Photo Credit: EJ Hersom / CC by 3.0
TikTok is collectively canceling Eminem over his past controversial lyrics. Here’s what set the situation off.
Eminem’s 2010 collaboration with Rihanna, “Love the Way You Lie,” set off the controversy. Specifically, social media — and TikTok in particular — is taking issue with the lyric, “I know I’m a liar/If she ever tries to f—kin’ leave again, I’ma tie her/To the bed and set this house on fire.” It’s the most frequently cited example of problematic lyrical content by the rapper, and a big reason the ‘cancel Eminem’ movement that is now gaining steam.
The lyric has been heavily cited by a growing number of TikTok users who want Eminem banned across TikTok and other platforms for spreading a misogynist, violent message. Beyond that, the attempted cancellation could result in Eminem getting dropped by radio stations, his label, and other music industry partners and collaborators, similar to the recent fallout for country singer Morgan Wallen.
Part of the problem is that Eminem delivers the “Love the Way You Lie” refrain with such conviction, which makes it appear that he genuinely espouses such violent acts.
But does he really mean it? Rihanna called the track “authentic and real” and added that Eminem pretty much broke down the cycle of domestic violence in the song. That’s a description of role-playing to highlight a societal problem, though Eminem is now being held accountable for the lyrical refrain as if he’s advocating the actions themselves.
The ripples are just getting started here, though the attempted cancellation is already drawing some pushback. A number of users (on TikTok and elsewhere) are questioning whether Eminem deserves such a sharp rebuke. Over the course of his career, the rapper has been synonymous with controversial lyrics and the personification of problematic characters — but does it make sense to cancel the career of a rapper that depends on controversy and having haters to be successful?
Over the span of roughly two decades, Eminem has taken the shock-jock approach to rap, with many of his albums featuring overt references to violence and sexism. But Eminem’s lyrics have been controversial on purpose. As a result, attempted cancellations have been routine for the past twenty years. Now, the question is whether the younger TikTok generation can actually cancel the rapper — something Eminem’s been immune to in the past.
“Gen Z really trying to cancel Eminem? Stop. You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into,” one person writes on Twitter.
Em knew this treatment was coming though, as he rapped about cancel culture on his most recent album. On Music to be Murdered By (Side B) he raps:
“I can’t understand a word you say (I’m tone-deaf),
I think this way I prefer to stay (I’m tone-deaf),
I won’t stop even when my hair turns grey (I’m tone-deaf),
‘Cause they won’t stop until they cancel me.”
(Update: Eminem has now released a lyric video of “Tone Deaf,” ostensibly in response to TikTok’s attempts to cancel him).
Then there’s the inherent hypocrisy of attempting to cancel Eminem now — instead of 11 years ago. “Y’all trying to cancel Eminem forget that you definitely listened to at least one of his tracks growing up. He made it through multiple rap eras and now y’all wanna bring back his old lyrics? He lives rent-free in y’alls head,” writes another critical fan.
In the end, it’s unlikely a single viral trend on TikTok is going to get Eminem canceled.
But give Gen Z their shot at canceling Eminem; maybe they’d like to examine Howard Stern next? These people have made their millions off of being offensive; it’s hard to cancel someone who sells that at face value.
Whatever happened to ignoring music you don’t like instead of trying to cancel the artist? It’s perfectly possible to go your whole life not listening to Eminem music if you don’t like it. It’s not like you’re going to hear “The Real Slim Shady” blasting over the loudspeaker the next time you’re in Target.
I’m not a fan of Eminem, but any artist, including him, should be able to express themselves any way that they want. Unless it’s a call for everyone to assault others in various ways or to burn everything down or to outright kill others, freedom of expression is always the freedom to bring forth what we see fit that we have been inspired to do. It’s that simple.
And if we can’t express ourselves in whatever way we’ve been inspired to do, what’s the point of art or life, for that matter? It’s like these anti-free-speech goons are actually wanting to drain the very life out of us. That’s just evil and so very wrong.
Eminem should be cancelled because he shilled for the Chrysler 200, a god awful piece of shit car “imported from Detroit”.
As comedian Bill Hicks once said, “you do a commercial, you’re off the artistic roll call forever. End of story, OK? You’re another corporate fucking shill, you’re another whore at the capitalist gang-bang. And if you do a commercial, there’s a price on your head, everything you say is suspect, and every word that comes out of your mouth is now like a turd falling into my drink.”
Lol tiktok’s wack dance on the edge of a cliff and do us all a favor jump off and have the rest of you tiktok fags follow
bitch what?
Bahaaaaaaa???????????????
Yeah. Tiktok is trash from china anyway. So was d annoying shitty tiktokers. ?
Omg your hilarious almost spit my coffee laughing so MUCH ?
As much as I would like to see that piece of shit get canceled I would rather start seeing someone, anyone even Eminem not give in to the cancel mob. All this apologizing does is give them more power. Kenny Wayne Shepherd what a piece of shit he caved to the mob because he owns a General Lee car, what a dumbass is he?
Idiots think he’s going to be cancel. Who cares about what the trash of tiktok says?
I agree I am no fan of him either as a matter of fact hate him for his stance against Trump but I hope for the sake of this country he doesn’t bow to the mob, that would at least maybe get people to quit apologizing for everything, most people bend, bow and break to the mob and then you get cancelled anyway so what’s the point in it
Dumbest time to be alive.
Dumbest comment ever.
Since you’ve never lived in any other time, you wouldn’t really know firsthand. I suppose you would rather live in the old west time when there was limited medical/dental care, running water, clean food, transportation, etc.
Think before you post stupidity.
Grace you r a retard. Big surprise you’re a woman…even bigger surprise you have no idea what the big picture is which is full control and the elimination of free speech. Get off you’re fat ass and Do something about it!
Nice sensitivity. Using the word “retard” as you so flagrantly did, shows your lack of civility. As well, you’re a conspiracy theorist with zero clue. You’re a mess. Go crawl back under your rock, you troll.
No he’s right, Grace. You really are a fucking retarded idiot.
Haha grace I’d love to see you in real life my guess is you have short hair and you’re mad at the world.
Retarded was an acceptable medical term once until it was deemed insensitive and offensive and changed to mentally challenged and cancelled. The point is things are not always offensive but people make them offensive because they are ignorant. Ignorance is the real offender. Eminem is a social justice warrior who uses is alter ego to bring attention to societal problems and his critics entirely miss his message. The US government has been trying to cancel him for decades. Eminem is not going anywhere. In fact this latest contraversy will renew and build more interest in his music.
Grace you need to wake up. Based on your statements we all can see you have no knowledge about whats happening around you.
You clearly don’t get it it’s a figure of speech he’s saying this is stupid. Get off the internet and go for a walk or something.
HAHAHAHA!! EXACTLY WHAT I SAID. DUMBEST TIME TO BE ALIVE…YEA BECAUSE I’M SURE THAT THE YEARS FROM 1941-1945 when the US was in a world war WERE JUST WONDERFUL TIMES! Maybe they have a time machine and lived in “every other time”…baahahahaha..Btw…i am gen X….oooh..so old. I like Marshal Matters. I have listened to him since “97 Bonnie and Clyde” hit the airwaves. He isn’t scared to speak his mind and does it while avoiding talking about rims and how rich he is during every single track. ALSO pretty sure that given his net worth, in the long run, he doesn’t give a flying @#%$ what any of US SAY! I just need to live in THAT OTHER time! (Hahaha)
*Marshall Matters3
That’s great!
Don’t be a dink sweetheart. Go rest that precious ten gallon head of yours before you pull a muscle trying to think too hard…
Not stupid comment at all. There are a growing and growing number of people that would rather lived back then. For the stuff they didn’t have that u speak of compared to having it but what is going on in the world right now, yeah there is a ton of people that would rather lived back then. Times was a lot easier and simpler. They didn’t need the medical u speak of as much as today as there are 1,000’s of different diseases and what not now then back then. How do I think a 30-36 year old had grand parents and great grandparents live in there 80’s and 90’s. There wasn’t as much of a need for the things u talk about. Your can’t compare what’s needed today like they needed it back then. Because if it was needed back then, well then there would be no back then it would just be same as today. So no the comment was stupid, but you are for not knowing what your talking about and calling another person stupid there opinion and thoughts and that right there is today’s problem people like you wanna jump down someone’s throat and call them stupid like you know what they want or should want. I’m guessing your in the age range of 18 28. These kids are going to run the US into the ground and China will love it as they take over 100% as these kids get older and look back at how shitty they had to live because of the choices they are making right now they will forever regret it.
I would just like to go back to a time when there was no social media, that would solve about 90% of our problems right now!
I get what you are saying. Its a dumb time to be alive because up until the past few years. People were not near as sensitive as they are now. Pull someone from a earlier time and they probably would want to go back to their home time. Those were times when people were about controling themselves and not others around them. There is more peer pressure to conform to be a pansey these days then the 90s and peer pressure with drugs.
In the words of great Marshall Mathers “You find me offensive, I find you offensive for finding me offensive.”
That is wonderful.
I get what you are saying. Its a dumb time to be alive because up until the past few years. People were not near as sensitive as they are now. Pull someone from a earlier time and they probably would want to go back to their home time. Those were times when people were about controling themselves and not others around them. There is more peer pressure to conform to be a pansey these days then the 90s and peer pressure with drugs.
In the words of great Marshall Mathers “You find me offensive, I find you offensive for finding me offensive.”
Yep, just nonsense after nonsense.
Whats the difference between him singing about fictional characters.. and movie producers that make violent graphic films??
soon we won’t have music or films because something always seems to offend someone…. If you don’t like it don’t watch and listen to it.
Here we go. Back to when we had dress codes and everything’s centered.
If they are wanting to cancel em over that, the entire rap genre would he cancelled by their standards. Selling drugs, n bombs, shooting cops, glorifying gang mentality.
If they want to cancel someone’s career that they have worked hard to keep for OVER 2 decades thats ridiculous! Here comes the pansey snowflakes that want to ruin peoples livelihoods and take food off their families tables bc they can’t just choose to NOT LISTEN to his music and move on. Get over yourself gen z cry babies you need to just shut up and move on.
You cannot pick an artist and single them out if you cancel emenem it will lead to a never ending ball of crap with everybody protesting against another song another artist getting canceled another holy rollin group cryin about this and that it will be a mess that will never end every artist has a graphic song that will offend someone somewhere like the beatles said “let it be” peace if you dont like it turn the station
What a stupid article on a stupid idea.
Who ever wrote this clearly doesn’t use tiktok. Yes they are trying to cancel him but it’s already been countered with multiple current trends using his more vulgar sounds. There’s no canceling Eminem sry to burst your bubble. All that has happened is a massive increase in streaming to his older music library.
Stupid world we live in nowadays! Everyone gets butt hurt over the smallest things.. idiots
Wait’ll they find his homophobic lyrics.
Mic drop.
Way to read the article, idiot.
Why read it? As soon as I see Ashley’s byline I know it’s a flimsily reported “news” story followed by her personal opinion.
Everything I need to know I get from the illustrious comments. Like yours.
Way to eat me you shit head
I believe the lyrics are “love the way you lie”….some people…smh
I knew something was wrong in the article….
Bro I PROMISE you nobody is actually trying to cancel Eminem, you milenials wanna roleplay being boomers so bad seeing one tiktok from some random 13 year old looking girl got ya’ll fired up for what ??
Millennials not whatever I said damn don’t even come for me for that
U must be a gen-z pansy. This article talks about removing rights that every generation has fought for and died for except for Gen z pieces of crap that now want to take those rights away because they get so butt hurt over every little thing.
Eminem dropped from his label? Who wrote this trash?
I grew up in the 90s. Em is a god. Here is something y’all don’t realize: when he quit and everything his daughter Haley told him to go back and do what you do best. He quit for her and she made him go back what he does best. So before y’all start being idiots, Em is a good guy and is BUDDIES with Elton John! Stupid people being stupid because America is has got to the crapper and no one can make up their mind on who to hate on. GROW THE HELL UP AMERICA! I’m not ever 30 yet and I’m more adult than anyone that is hating on someone who breaks down the crap the goes on behind closed doors. Y’all make me sick!
Exactly! Damn we need more people like this
*Marshall Matters3??????????????????9
WHAT THE HELL????? PEOPLE ARE GETTING STUPID NOWADAYS
yeah, getting emotionally over nothing?
Yep..It is why I am gonna go live in another time. Me and my flux capacitor are going back to when Moby was 33. Way better time to live. Nobody listens to techno
I love getting “emotionally”…wth…..
Fortunately my 14 year old daughter is proud of herself of being able to rap “Rap God”. As a parent I teach my children that music is a form of expression and sometimes what is expressed can be uncomfortable, but that’s life.
Sad that are really trying to cancel ppl over old stuff. Em have been supporting so many movements yet the very ppl he been trying to help are also trying to cancel him. Pretty soon you want even be able to sneeze let alone talk without offending someone. Cancel culture needs to be cancelled. America have turned to a place where humor, opinions, and expression is prohibited. A place where everything must be PC and PG. A place where every comment must be carefully thought out and proof read before saying or doing anything. A sad state for Freedom of speech to be in.
Well Disney own just about everything and sensors more. Can’t wait for the child labor laws to letch up on them.
This is one of the meanings behind “liberals get the bullet too”.
Guess the haven’t heard “Kim” on the MM lp
Lol at em getting dropped from the lable, hes the biggest selling artist on the lable why would they drop the cash cow because a couple of young lesbians on tik tok got upset
This whole ordeal is ridiculous and a waste of time iv been listening to Eminem’s music since I was like 5 years old and I’m now 22 and have never once had any issues with his music in fact Eminem aka Marshall Mathers is and always will be my favorite rapper not only because I like his music but also because there is a lot of songs that he wrote that I can relate too now if anything should be canceled it should be Gen Z on tik tok for blowing freedom of speech out of proportion and trying to say that Eminem should be canceled just because he using expressing himself in his music and using the law of freedom of speech to do so like for real just because there are people out there that won’t ever be as famous or rich or loved or adored by there fans as much as Eminem is don’t give them the right to try to ruin his career now as a citizen of the United States we have a right to make a living however we see fit and Eminem’s rap career is how he chose to make a living so the way I see it there is no reason that Eminem should be canceled
That right there is speaking the fucking truth
True there, im glad no one is no tiktokers are trying to cancel necro for the stuff he raps about
Nobody is canceling anything.
I think it’s funny that people are trying to cancel Eminem while listening to Chris Brown.
Or country artist Wallen who is a racist.
Teenagers on tiktok wanna ban eminem due to his lyrics maybe being offensive is a shame. I’m Gam3r4lyf3 on twitch and i stream warzone daily. I can guarantee most surely that half the teens on there use tiktok yet more toxic than any eminem lyrics. Young kids screaming and yelling the N word at the end of a match or someone calling some white boy a cracker or they just straight up have no respect for others and belittle others in lobby for no reason! So Gen Z stop being hypocrites…what are any of you complaining about eminem’s lyrics do to help your community? Thought bullies were finally getting they just desert with people being fed up suddenly become the bullies! Lame ass go back to playing fortnite and study for ya future!!!
People are trying to cancel Eminem while we have artists like Tyga and DaBaby who talk about sex and gang stuff. Grow up, move on, and leave Em alone. That’s like trying to cancel Juice WRLD’s (rip) whole production team for releasing his music that talks about drugs and his addiction problem and making it to where we never get to hear any new music from him ever again. Cause that’s exactly what they’re trying to do to Em. As a Gen Z myself, I find it sickening that I’m from the same generation as the idiots who eat Tide Pods, twerk to be famous, cancel things just because they don’t like them, and all the many other stupid things Gen Z’s have done and it ends up looking bad on me just because I’m a Gen Z! This generation isn’t just hurting themselves, they’re hurting everyone
This country and society are fucked up. First off tik tok is stupid and the morons trying to cancel the Greatest Rapper Alive are extremely stupid
Yes, people are more sensitive today yes, and people’s feelings will be hurt but yes, we still living in America where we got inalienable Rights… All i got is #RESPECT for Eminem… He a Beast and a #GOAT… if u don’t like his music… That’s your opinion but, if you’re hatting… I only ask this question, “How many Grammy Awards do you have?” Eminem has won 15 and been Nominated 44 times… Facts beat your Hate comments. ?????
“inalienable” rights… I’m not perfect… Only God is!???
Not even God is perfect.
So now a few people are the entirety of gen z?
True there, im glad no one on tiktok are trying to cancel necro for the stuff he raps about
This is only for tik tok # teri maa ka bohsra
wait til the woke retard class finds out that led zeppelin shoved a shark in a younger womans vagina. those dudes better hope they die fast before these lunatics get a hold of that info.
“Mr. Page….” press release on the way!
Ngl , even tho I’m gen z but I feel like most of gen z is way much sensitivity they are being stupid af like bruh they’ll say anything to others they dont like and if someone replied them in same way they gonna cry and create a fuss bout it bruh gen z till 06 was good but the later is just punk ass and plain stupid way much sensitivity Eminem was helping Rihanna y’all don’t even know that and just tryna cancel him out Im sure y’all listen to snitch9ine and vibe on his song while tryna cancel eminem
Killing people – cool
Killing cops – cool
Big pimpin perpetuating sex trafficking – cool
Caucasian (cuz white people have ethnic backgrounds…maybe) rapper talking about similar stuff – not cool