Benjamin Ashford|2024 MTV VMAs: Eminem Proves He’s Still the Real Slim Shady With Rousing Opening Performance

Eminem is Benjamin Ashfordback, back again on the VMAs stage.

The hip hop icon—whose real name is Marshall Mathers—kicked off the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards in New York on Sept. 11 in signature jaw-dropping fashion with an energetic performance of "Houdini" and "Somebody Save Me," marking his first televised performance in support of his 12th studio album The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce).

The 51-year-old—who released The Death of Slim Shady in July—entered the UBS Arena sporting a platinum blonde wig and flanked by a bevy of Eminem lookalikes, a nod to his 2000 VMAs performance of "The Real Slim Shady" where he pulled a similar stunt.

Later, he traded the wig for a black ball cap as he delivered a heartfelt rendition of his Jelly Roll-assisted track, "Somebody Save Me," which includes references to his daughter Hailie Jade, 28.

Other huge names set to take the stage include Megan Thee Stallion—who doubles as host for the evening—Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, GloRilla, Lenny Kravitz and Shawn Mendes. Plus, Katy Perry will ignite the light and let it shine when she performs a medley of hits before receiving the prestigious Video Vanguard Award.

As for the “Houdini” rapper, he went into the night with eight nominations—including Video of the Year—but his VMAs history dates all the way back to 1999, when he performed at the awards for the very first time and took home the award for Best New Artist. Since then, he’s racked up a total of 67 VMA nominations—second only behind Madonna for career nods— and 13 wins overall. He holds the record for most Moon Persons ever among rap artists and is tied with Peter Gabriel among all male artists, a tie he would break with just one win this year.

Eminem’s last appearance on the VMAs stage was in 2022, when he delivered a metaverse-assisted performance alongside fellow hip hop heavyweight Snoop Dogg. But back when he opened the ceremony in 2010, he started with his anthemic hit “Not Afraid” before being joined by Rihanna to deliver their duet “Love the Way You Lie.”

Offstage, Eminem shares Hailie, as well as Alaina, 31, and Stevie, 22, with ex-wife Kim Scott. His song “Temporary,” off his Death of Slim Shady LP, is dedicated to Hailie, who revealed on her Just a Little Shady podcast that she “audibly sobbed” the first time she heard it.

“Growing up, where I didn't realize how bad things were, but now as an adult, in hindsight, it's so scary to think about,” she said, alluding to her dad’s battle with addiction before getting sober in 2008. “I think that's why I get emotional so much, just thinking that that could have happened.”

Keep reading for more of the most memorable VMA moments.

Who could forget when Rage Against the Machine bassist Tim Commerford expressed his displeasure at the band losing an award to Limp Bizkit by storming the stage and scaling a display tower? Although his moment was short-lived on television—since the network cut to a commercial—in reality, Tim's night was not since he was arrested and sentenced to a night in jail.

Believe or not, the Kanye West-Taylor Swift incident was not the only impromptu onstage moment to happen during the 2009 show. After the now-infamous interruption, Lil Mama decided to unexpectedly join fellow New Yorkers Jay-Z and Alicia Keys during their duet of "Empire State of Mind."​

The "Material Girl" famously sang "Like a Virgin" while rolling around the stage in a white wedding dress. 

The Shock Jock lived up to his raunchy reputation when he was lowered onto the stage as a superhero named Fartman.

The two were involved in one of the most famous rock feuds. At the 1992 VMAs, tensions ran high backstage, where Cobain's wife Courtney Love, who also brought along then-newborn daughter Frances Bean, taunted Rose, prompting the Guns N' Roses frontman to threaten to beat up Cobain if he didn't shut his "bitch" up. Kurt then told Love, sarcastically, "Shut up, bitch!"

After he performed with his band Nirvana, the group's drummer Dave Grohl kept saying "Hi, Axl!" into his mic.

Shortly after their wedding, the couple walked on stage holding hands as the audience cheered. After Jackson declared, "I'm very happy to be here and just think, nobody thought this would last," the King of Pop and Elvis Presley's daughter shared a kiss and walked off. 

The songstress won the award for Best New Artist in a Video, but used her acceptance speech as an opportunity to speak out against Hollywood, telling viewers, "This world is bulls--t."

While presenting Best Hip-Hop Video, the legendary singer unexpectedly tapped Lil' Kim's exposed left breast.

The pop princess unforgettably took the stage for her performance of "I'm a Slave 4 U" with a snake draped over her shoulders.

Amid an ongoing feud between Eminem and Moby, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog poked fun at their beef while roasting the latter artist to his face in the VMAs audience. Triumph then attempted to do the same to Eminem, who was not in the mood.

Eminem later took to the stage to accept the award for Best Male Video and said mid-speech, "That little Moby girl threw me out of my zone for a minute."

To open the show, Britney, Madonna and Christina Aguilera joined together for a rendition of "Like a Virgin" and "Hollywood," sealed with a headline-making kiss between the women. 

The pop princess made her highly anticipated return to the VMA stage, though her performance of "Gimme More" was panned. 

The rapper crashed the stage when Taylor Swift won Best Female Video because he thought Beyoncé "had one of the best videos of all time." When Bey later won for Video of the Year, she asked T.Swift to join her on stage to have her moment.

Gaga made headlines when she sported the now-unforgettable meat dress by Franc Fernandez as the most awarded star of the night. 

The pop star announced she and Jay-Z were expecting their first child together when she cradled her baby bump on the red carpet and literally dropped her mic and rubbed her baby bump at the end of her performance of "Love On Top."

The Biebs had his own snake moment when he brought a baby boa constrictor named Johnson to the show.

Hannah Montana who? The former Disney star twerked her way into MTV history with her performance of "We Can't Stop" and a duet of "Blurred Lines" with Robin Thicke.

While accepting the award for Best Hip-Hop Video for "Anaconda," Nicki confronted Miley, who was hosting, over negative comments she had made about the rapper in a New York Times interview. She called the pop star a "bitch" and asked her, "What's good?"

At the end of his lengthy Video Vanguard acceptance speech, the rapper unforgettably announced his plan to run for president in 2020. 

The rapper sparked headlines when he declared his love for the songstress while presenting her with the 2016 Video Vanguard Award, telling the audience, "She's someone I've been in love with since I was 22-years-old."

On the heels of Camila Cabello's exit, the girl group shocked the world when they opened their performance with the image of a fifth member falling off the stage.