Eminem’s ‘The Monster’ Surpasses One Billion YouTube Views

Eminem’s 2013 song “The Monster,” which features a guest spot from Rihanna, has surpassed one billion views on YouTube.

The song, which was the duo’s fourth collaborative track together, marks their second time breaking the 10-digit ceiling, something they previously achieved with their 2009 hit “Love The Way You Live.” It’s Eminem’s ninth video to surpass the milestone, having also done so with tracks like “Rap God” and “The Real Slim Shady,” and Rihanna’s twelfth. Among the Fenty founder’s other hits that have done so are “Work,” “Umbrella” and “Stay.”

The track, which appeared on Eminem’s album The Marshall Mathers LP2, was a massive success, holding down the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks upon its release. It also became Eminem’s first-ever No. 1 hit on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, well over a decade into his career.

The music video for “The Monster” directed by filmmaker Rich Lee, casts Rihanna as Eminem’s therapist. In the visual, she analyses Eminem as he watches a reel of videos from across his career, including clips from “Mockingbird,” “My Name Is,” “The Way I Am,” and “Lose Yourself.” It also incorporates footage from Eminem’s 2001 performance of “Stan” with Elton John at the Grammy Awards.

The critically-acclaimed video earned three nominations at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards, including Best Male Video, Best Collaboration, and Best Direction. Although it didn’t win any of these, it took home the 2015 Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration the next year.

Eminem released his most recent new solo album, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce), in 2024. Although Rihanna has primarily focused on her work with Fenty and raising her two sons, Riot and RZA, she has also released a few one-off singles over the past few years, including the May single “Friend Of Mine,” which appeared on the soundtrack to the recent film Smurfs, in which she starred as Smurfette.

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