Eminem has released his comeback single Houdini – and already sparked controversy over one particular lyric.

The chart-topping rapper has been teasing for the last few weeks that he’ll be killing off his Slim Shady alter-ego on his new album, the first single from which dropped on Friday morning.

But it didn’t take long for the Lose Yourself star to come under fire over a line of the new track that references fellow rapper Megan Thee Stallion.

In Houdini’s first verse, Eminem is heard rapping: “If I was to ask Megan Thee Stallion if she would collab with me would I really have a shot at a feat?”

This references an incident from 2020, in which the Hot Girl Summer rapper alleged she was shot in the foot by fellow musician Tory Lanez, for which he was eventually convicted and sentenced to 10 years in prison in the summer of 2023.

Following the release of Houdini, many fans expressed disappointment over the lyric that mentioned Megan:

megan gets so many unprovoked jokes about her shooting, it’s disgusting and weird https://t.co/g0chyVGdK8

— h (@fallnalien) May 31, 2024

i raise the question again, what is so funny about a black woman getting shot in her foot. why is it the butt of the joke every fucking rap song? i don’t get it. https://t.co/4Qy0UsDZjWpic.twitter.com/rxetcw7otY

— ۟ (@THEBLKLARAJEAN) May 31, 2024

it’s really wierd how these people just find it ok to mock or use specifically Megan’s trauma for trash bars https://t.co/Wkd72nAx7c

— Shoto (@RobbyApologist) May 31, 2024

Many fans also pointed out that Eminem’s lyric comes after Megan opened her US number one Hiss with the lyric: “I feel like Mariah Carey, got these n****s so obsessed.”

Obsessed was a Mariah hit from 2009, perceived by many to be a diss track about Eminem, who previously alleged he once had a sexual relationship with the We Belong Together singer, which she has long denied.

Fellow rappers Drake and Nicki Minaj have also faced backlash in recent history over lyrics relating to Megan being shot in their music.