Mom's Spaghetti, the cult restaurant of superstar American rapper Eminem, will be making its Middle East debut at the Abu Dhabi Formula One this week.
A pop-up will be open at the Yas Marina Circuit from Thursday to Sunday, offering popular dishes as well as rare and custom-designed Eminem memorabilia.
The restaurant began in 2017 as a series of pop-ups before becoming a permanent brick-and-mortar location in the hip-hop star's hometown of Detroit in 2021. It's named after a line in his popular song Lose Yourself from 2002's 8 Mile soundtrack. It is also a loving ode to Eminem's mother, Debbie Nelson, who died on Tuesday aged 69.
Following Abu Dhabi, the activation will then move to Riyadh from December 12 to 14 for Soundstorm festival inside a purpose-built stand Fort Shady. It will also offer bespoke and exclusive merchandise designed specifically for regional fans.
Eminem is set to perform at both events, taking the stage on Saturday at Etihad Park as part of the Yasalam After-Race Concert series and on December 12 in Riyadh.
The pop-up is a collaboration between Mom's Spaghetti, Shady Records and Global Venture Partners. The restaurant's menu includes a "road pasta", spaghetti with meatballs and a spaghetti sandwich, the latter served with four pieces of toast on a tray of bolognese.
"Bringing Mom's Spaghetti to fans in the Middle East has been a long time coming," says Paul Rosenberg, Eminem's long-time manager. "We've had incredible demand from fans in this part of the world, and we're excited to finally be able to bring the pop-up experience and exclusive merchandise to these iconic events. It's an opportunity to connect with fans and share a taste of Detroit with them."
Eminem has been coming to Abu Dhabi for 12 years, first performing as part of the Abu Dhabi Formula One in 2012 before returning as part of his Kamikaze World Tour in 2019. The National praised the gig in its review, noting how Eminem shed his former brooding persona to embrace a more interactive approach on stage.
Jason Coke, managing partner of Global Venture Partners, teases that this will not be a one-off. "We're opening the door for potential future expansions. This is just the beginning," he says.
About Takalam
Date started: early 2020
Founders: Khawla Hammad and Inas Abu Shashieh
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech and wellness
Number of staff: 4
Funding to date: Bootstrapped
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment/Streaming Video On Demand
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Investors/Investment amount: $125 million. Major investors include Starz/Lionsgate, State Street, SEQ and Delta Partners
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