Eminem Revives The Ghost Of Slim Shady For New Song 'Houdini,' Internet Divided On If It Rules Or Is The Worst Thing Ever

51-year-old rapper Eminem released a new song today called "Houdini" along with a music video that references the period in the early 2000s when he was at the height of his popularity. The music video literally brings back "Slim Shady"-era Eminem, as 2000s-era Marshall walks into the present day (thanks to some digital de-aging technology), and the current Eminem and "Shady"-era Eminem duke it out in a quasi-sequel to the "Without Me" video from 2002. It is certainly a spectacle.

In the hours since the music video was released, the internet appears cleanly split between two diametrically opposed opinions: that it's a return to form hitting all the right nostalgia buttons for 30-40-year-olds, or it's the worst thing ever.

The praise for the track comes from the idea that Eminem is returning to the irreverent, joke-filled bars that defined his early hits like "The Real Slim Shady" and "Without Me." "Houdini" definitely has jokes, but the divide seems to be on whether people find them funny. There are several "Trigger the Libs"-style jokes in which Eminem openly courts cancel culture. He does a "participation trophy" joke. There's a joke about Megan Thee Stallion getting shot in the foot. He does The One Joke, rapping "My transgender cat’s Siamese / Identifies as Black, but acts Chinese."

The song has already got some high-profile fans, including LeBron James, who tweeted that he felt "Houdini" is "too good." Actor Devon Sawa, aka Stan himself, also voiced appreciation for the video.

Others have been less enamored with Eminem's attempt to turn back the clock, voicing they found the jokes cringe and overplayed.

For what it's worth, Eminem is back in the pop conversation with a controversial rap, just like his "good old days." However, it seems the controversy isn't about what he actually said, but rather people arguing whether his latest song is good or terrible.