Why Did Eminem Perform At The 2020 Oscars?

Photo: Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP/Shutterstock.

Sorry, Queen — the Academy Awards just took the surprise performance concept to a whole new level when Eminem took the Oscars stage. Sorry, let's be more specific: Eminem got a standing ovation at the 92nd Academy Awards when he made an unannounced appearance during a segment looking back at memorable movie songs.

So... how did this happen? Why did Eminem perform at the Oscars without warning? Let's retrace our steps.

Presenter Lin Manuel Miranda took to the stage to pay homage to some of the songs that have changed movie history. Okay, makes sense. The following montage celebrated such classics as "Unchained Melody" from Ghost, "Don't You Forget About Me" from The Breakfast Club, "My Heart Will Go On" from Titanic, "Tiny Dancer" from Almost Famous, and..."Lose Yourself" from 8 Mile?

AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT

"Is Eminem here? Is he really going to sing?" voices around the world whispered in hushed, slightly embarrassed and okay, genuinely excited tones. You better believe it!

Marshall Bruce Mathers III himself appeared to give a rousing rendition of his 2002 jam. The song won for Best Original Song back in 2003, but the singer never got to perform it. So good of the Oscars to give white men a chance to live out their dreams 17 years after the original achievement!

The jokes started almost immediately:

Eminem heard Jessica Simpson had a book out and was like, “Comeback time”
— Kyle Buchanan (@kylebuchanan) February 10, 2020

Everyone: The Oscars are too long
The Oscars: Hey here's Anthony Ramos to intro Lin Manuel Miranda to intro a movie music montage to intro Eminem
— The JEB Speak! (@JEBermanator) February 10, 2020

Love this tribute to 8 Mile, a non-Oscar nominated movie that came out over 15 years ago...? pic.twitter.com/JtgVEBRUU7
— Leila, but pronounced wrong. (@leilaclaire) February 10, 2020

the Oscars audience enjoying Kendall Roy's performance of "L to the OG" (audio via @bubbaprog) pic.twitter.com/V1tTNItVuJ
— Mark (@tole_cover) February 10, 2020

But let's face it — we all kind of secretly felt like this.

Some of the #Oscars crowd was super into that surprise Eminem performance. https://t.co/8kz7m5vtnF #Oscars pic.twitter.com/GMcLHMyz00
— ABC News (@ABC) February 10, 2020

The singer tweeted his gratitude to the Academy immediately after the performance: "Look, if you had another shot, another opportunity... Thanks for having me @TheAcademy. Sorry it took me 18 years to get here."

Look, if you had another shot, another opportunity... Thanks for having me @TheAcademy. Sorry it took me 18 years to get here. pic.twitter.com/CmSw2hmcZo
— Marshall Mathers (@Eminem) February 10, 2020

Snap back to reality — the Best Director nominees are still all men, sorry. Still, you can enjoy the (heavily bleeped out) performance below.

Lose yourself. The #Oscars crowd gives @Eminem a standing ovation after the surprise performance of his Oscar-winning song from '8 Mile' https://t.co/GsTAC6owzz pic.twitter.com/JPAAkG1O0h
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) February 10, 2020

AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT

More from Music

Unbothered

If FLO Don’t Sound British, Blame The Music Industry, Not The Band

In 2022, British R&B group FLO released their debut single, Cardboard Box, quickly becoming a viral sensation. It’s an anthem for anyone who’s

by Susan Akyeampong

Unbothered

Beyoncé Doesn’t Need The CMAs To Validate Her Genius. Cowboy C...

On Monday, the 2024 Country Music Association Awards (CMAs) made it clear that they want nothing to do with Beyoncè. The CMAs completely snubbed Queen Bey

by Giana Levy

Dedicated Feature
17 Forever: What Going To Gigs Has Taught Me About Life
For those last minute live music nights, can’t-miss-it concerts or ‘second chance’ tickets to the biggest tours, viagogo is the one-stop shop for fan
by Lucy Harbron

Unbothered
In Rap Feuds, Women Are The Collateral Damage & Drake Vs. Kendric...
In the current digital economy, it is increasingly rare for the world to come together over a single event. Despite the increasingly segmented nature of th
by Shamira Ibrahim

Entertainment
Cowboy Carter Isn’t Revenge. It’s A Reeducation.
In Beyoncé’s Homecoming film, a seminal text for any card-carrying member of the Beyhive, Nina Simone’s voice kicks in at around the 16-minute mark. I
by Kathleen Newman-B...

Unbothered
The Queen’s Gone Country — What We Know About Beyoncé’s Renais...
There’s a popular saying that we all have the same 24 hours in a day as Beyoncé, but the way the global phenom works nonstop, that adage can’t be accu
by Ineye Komonibo

Unbothered
Is It Time Beyoncé & Jay-Z Stopped “Showing Up” To The Grammys?
How many times? How many times are we going to do this? Time and time again, The Recording Academy tells us exactly what kind of institution it is. We shou
by Kathleen Newman-B...

Unbothered
The Rap Girls Are Fighting (Again) — But Is There Such A Thing As...
Another day, another rap beef that has the internet divided. And this time, it’s a battle of the heavyweights in a match-up that’s only beginning: the
by Ineye Komonibo

Movies
R29’s Ranking Of The Cheesiest Netflix Original Festive Films
by Jazmin Kopotsha

Entertainment
Spotify Wrapped Proves Women Are Winning — But There’s Stil...
We’ve finally been blessed with one of the most glorious days of the musical calendar — Spotify Wrapped Day. Now an institution in the music w
by Alexandra Koster

Unbothered
Megan Thee Stallion Sheds Her Skin In “Cobra”
After a brief (but well-deserved) professional hiatus, Megan thee Stallion has officially returned to the music world with “Cobra,” a poignant single t
by Ineye Komonibo

Entertainment
With GUTS, Olivia Rodrigo Wants Us To Scream Through The P...
Ask Olivia Rodrigo in 2021 where her teenage dream is, and she will apologise for not enjoying her youth. Ask her in 2023 and she will ponder whether lif
by Allie Daisy King

The Biggest Surprise Of The 2020 Oscars Was Eminem

The Biggest Surprise Of The 2020 Oscars Was Eminem & His Heavily Bleeped Performance

More from Music