit count — Madonna, who has 13 chart-toppers, Cliff Richard and Ed Sheeran with 14, and Elvis Presley with 21.
Yet despite Eminem being one of the biggest stars on the planet with a net worth of £230million, Radio 1 has given his new tune a lukewarm reception, adding it to the C playlist and barely broadcasting it.
Fellow household names Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, and Dua Lipa are all on the A-list. In awkward reading for BBC bosses, Houdini is now the fastest-selling single of the year and likely to remain at No1 on Friday.
To be fair to Radio 1, it wasn’t just bosses at the Beeb who were unimpressed. Reviews of Houdini were just as indifferent — if not scathing.
Unsurprisingly, lyrics joking about Megan Thee Stallion and fellow rapper Tory Lanez went down like a cup of cold sick.
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In the video Eminem takes aim at cancel culture and has an awkward dig at his own kids.
He recreates scenes from songs The Real Slim Shady and Without Me, including dressing as Batman’s sidekick Robin. The song, which borrows the melody from the Steve Miller Band’s 1982 hit Abracadabra, sees him rap: “F*** my own kids, they’re brats.”
He adds: “My s**t 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 about to turn into some girl scouts.”
The impressive comeback now means Eminem is firmly in the sights of Glastonbury organiser Emily Eavis.
The Sun has told how Emily, a big fan of the rapper, has tried to have him headline for years.
However, each time the talks have fallen through. Now the stars could be aligning for him to take to the Pyramid stage in 2025.
A source said: “It’s been a long time coming but finally, after years of trying, Emily could be about to get her wish.
“It’s by no means a done deal but with a successful comeback in motion a huge headline slot next year makes sense.
“I’m sure everyone behind the scenes is willing things to work out.”
Eminem’s last circuit here was in 2016 with two sold-out nights at Wembley Stadium as part of his mini Rapture Tour.
Houdini debuted at No10 on TikTok’s Viral 50 chart, but its success isn’t solely down to a new era of fans.
It seems his army of supporters, many of whom have followed him for almost three decades, have come out in force. And I can’t blame them, I love the track.
Camila’s top marks in Latin
Camila Cabello oozed sex appeal as she slipped into a studded PVC dress for a VIP ceremony.
The Havana hitmaker was honoured with the Global Impact Award at the Billboard Latin Women in Music Gala in Miami.
Camila thanked her mum – admitting she failed to publicly recognise her in the past.
The singer said during her speech: “I had never taken a moment to talk about her like this, so I wanted to do it tonight.
“When the world is suffering, my mum reminds me that there is love in this world.
“Her best advice is not something she says but something she practices: Her kindness, empathy and how she treats people.”
I guess mum really is the word.
It’s poor little Billie no dates
Pop singer Billie Eilish has revealed how even she gets ghosted by blokes.
The American hitmaker admitted a long-term pal she once wanted to date, after years of getting to know each other, suddenly went all radio-silent on her.
Billie, a winner of two Oscars, as well as Grammy and Brit awards, said: “I’ve been ghosted. It was somebody I’d known for years and had a plan, the day of, on the phone: ‘This is my address, be there at 3pm.’ Never heard from him again. Ever.”
She added, to Lily Allen and Miquita Oliver on their BBC podcast Miss Me?: “It was probably the craziest one that’s ever happened to me. To this day, [he] never texted me again. I was like, did you die? Did you literally die?”
Billie, who later found out the man had been dating someone else, added: “I couldn’t believe it. I genuinely didn’t know that people still did that.
“What a f***ing little pathetic man. What a tiny little man.”
Despite it looking like she has the world at her feet, fame and fortune has not always been kind to Billie in her personal life.
She said: “I lost all of my friends when I got famous. Suddenly I couldn’t relate to anybody. It was tough, it was really hard.
“I was so young, on my 20th birthday, and I remember looking around the room and it was only people that I employ, and all 15 years or more older than me.
“And then one of my best friends, who worked with me, quite out of the blue didn’t talk to me. It was the worst thing that happened to me.”
Ri's in the mink
Rihanna doesn’t know if she’s hot or cold.
The Only Girl (In The World) singer mixed a skimpy strap top with a faux fur jacket which she draped off her shoulders in Manhattan on Sunday.
Sporting her natural locks, RiRi added giant gold hoop earrings and statement shades.
Last week billionaire Rihanna announced her latest business venture – Fenty Hair.
Following on from her ever-popular Fenty beauty range, Fenty Hair is set to be a range of products to strengthen and repair all hair types.
Great, Rihanna. But what we really want is a new album.
Meghan: ‘My bro’s my bass’
Singer Meghan Trainor is back with her sixth album Timeless – another infectiously catchy pop record.
But the All About That Bass hitmaker admits that while her music has brought joy to millions of fans – behind the scenes she has struggled since the 2014 chart-topping debut.
Speaking frankly about her mental health, Meghan, who will play Capital FM’s Summertime Ball this Sunday, said: “I was unfamiliar and uneducated, and most of my family, too.
“I was lucky I found support in my older brother, who had been suffering from this as well and never told anyone.
“So he told me to go to the ER and accept the support and the medication and he walked me through it.
“I learned from that that I’m going to survive this panic attack, I’m going to live.”
Talking Head Above The Clouds magazine, Meghan added: “When I write each song, I try to remember how to talk to myself.
“When I perform, it’s a kind of therapy where I sing to myself, feel good in my body and love myself.
“It’s the best therapy ever for me. When I saw that All About That Bass had helped so many strangers, I felt like I had my superpower.”
Ne-Yo's summer smash
He soundtracked my boozy university years.
So I can’t help but feel a twang of nostalgia after being told Closer singer Ne-Yo is set to drop a massive summer banger.
I’m told he has secretly hit the studio with dance floor legend Steve Aoki for a huge track that’s just around the corner.
A source said: “Steve and Ne-Yo hit the studio earlier this year.
“The track isn’t far off but it’s all been shrouded in secrecy - it’s a summer dance smash though and will be worth the wait.”
I can’t wait to hear what they have come up with.
Over the past year Steve has surprised fans with a number of collaborations - none more shocking than with reality TV legend Paris Hilton.
I can’t say I was overly impressed but I’m ready to be won over once more.
