Rapper Eminem has recently been promoting his new compilation album Shady XV. His furthering of his new project has come with a few blows though. As a means of marketing the album the rapper released a freestyle video titled ‘Shady Cxvpher’ with Slaughterhouse and Yelawolf, to expectedly show off his skills, and in the middle of the freestyle, Eminem threatens to punch pop star Lena Del Rey. See his verse as transcribed: “I may fight for gay rights, especially if they dyke is more of a knockout than Janay Rice/ Play nice? Bitch I’ll punch Lana Del Rey right in the face twice, like Ray Rice in broad daylight in the plain sight of the elevator surveillance/ Til her head is banging on the railing, then celebrate with the Ravens”.
No one is saying that he actually means it, and there’s no acute sociological evidence that shows such statements have a real affect in causing domestic violence, but it is problematic isn’t it? It breaths the connotations of the Chris Brown and Rihanna incident, and has a simple overwhelming feeling of vile-ness that reeks of a scenario where a group of bullies are following home a solo star pupil, hungry for some unnecessary blood-shed. His rapping about violence in such a shallow context sees his creative swagger heading down the drain pipes. You are able to view the freestyle rap video below in full.
#Peace.Love.Eminem
