Eminem has revealed his surprise performance at the Oscars was almost derailed by loose microphone equipment.
The rapper performed Lose Yourself during February’s ceremony, 17 years after the track won best original song after it featured in the film 8 Mile.
While his appearance was well-received and the star-studded audience gave him a standing ovation, Eminem says he refuses to watch the performance back because it was almost ruined by stray equipment.
Speaking on Mike Tyson’s Hotboxin’ podcast, the 47-year-old said: “When I went out there everything was cool. I go through the first verse and they had the mic pack that you wear to clip on your belt and your in-ears so you can hear the sound. And I’m rapping and all of a sudden I see between my legs the motherf***ing pack’s swinging.”
Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Mathers, said he spent much of the song trying to grab the rogue mic pack before finally putting it in his pocket.
He said: “By that time the song is over and I’m like man, what the f***. We rehearsed for that shit, I know the words to Lose Yourself, but we rehearsed that shit extra, extra, extra just so we didn’t f*** that up and that was the one thing we didn’t plan for and of course it went wrong.”
Tyson’s podcast co-host Eben Britton assured Eminem viewers were not aware of the issue, with the rapper revealing he has not watched it back for fear of being angered.
“I ain’t watched it,” he said. “I got creeped out, I don’t want to see this shit, I’ll just get angry.”
Tyson, 53, asked Eminem about his 23-year-old daughter, Hailie.
“She’s doing good,” the musician said. “She’s made me proud, for sure.”
Tyson also discussed his cameo in 2009 hit comedy The Hangover. The former heavyweight boxing champion appeared as himself in the film, threatening the main characters after they steal his tiger in Las Vegas.
Tyson admitted to being “coked up” around the time he was filming the movie, adding he was “a mess back then”.
And he revealed he did not have high hopes for the film, which became a worldwide box office smash.