Eminem is the latest in a string of celebrities to be "cancelled" at the behest of Gen Z. It began on TikTok after he became the target of vitriol over "misogynistic" lyrics he penned years ago.
For rapper and producer, Roxie Kai, who has herself been the victim of domestic violence, this is a harmful trend that doesn't take into account the "positive impact" the songwriter has had.
"I personally can say that Eminem's music has pulled me out of some really dark places, and was a great form of comfort throughout my life," the 33-year-old tells VT.
'Cancelling' Eminem
Users of the platform have been putting forward calls to "cancel" Eminem this week, on account of his 2010 collaboration with Rihanna, Love the Way You Lie, which they claim condones domestic abuse. The song features the blatantly misogynistic lyric: "If she ever tries to f**king leave again / I’mma tie her to the bed and set this house on fire."
"No wonder I’m toxic I grew up listening to this song," wrote one TikTok user. Others added: "Yesssssss let's cancel him [sic]". The thirst for another "fallen" star is evident and the feud it sparked between Gen Z and Millenial Eminem "stans" is now trending on Twitter.
"It's honestly nothing new," says Kai, who has been listening to his music since 1999. "People are quick to jump on cancel culture and completely bypass the positive things someone has accomplished. The fact of the matter is, Eminem is an artist and a human being. He is entitled to free speech, as we all are. We need conscious culture not cancel culture."
She adds: "Eminem has been doing his thing for so long now, we have to really look at societal behaviours more than the artist. In my opinion, if you do not approve of it, then do not listen. Do not let your children listen. That is the responsibility of the parent. An artist's job is not to regulate what you allow in your ears."
'Don't like it? Don't listen'
Eminem has courted controversy with unique aplomb since his major-label debut, The Slim Shady LP. Not much has changed in the interim – except for the birth of TikTok, which gave space for a new generation of listeners to voice their outrage.
Just last year, on his album Music to Be Murdered By, the rapper was roundly criticised for making light of the Manchester Arena terror attack, where 22 people lost their lives at an Ariana Grande concert. He defended himself using the same refrain he has used for years – that his music is not intended for the "squeamish or easily offended".
For Kai, Eminem remains entitled to speak about controversial topics. "I understand why some see this in such a controversial light," she says. "But why don't they question what is in movies, television shows and work from other artists, as well?
"Our society has these topics in our faces every single day, why is this any different?" she asks, adding that it doesn't mean that Eminem has committed these acts himself.
Eminem's apology
Following his collaboration with Rihanna, Eminem made headlines for comments he made about her abusive ex Chris Brown. After the singer was charged with battery for assaulting Rihanna, Eminem said he "sided" with Chris on an old track that leaked online. Fans were outraged.
Despite having historically stood by his controversial lyrics, on this occasion, Eminem apologised. On the song Zeus, from his 2020 album Music to Be Murdered By, he raps: "And wholeheartedly, apologies, Rihanna / For that song that leaked, I’m sorry, Ri / It wasn’t meant to cause you grief. Regardless, it was wrong of me."
Rihanna, for her part, has never issued any comment on the lyric, or Eminem's apology. At the time, Eminem's spokesperson alleged: "Obviously he and Rihanna have a great relationship."
Commenting on his very public apology, Kai says: "Everyone makes mistakes in life and he owned this specific incident. In my opinion, everyone needs to learn more understanding and compassion."
Ultimately, Eminem's attacks on women, and the LGBTQ+ community – to name just two – are well documented. But for fans like Kai, this is not representative of the artist in his entirety and "cancelling" him is not the stans' idea of a solution.
"If one person is silenced, we are all silenced," she adds. "If people feel they cannot be free and speak their truth, then the world will become an even darker place. Cancel culture encourages us to repeat history, rather than learning and evolving our consciousness as a society."
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