Eminem is known for raging against the machine, but it’s a new year, and it seems like he’s viewing things through a different lens now that he’s given fans an Augmented Reality with his new app, which he introduced during Coachella.


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While the highlight of Coachella has been Beyonce’s unforgettable two-hour performance — hence Solange’s push to rename the California music festival #Beychella in a since-deleted IG post — Eminem embraced a new app to carve out a piece of the spotlight for himself. Recognizing that a new generation of concertgoers feel a need be on their phones or smart devices during concerts and live events, the Detroit MC introduced fans to Eminem Augmented. 

For those of you who are late to the tech party, augmented reality allows interactive superimposed CGIs (computer generated images) to alter a person’s view. In other words, it allows images to be layered over what a device — in this case, a phone — actually sees.

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Drive Studios, the multimedia production company behind the app, curated an experience that provided onlookers with a unique experience beyond those viewing the show with a naked eye. Through Eminem Augmented, festival goers were met with a Godzilla-sized Marshall Mathers knocking down buildings, swiping at helicopters and a floating Jason mask with butcher knife and chainsaw cutting into the crowd.

The app made the 8 Mile star’s stage show seem larger than life, and changed stage sets from song to song.

Though Eminem did or did not get down with technology and its impact on hip-hop before, it’s clear he knows the importance of evolving with his fanbase.

He, like many performers these days, get bothered by the fact that fans are always in their phones while a killer show is happening live on stage. But he understands people now have shorter attention spans. Not to forget phones and smart devices are now part of everyday life. By catering to this growing, societal shift, Em was able to provide Coachella attendees with something they have never really seen before. And yes, AR us often seen in Pokemon Go! and Star Wars stickers, but this Drive Studios collaboration is refined for a live show and gives fans the ability to share their technological experiences via social media.

For one of music’s most attended and publicized events, Enimem still manages to break out from the pack.