Eminem has sparked controversy with the release of his new song “Houdini,” featuring Tory Lanez, where he references the 2020 shooting incident involving Megan Thee Stallion. The lyric in question, “If I was to ask for Megan Thee Stallion if she would collab with me, would I really have a shot at a feat?” has divided listeners, with some perceiving it as a diss and others defending it as typical Slim Shady provocation.
In 2020, Megan Thee Stallion was shot at by Tory Lanez, for which Lanez was convicted in 2022 and began serving a 10-year prison sentence in 2023.
Since then, rappers have referenced the Megan Thee Stallion shooting incident. In 2022, Drake faced backlash for a lyric many interpreted as suggesting Megan fabricated the shooting. However, Megan has consistently pushed back against such references, releasing her own diss tracks and calling out the industry for its treatment of Black women.
Social media users and critics have denounced the song, with some questioning why male rappers continue to target Megan Thee Stallion.
Stereogum labeled the song “terrible” and “unpleasant,” while The New York Times criticized Eminem for being “desperate to offend.”
The diss track trend has been prominent this year, with several high-profile feuds, including the ongoing Kendrick Lamar and Drake saga, which dominated charts and social media discussions.
While some condemn the lyric as a low blow, others see it as part of Eminem’s provocative alter-ego, Slim Shady.
Megan Thee Stallion is yet to publicly comment on the song.
