Who is Sherry Papini? Reference on Eminem's latest song 'Houdini' explained 

American rapper Eminem released the debut single of his 12th studio album The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce) on May 31. Titled Houdini, after the 20th century Detroit-based world-renowned magician, Harry Houdini.

Towards the end of the song, Eminem refers to a person named Sherri Papini, as he raps:

“What you thought you saw (What?), ain't what you saw (Nah)/ 'Cause you're never gonna see me/ Caught sleepin' and see the kidnappin' never did happen/ Like Sherri Papini, Harry Houdini/ I vanish into the thin air as I'm leavin' like -“

Sherri Papini is an American woman who reportedly got kidnapped in California in 2016 and returned home three weeks later. Upon investigation, it was revealed she staged her abduction.

In his latest song, Eminem mentions the same and raps that his alter ego, Slim Shady, will “vanish” just like Papini and Houdini did.

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Exploring the Sherri Papini incident in the wake of Eminem’s Houdini

On November 2, 2016, a Northern California woman named Sherri Papini reportedly went missing a mile from her home in the town of Redding, while she was out for a morning jog. The news made national headlines as her family and friends began looking for her with the help of law enforcement.

While they searched for her for weeks, she reappeared three weeks later on November 24, 150 miles south of Redding, near Interstate 5 in Yolo County. A passing motorist spotted her lying on the highway and informed the police, who upon arrival found her injured and wearing restraints.

Initially, Sherri Papini told the authorities that two Hispanic women allegedly kidnapped her at gunpoint. She further claimed that the alleged abductors tortured, branded, and kept her chained in a basement for weeks until they let her go on Thanksgiving Day 2016.

However, after years of investigation, investigators discovered that Sherri Papini had planned her abduction and inflicted the injuries on herself. The authorities also discovered that during her disappearance, she stayed with a former boyfriend in Southern California, who was reportedly unaware of her plans.

Thus, in March 2022, she was charged with mail fraud for accepting more than $30, 000 from the California Victim Compensation Board (CVCB) between 2017 and 2021. She was arrested for mail fraud and making false statements under oath to federal agents.

After pleading guilty to both counts and confessing to orchestrating her kidnapping, she was sentenced to 18 months in prison in September 2022, alongside 36 months of supervised release.

She was also asked to pay $309, 902 in restitution to the CVCB, the Social Security Administration, the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office, and the FBI for the waste of government resources incurred because of her hoax.

In October 2023, the prison authorities released her early after she served only 8 months. However, she still owes the restitution for which the U.S. Attorney’s Office filed a motion against her on March 24, 2024.

It states that "despite the United States’ demand for payment, made more than 30 days before the date of this application, the debtor has failed to satisfy the debt.” Besides the restitution, Sherri Papini also has to pay a 10 percent litigation surcharge worth $30, 929.

The 40-year-old’s attorney William Portanova told the media that his client would fulfill her “financial obligations” to the court and the government shortly. The mother of two is currently undergoing a divorce from her husband, Keith Papini.

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Explaining Sherri Papini's mention of Eminem's Houdini

Eminem’s mention of Sherri Papini in his latest single Houdini saying, “What you thought you saw (What?), ain’t what you saw (Nah)” could refer to the American citizens, government, law enforcement, family, and friends being fooled by her hoax.

He also compares her disappearance to that of a famous illusionist Harry Houdini, known for “vanish[ing] into the thin air.”

The track also refers to various other elements from the world of magic, including the repetition of the phrase "Abracadabra" throughout the track's hook, while also referencing Steve Miller Band’s 1982 song of the same name.

Not only that, but Eminem also took the help of his friend and magician David Blaine to announce the date of Houdini’s release when he posted a reel on Instagram on March 28, during his FaceTime call with Blaine, saying, “And for my last trick, I am gonna make my career disappear.”

It may have been a reference to the last appearance of Eminem's rap alter ego, Slim Shady, in his forthcoming album, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce).