Rapping a Message: Eminem Targets President Trump Through Freestyle Rap

by The Cowl Editor on October 19, 2017


Arts & Entertainment


Rapper Eminem singing a diss track against Donald Trump.
Photo courtesy of BBC

by Madeline Weaver-Nolting ’19

A&E Staff

The often controversial and influential rapper Eminem has resurfaced once again, but this time to broadcast his political views on the president. In a freestyle rap performed at the BET Hip Hop Awards, Eminem attacked Donald Trump.

The rap, titled “The Storm,” creates a clear divide between himself and anyone who supports the president by rapping, “decide who you like more” Eminem or Trump, but this isn’t the first time that Eminem has been involved in politics.

Filmed in a parking garage Eminem emotionally expresses his feelings towards the president. The 4.5 minute freestyle rap slams President Donald Trump for everything from white supremacy to Trump’s attacks on patriotism in the NFL.

Eminem previously expressed his feelings of dislike for the president in a 2016 freestyle rap “Campaign Speech.” He has also rapped about other politicians, including Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, and George W. Bush. Eminem is not the only hip hop rapper to have rapped about President Trump. Other rappers include Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dog, and YG.

In 2004, President Trump “made a cameo in the Eminem concert special ‘The Shady National Convention,’” writes Des Shoe and Joe Coscarelli of The New York Times. Allegedly Trump at the time even said, “Donald Trump is telling you right now Slim Shady [Eminem’s alter-ego] is a winner.”

Eminem previously mocked Trump by saying, “He’s got brains, he’s got guts and he’s got Trump’s vote.” As of now Trump has yet to respond to the aggressive rap, but one could speculate that his opinion of Eminem has changed since 2004 after this rap.

Eminem may be rapping about equality and justice, but what makes it so controversial is the way that he spreads the message and his past history of violence.

In “The Storm” Eminem continues with his usual rap style by using explicit language to get his ideas across. Some of his past songs have been criticized for being homophobic and misogynistic, while this song, in a way, is being applauded.

Regardless what one thinks of Eminem, he does have a remarkable underdog story. He was raised in a difficult area in Detroit in an unstable household and was bullied. After he dropped out of high school he discovered rap music through underground circles, which later led to such a successful music career that has led to a net worth of $190 million.

It is also a very convenient time for Eminem to reemerge from the shadows since he has not released an album since 2013. He has been avoiding his fame for some time now, and many music experts speculate that he will be releasing his eighth album before the end of this year.