Venom, the symbiotic antihero from the eponymous Marvel film that released to theaters a few weeks ago, is primarily known in his comic books as a rival of Spider-Man, the web-slinging Queens hero who treats the New York skyline as his personal jungle gym, which is why the towering Empire State Building makes the perfect venue for Eminem’s performance of “Venom” from the film’s soundtrack.
The performance was part of Jimmy Kimmel Live!‘s return to Brooklyn, presented by Google’s Pixel 3 camera and shot on-location with funny inside jokes, a mic trading motif, and a stunning light show using the tower’s built-in illumination. Kimmel’s sidekick Guillermo makes an appearance as Em rides the elevator up to the top of the tower, offering a new microphone in exchange for Slim Shady’s broken one, while Eminem gives Guillermo a little of the history behind the iconic landmark. The pair shares an amusing, heartfelt hug before Eminem steps out onto the building’s observation deck to continue wrecking his tongue-twisting verse.
“Venom” is the theme song for the film, but it also appears on Eminem’s recent surprise album, Kamikaze, as a bonus track. The malevolent track caps off a fan-pleasing collection that signaled a return of the demented Slim Shady persona and the acidic, combative Eminem of old. Both Kamikaze and the Venom soundtrack are out now.
