As expected, Eminem is back with another project and a set of controversial bars that has the world talking and debating. A master at creating and these moments of utter pandemonium in hip hop, Eminem really did bring back Slim Shady and his vile alter ego to spew verses that have left fans divided.
While older Eminem fans predominantly cheer him on, the younger listeners are understandably confused (especially considering all of Em’s Gen-Z takes on the project). That said, it is important to remember that context is everything, and that the songs by themselves can represent Slim Shady or Eminem in isolation, depending on what sequence you listen to them in.
Some prominent hip hop personalities even took to ambiguous insinuations around Em’s lyrics, possibly furthering their own agendas. In all of this, how does one make sense of this circus of wordplay? Let’s have a look at some lyrics that stood out, and why!
Check out the full production credits on the album here.
The Kendrick Lamar Bar on ‘Renaissance’?
Akademiks posted the following tweet, which arguably, is a little ambiguous. The ‘Eminem speaks’ line certainly got fans talking and debating on whether Em dissed Kendrick, or actually appreciated him. Well, pay attention to the double quotes! Eminem here is definitely talking about stardom in music, and how when you reach a legendary status (like Kendrick Lamar, Eminem, Cole, or more), people criticise everything you do regardless of how good what you do is.
Here are the bars in their actual context to support our claim:
“Now let’s travel inside the mind of a hater/
‘Cause I don’t see no fans, all I see’s a bunch of complainers/
“Kendrick’s album was cool, but it didn’t have any bangers/
Wayne’s album or Ye’s, couldn’t tell you which one was lamer/
Joyner’s album was corny, Shady’s new shit is way worse/
Everything is either too tame or there’s too much anger/
I didn’t like the beat, so I hated Might Delete Later”/
You nerdy pricks would find somethin’ wrong with 36 Chambers/
It’s what they do to the greats”
“Eminem dissed Kendrick Lamar on his new album!”
Were yall even listening bro pic.twitter.com/9Pv6XQ5AVZ
— Wost🐰 (@mosthiphop) July 12, 2024
Transphobia on ‘Road Rage’?
On ‘Road Rage’, Eminem meditates on where he stands in terms of solidarity with transpeople. The second verse, in fact, is completely dedicated to this thought exercise. Towards the end, Eminem seemingly blames Slim Shady for this line of thought, distancing himself, and paints a picture of imperfect allyship with the movement. Here is the verse:
“So transgender rights, where do I stand? Oh (Uh)/
I’m all for ’em, I really am pro (Nah, for real)/
But intercourse with you (What?), would I have? No (Nope)/
I’m just bein’ honest (Yeah), now I’m an asshole (Ho)/
Call me a transphobe (Really? Yeah) ’cause I just can’t go (What?)/
And try and pretend you was never a man though (Sorry)/
I mean, damn, bro (Yeah), it’s just the way I feel (Uh)/
But if I say it will (Mm) it get me cancelled (Yup)/
My music get banned (What?), or can it withstand? (No)/
This shit is quicksand (Help), man, I’m just sayin’ (Ha)/
I gotta participate for us to co-exist? Damn/
I gotta memorize pronouns of a cis man? (Really?)/
How come can’t we just show solidarity with a wristband? (Or somethin’ like that, you know?)/
And this ain’t even a diss, trans/
People, my dick just won’t expand/
Them tits won’t make it stand/
But Caitlyn, big fan (No, wait)”
Eminem seems to be making the claim that he’s okay with the transition, but then double tracks on it by saying how he cannot forget the person’s past. Well, as some users pointed out, nobody expects Eminem to do that, but to be sensitive about someone’s experience of gender and transition without having to bring it up deliberately is really not that big of an ask — is it?
(Ik its just lyrics) but cmon no trans person expects you to forget how they looked/acted pre-transition, they just typically dont want it mentioned.
— Official Small Market Sympathizer (@OTownNBA) July 12, 2024
It’s a concept album. Listen to the whole thing there is a turn in the middle. This is from the first half where Shadys talking then Eminem changes tune
— Oat Milk🏴☠️ (@Oatmillk_) July 12, 2024
Fat Shaming on ‘Road Rage’?
“We should coddle fat people (Yeah), yeah, here’s a concept (What?), let’s celebrate onset (Yeah)/
Diabetes and instead of us dieting we can just have a pie eating contest (Delicious)/
And we should be extra nice instead of honest/
And instead of exercise (What?)/
It’s easier to find a triple-X your size/
And try to press society to change so you don’t have to change/
Pick up a way to eat less, them fries make your blood pressure rise/
As it starts increasin’/
All that starch and grease and/
Clogged arteries and/
These are the reasons/
For your heart disease and/
Can’t tie your shoes (Why?), it’s too hard to reach ’em (Shit)/
But the way things been (With what?)/
With today’s thinking (Yeah)/
We should baby them (Why?)/
Instead of shaming them (Oh)/
But enabling can (Yeah)/
Do more harm than good, so call me Abe Lincoln/”
Again, on the song Slim Shady’s views come to light as he grapples with Eminem and discusses the health risks of obesity in context of America. While his concerns are legit, what Slim misses here is the understanding of body-shaming and its psychological effects that do more harm than good. Besides, many athletes have already gone to extreme lengths to showcase how fat isn’t a measure of athleticism or good health, and is really dependent on multiple factors. The obesity Slim Shady is addressing, of course, is only a very narrow aspect of the conversation. He comes back to it later on the track ‘Guilty Conscience 2‘, where Eminem and Slim Shady engage is a brain tussle, reconciling contradictions and hypocrisies:
“Well, okay, you wanna fat shame, bitch/
Two can play that game (What?)/
You wanna judge people? (Yeah)/
Matter of fact, ain’t you the same one who hated bullies calling you bad names? (Yep)/
Then you turn around and did the exact same (So?)/
Just immature and literally/
You’re still mentally/
Thirteen and still thirsty for some controversy/”
Dissing Diddy on ‘Fuel’ over recent controversy involving Cassie and other abuse allegations + speculation that he got Pac killed:
“I’m like a R-A-P-E-R (Yeah)
Got so many S-As (S-As), S-As (Huh)
Wait, he didn’t just spell the word, “Rapper” and leave out a P, did he? (Yep)
R.I.P., rest in peace, Biggie
And Pac, both of y’all should be living (Yep)
But I ain’t tryna beef with him (Nope)
‘Cause he might put a hit on me like Keefe D did him”
Moral of the story: Eminem, like the fans, is confused between who he was and is supposed to be. One can only make sense of this confusion when consumed in entirety — so stay tuned and listen to the project front to back, before making any inferences that in isolation have little weight.
