Why Eminem's vulgar rap against Trump has acceptance
The ascension of Donald Trump to the Oval Office as US President breathed new life into fascism. The United States’ growing acceptance of Nazism, the Alt-Right (a sugar-coated term for Nazist sentiments) and white supremacy (again, Nazism) has allowed xenophobia, Islamophobia and racism to thrive, and is now being met with a cultural backlash from celebrities, including sportspersons, newscasters, writers, actors and musicians.
Rap artist and actor Marshall Mathers, more famously known as Eminem, vociferously attacked Trump on October 10, at the Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards, issuing a sort of ultimatum to his fans, that they either support him or the US President.
“If you can’t decide who you like more and you’re split on who you should stand beside, I’ll do it for you with this: F*ck you!”
The attack
Free-styling in a dark parking lot, Eminem attacked Trump on his tweets, his support of white supremacists and global policies (with respect to North Korea), while referring to the US president as “a kamikaze that’ll probably cause a nuclear Holocaust”.
This four-minute-something freestyle tirade was perhaps the most prominent instance of a white celebrity defending the NFL players protesting police brutality, white supremacy and racism.
Eminem’s message is on point. Colin Kaepernick, the first NFL player to protest racial inequality and show his solidarity for the Black Lives Matter movement by kneeling during the national anthem, was quick to respond to the rap on Twitter, with praise. So was LeBron James, the internationally famous NBA star. So did more black hip-hop artists, including T-Pain. But things are quickly spiralling out of control.
As is clear to anyone who has witnessed politics in the era of the internet, the power of fans has a tremendous effect on situations; this is no exception. Politico reported that hip-hop fans “called for a throwdown” between Eminem and Kid Rock. They have urged Eminem to enter the Senate race against the latter, who is another ageing white rap artist, and a Trump fan no less.
Zack Stanton of Politico notes, “If fellow Macomb native Kid Rock can flirt with a political career, then Eminem can at the very least return volley in the war for the soul of angry white men, standing athwart history, middle finger in the air.”
The problem
Political pundit Keith Olbermann may have found this free-style rap the “best political writing of the year, period”, but if that’s the standard of political writing in America, then God bless the nation.
Vulgarity is not dignified.
Sure, Eminem was protesting Trump – a president who is unpresidential and vulgar at best – in his own style of profane disdain. But why put this mediocre rap above other forms of protest, especially considering this performance was a tiny attempt at fighting fire with fire? The chances are that it is because he is a cis-gendered straight white male.
There are more reasons why a profanity-laden rap performance managed to make a bigger impact on people than a dignified and quiet kneel during the national anthem at a sporting event. An Atlantic op-ed observes that, “as long as Trump inhabits the White House, Eminem-style vulgarity is presidential”.
Additionally, even if one is to have the cynical worldview that dictates vulgarity should be met with vulgarity; examples are aplenty where black artists have made songs about Trump, or called him out.
Another Atlantic piece notes that the most significant protest song of this era is “FDT (F*ck Donald Trump)” by YG and Nipsey Hussle. Kendrick Lamar, too, has called Trump “a chump” in his lyrics. Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, Vince Staples and more have, in their own profane manner, made comments on Donald Trump.
In fact, Eminem wasn’t the only artist at the BET Hip-Hop Awards who lambasted Trump. Fat Joe rapped the line: “KKK/that’s just Trump in disguise”. Belly and Cyhi the Prynce too had politically charged performances.
Ignoring the voices of the marginalised people of colour, the actual victims of Trump’s white supremacy, and empowering Eminem is more or less why America is in a fix.