Eminem Makes A Comeback at AMA With Two Wins

Two decades after cementing his place in music history, Eminem returned to the American Music Awards. On Monday night (May 26), the Detroit icon took home Favorite Male Hip-Hop Artist at the 2025 AMAs. This happened 22 years after the first time he claimed the same honor. The win, his ninth overall at the AMAs, adds another layer to an already formidable legacy.

Eminem edged out a heavyweight lineup that included Drake, Future, Tyler, the Creator, and Kendrick Lamar. The victory was presented by Project Runway’s Heidi Klum, who playfully reminded that she might be “the most unexpected hip-hop artist to come out of Germany.”

While Eminem didn’t make the trip to Los Angeles, he accepted the award via video message from his Detroit home. Thus, he delivered a characteristically dry yet heartfelt thank-you.

“AMAs, what’s up? Favorite male hip-hop artist, thank you. I appreciate that,” he said. “I think it’s been 23 years since I won my first AMA, and I’m 24 years old. That’s crazy. Seriously, man, thank you to the fans. Thank you to everyone who voted for me. I appreciate y’all. Thank you so much.”

Eminem and Return to the Spotlight

The win marks Eminem’s first AMA nod since 2014 when The Marshall Mathers LP 2 earned him the Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Album. But if anyone thought the veteran MC was slowing down, 2024 quickly shattered that notion.

Last July, Eminem dropped The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce). It is a project that felt both like a resurrection and a reckoning. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Thus, it moved 281,000 equivalent album units in its first week, per Luminate. It was the biggest week for any rap album in 2024 and marked Eminem’s 11th No. 1 album, reaffirming his enduring commercial and cultural relevance.

From provocative lyricist to global icon, Eminem’s AMA wins this year underscore a simple truth: even after more than two decades, Marshall Mathers still knows how to take the room—even when he’s not in it.