Live Review: Eminem, Hilltop Hoods, Royce da 5'9", Boogie

The sweltering heat almost feels visible off the backwards ‘E’ illuminating the entrances of the MCG. A bottle-necked crowd have traded in their football colours for anything Slim Shady, Marshal Mathers, Eminem, or just plain 'E'. The excitement is infectious; we’re about to see Eminem in the country’s biggest cricket ground.

READ: Eminem Smashed The MCG Attendance Record Last Night

Boogie (the newest edition to Shady Records) soundtracks the trip to our designated seat and only a month after releasing his debut album Everything’s For Sale the MC earns support from even the highest rows.

One of the (self-proclaimed) “top five rappers alive”, Royce da 5'9" hits the stage to a welcome reception. His silky flow echoes through the quickly filling seats, and after preaching his representation of about five different outfits, our hands are in the air in recognition.

A black banner reading “Hilltop Hoods” unfurls from the backdrop of the stage and we’re at the top of our lungs before it hits the floor. Chase That Feeling welcomes Suffa MC, Pressure, DJ Debris and Melbourne's own Plutonic Lab to the stage and the clasp on our spilling beers just got a little tighter. Sia’s absence on I Love It is barely missed as we replace her vocals. These guys are the kings of Aus Hip Hop, running left and right to address their adoring kingdom. “You know what’s scary about supporting one of the greatest rappers of all time?” jokes Suffa. “People that feel comfortable [wearing] a fucking hockey mask to the show.”

Adrian Eagle joins the trio for Clark Griswold and a rendition of Live And Let Go before we’re invited to “take off an item of clothing” for Rattling The Keys To The Kingdom (something that felt like a risky request, despite literally pulling it off). The trio express their gratitude for a “mother-fucking crazy experience [they] won’t forget for the rest of [their] lives” and we now know what’s coming. The poorly named yet familiar tones of Cosby Sweater begin and for three and a half minutes we forget there’s another act to follow - the roar is deafening, arms are flailing, and we’re once again reminded why the Adelaide boys hold their title. All hail the Hilltop Hoods!

When a black 4WD SUV is glimpsed rolling up to the back of the stage, an MCG record-breaking 80,708 people stand to attention. This is it, the Real Slim Shady is about to stand up.

A cinematic visual shows a Godzilla-sized Eminem stomping around a city on the stage’s massive screens, slowly but surely desecrating the buildings. When the white curtain drops Marshall Mathers bounds on stage to Greatest and people lose their fucking minds. He and co-signee Mr Porter dart left and right out front of a full band and string section as his familiar cadences drown out screaming fans. The feeling is out of this world, nearly 100,000 people howling, “You don’t want to fuck with Shady/'Cause Shady will fucking kill you!”

We witness Mathers earn his title in the aptly named Rap God as he spits all 1560 words effortlessly, and when Like Toy Soldiers begins we’re feeling the burn from keeping one arm in the air so long. Just Don’t Give A Fuck fades into Criminal and it’s outrageous how many accompanied minors are here singing out the 46-year-old's controversial back catalogue.

Years since its release, The Way I Am somehow conveys a supportive message of acceptance as opposed to a ‘fuck you’ attitude. Rumblings of, “Shit, how does he do it?” reverberate all around us. American singer Skylar Grey joins the rapper for flawless renditions of Walk On Water, Stan and Love The Way You Lie before another wave of hands bounce to the Rick Rubin-produced track Berzerk. The front rows beg for Shady’s diss track to Machine Gun Kelly, Killshot, to which he responds, “I don’t want to disrespect the dead.” Even off script, this guy is a fucking pro.

One after the other we’re treated to My Name Is, The Real Slim Shady and Without Me, showcasing Marshall's decades of success. This set’s already solidified not only his genius but his legacy, a career riddled with controversy, lawsuits and personal hardship. Several of us are brought to tears when Not Afraid sees a fan holding a home-made banner reading, "Your Music Saved My Life," on screen.

Finally concluding with the predictable encore track, Lose Yourself has us doing just that. We're lost in the extraordinary, unrivalled talent of an artist from the wrong side of the tracks.

Melbourne just witnessed a record-breaking performance from a world record-breaking artist, and no, he still don’t give a fuck.