Eminem Drops Adrenaline-Pumping ‘Phenomenal’ Video
Eminem has unveiled the action-packed, death-defying new video for “Phenomenal,” the first single off the rapper’s executive produced Southpaw soundtrack. While Southpaw focuses on a down-and-out boxer, Eminem instead looks towards superhero flicks like Lucy and Avengers for inspiration in this seven-minute, explosion-filled music video, which stars the rapper as a ultra-powerful version of himself.
In the video, Eminem wakes up to find himself mid-operation on a hospital bed with no memory of why he’s there. After pulling out his IVs, a doctor confronts the rapper but is easily dispatched, making Eminem suddenly aware of his newfound powers. He fights his way out of the hospital in a sequence worthy of the Daredevil Netflix series and goes running out into the city streets, where the rapper is suddenly recognized by fans while fending off assailants
Midway through “Phenomenal,” Eminem meets his adversary: A rickshaw-riding, noodle-chomping nemesis played by a sneering John Malkovich. After declining the villain’s invitation to join forces, Eminem is once again forced on the run, surviving an eye-popping motorcycle crash presented in Matrix-esque slow motion.
Along the way, Eminem beats down on some baddies using a large fish as a weapon and commandeers numerous vehicles (including a helicopter), but he still manages to make it to his 10 p.m. appointment with his mentor Dr. Dre. (“Phenomenal” premiered on Apple Music, and iPhones and iWatches are spotted frequently throughout the clip.)
The video, which was filmed in Los Angeles, also features a hilarious cameo by Fresh Off the Boat actor Randall Park, who in May happened to portray a caricature of Slim Shady on the TRL-mocking webseries Scheer-RL.
The Southpaw soundtrack arrives July 24th. In addition to “Phenomenal,” the album will also feature one more new Eminem song: “Kings Never Die,” a collaboration with Gwen Stefani