Video: Eminem & Jay-Z @ Comerica Park, Detroit (9/2/10)

MTV Shows

I think Em tested the waters [for these shows in Detroit and New York] when we did the Europe tour. You could tell when he went out there in [Europe], when he saw the reaction of the people again, it was like, ‘Right.’ He’s been through so much. For him to be out there sober, this is the first time he’s hitting the stage — God bless the dead — without Proof. The [European shows] were big shows and a big step. You got the feeling he knew he had the step still, and people love him the same way. I looked at the crowds in Europe and said, “You have to do those shows in America.” A lot of times you go overseas. The love is the same. But the energy you see at these festivals [overseas], wow! Coming back from that and hitting the stage [Thursday in Detroit], reassured me, with a little bit of organization and some thought, the energy is the same in America. I was thrilled, like, “Wow. We brought it home.”

From the DJ booth Thursday night, it was hard. You see the sea of people on the floor. If I looked up, I saw a full stadium of people. If I squinted my eyes real hard when the records were playing, I could see them going just as hard as the people in the front were. That was amazing. Even when Jay hit the stage, he had to pause and take a moment to take it all in. I felt that too. That’s not scripted.

When Dre came out, that moment of the show, I became a fan. I was no longer DJing. At that moment when Dre came out, it was like, “Oooooh.” He was five feet from me, he came out the floor. He was rising. It was like watching a video. It was the theatrics of a video. When he came out and did his Dre bop, it was like he never left. When Em said, “You see what I do for you, Detroit”, I knew Em was really comfortable