Few weeks ago, Eminem released “Houdini,” the first single from his upcoming 12th solo studio album, The Death Of Slim Shady (Coup De Grace). The song debuted at the top of the UK singles chart, with 104,800 chart units sold. It was Eminem’s eleventh number one on the chart, his first since “Godzilla” with Juice Wrld in 2020, and his first without a feature since “Like Toy Soldiers” in 2005. This was Eminem’s best first-week performance since “Without Me” in 2002. It topped the chart for a second week, becoming his first song in the nation to hold this position for more than one week.
The song also debuted at the top of Billboard Global 200 charts but opened at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 with 48.8 million streams and 49,000 copies sold. It became his 23rd top ten song in his native country and his highest charting single since “The Monster” a decade earlier. “Houdini” also entered the Canadian and Australian Hot 100 charts at number one.
Radio executive, record producer, artist and author Damizza, who was named as one of the five most powerful people in Hip-Hop in 1999, thought Eminem deserved number one spot on US charts too so he recorded a video of himself, suggesting Em to do big interviews and podcast if he wants to top US charts: “Let me just say this directly. Em, do the Brown Bag Morning show. Do Big Boy. Do Hot 97. Do a couple of the biggest podcasts and next week you’ll be number one.”
Under the comment section, Aftermath producer FredWreck, who has previously worked with Eminem on several occasion, replied: “Eminem doesn’t do it to be #1 on any charts. He does it for the art and for rap. That’s the difference between a legacy artist and the click fame seeker artists.” On which, Damizza responded: “Believe or not. Exactly my point.”
