Eminem and Snoop Dogg connected in the Metaverse for a performance of their Bored Ape-inspired single, “From the D 2 the LBC,” at the 2022 MTV VMAs on Sunday. Watch the full performance below.
Three worlds collided for the duo’s pioneering, tech-heavy production that first nominally linked their hometowns of Detroit and Long Beach City, California before colliding into an entirely new plane of existence inspired by the Metaverse platform Otherside and brought to life by Yuga Labs.
The collaboration was already floating in rarified, and most likely, thick and cloudy air before the pair took the stage: “D 2 the LBC” not only marks their Em and Snoop’s first song together in over two decades, but it also served as their first performance at the VMAs since 2010 and 2005, respectively. Though the two appeared together as part of their Death Row/Aftermath progenitor Dr. Dre’s headlining Super Bowl Halftime Show in February, their latest set offered something completely fresh in place of the career-spanning medley from earlier this year.
Snoop “smoked” a comically large joint on a couch on the VMAs stage before the drugs kicked in, prompting the rappers’ NFT monkey personas to take over. In an even trippier moment, animated (human) versions of Snoop and Em performed from a digital VMAs stage before the cameras cut to the real thing. From there, the duo emerged from the couch to finish off the performance with a human touch.
“From the D 2 the LBC” is nominated in the Best Hip-Hop category against Future, Kendrick Lamar, Latto, Nicki Minaj, and Pusha T. It was the second single from Eminem’s second greatest hits compilation, Curtain Call 2, which was released in early August. It’s been a good year to be retrospective for Slim Shady, who became the RIAA’s most-awarded artist for singles in March, released an expanded edition of The Eminem Show in May to celebrate its 20th anniversary, and will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in November.
Meanwhile, Snoop Dogg has been making every childhood dream come true with the launching of his breakfast cereal Snoop Loopz and a new animated series for children called Doggyland – Kids Songs & Nursery Rhymes. In August, he appeared with BTS on the Benny Blanco track “Bad Decisions” and starred opposite Jamie Foxx in the Netflix vampire action-comedy Night Shift. He released his nineteenth album BODR in February via Death Row Records, which he now owns.
