Los Angeles [US]: Rap icon Eminem appeared at a rally for the Kamala Harris-Tim Walz campaign ahead of the US presidential elections on Tuesday, introducing former president Barack Obama at an event in his hometown of Detroit.
After speeches from Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, former Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson, Michigan Senate contender Elissa Slotkin, Detroit City Councilperson Mary Sheffield, and Michigan Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow, Eminem took to the stage.
In his brief speech, he highlighted the importance of the election for the future of democracy, according to Variety.
Walking up to the podium to his uplifting 2010 Grammy-winning hit “Not Afraid,” Eminem said, “Detroit! What up doe! So look, I wrote down a few things I wanted to say. I’m here tonight for a couple of important reasons. As most of you know, the city of Detroit and the whole state of Michigan mean a lot to me. And going into this election, the spotlight is on us more than ever, and I think it’s important to use your voice, so I’m encouraging everybody to get out and vote, please. I also think that people shouldn’t be afraid to express their opinions, and I don’t think anyone wants an America where people are worried about retribution, or what people will do if you make your opinion known. I think Vice President Harris supports a future for this country where these freedoms and many others will be protected and upheld. And here to tell you much more about that, President Barack Obama.”
Obama then appeared on stage to Eminem’s 2002 Oscar-winning track “Lose Yourself”. During his speech, Obama, whose love for music–especially hip-hop and rap–is well known through his popular self-curated playlists, recited the opening lines of the iconic track.
Obama jokingly said, “I thought Eminem was going to be performing, I was ready to jump out. Love me some Eminem.”
It’s no surprise that Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Mathers, supports Harris and the Democrats, having endorsed the Joe Biden-Harris campaign back in 2020 with a campaign ad featuring his song “Lose Yourself”.
Eminem has frequently criticised former president Donald Trump and the Republican Party in his music. Before the release of his ninth studio album ‘Revival’ during the BET Hip Hop Awards in October 2017, he delivered an aggressive freestyle rap titled ‘The Storm’, attacking Trump, his policies, and his supporters.
In a December 2017 interview with Complex, while promoting Revival, Eminem accused Trump of “brainwashing” his core followers into believing that “something great is going to happen. Nothing’s happening.”
The album, released in November 2017, featured several songs criticising Trump and Republican policies, particularly “Like Home” featuring Alicia Keys and the rap-rock fusion track “Untouchable”.
Eminem’s disdain for the Republican Party extends beyond Trump. Last year, he sent a cease-and-desist letter to Republican presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy, demanding that he stop using his music after Ramaswamy performed “Lose Yourself” at the Iowa State Fair.
Back in 2004, in his fifth studio album ‘Encore’, Eminem delivered harsh lyrics against then-president George W. Bush, particularly in the tracks “Mosh” and “We As Americans”. In “Mosh”, he criticised Bush for the US’s involvement in the Iraq war.
This year, Eminem has made sporadic public appearances. He released his 12th studio album, ‘The Death of Slim Shady’, on July 12, 2024. The album, centred on the conceptual demise of his divisive rap alter-ego Slim Shady, tackles themes like cancel culture, ageing, and political sensitivity. It received mixed reactions from fans and critics.
Eminem, who turned 52 this month, also shared heartwarming news of becoming a grandfather to his 28-year-old daughter Hailie Jade’s child. He revealed this in the music video for the track “Temporary”, featuring frequent collaborator Skylar Grey, from his latest album.