By Giacomo Kuzma, Hip-hop/Rap Columnist
“F— walkin’ on eggshells, I came to stomp.”
On Oct. 13, 2017, Eminem released his BET (Black Entertainment Television) Hip-Hop Awards freestyle, which he titled “The Storm,” via his Twitter page. It was released alongside the usual slew of BET cyphers, and there were many notable verses across the board, but Eminem’s stood out.
Members of Shady Records, Eminem’s record label, can be seen in the video’s background. Sitting on car hoods and standing are long-time Shady members Royce Da 5’9” and Denaun, Detroit native Trick Trick and new Shady signees Westside Gunn, Conway, Benny and Boogie (no, not A Boogie wit da Hoodie), spectating in silent support of Eminem.
Not a head was bobbed, not an ad lib was uttered from the crowd. The new signees had participated in the 2017 BET cyphers, but it was only Eminem rapping in “The Storm.” It’s tradition in the annual BET Cyphers for DJ Premier to spin the breakbeat that the emcees are to rap over. However, this cypher was different — Eminem was performing a cappella.
A standard cypher consists of a circle of emcees rapping friendly-to-hostile lyrics, either trying to outdo one another or encouraging each other to bring out their skills. Eminem being the lone rhyme-sayer communicates two subliminal messages — his opponent is not present in the Detroit garage with him, and Eminem’s not here to be friendly.
These singularities demonstrate his intention and are meant to highlight what Eminem has always considered most important: the words. And with his words he cleverly cut a crystal-clear image of his views on Donald Trump:
“Trump, when it comes to givin’ a s—, you’re stingy as I am/Except when it comes to havin’ the balls to go against me, you hide ’em/’Cause you don’t got the f—in’ nuts, like an empty asylum,” Eminem rapped.
Eminem is no stranger to bringing Trump into his lyrics. He did it on Big Sean’s “No Favors” and his own “Campaign Speech.”
“You say Trump don’t kiss a– like a puppet/’Cause he runs his campaign with his own cash for the fundin’/And that’s what you wanted — /A f—in’ loose cannon who’s blunt with his hand on the button/Who doesn’t have to answer to no one — great idea!” Eminem mocks in “Campaign Speech.”
This may come across as a blatant diss — along the lines of Nas’ “Ether” or Drake’s “Back to Back” — but along with the wordplay and puns, assonance and consonance, “The Storm” is more than pure trash-talking. It’s almost a speech; it’s a statement.
Emcee Redman couldn’t agree more.
“When Eminem do something, it’s not just a song; it’s not just a freestyle. It’s a statement,” Redman said in an interview with BET. “As I watch that BET Cypher, I’m like, ‘Wow,’ you know? Eminem could have went up there and blacked out on rhymes, with flows, and killed s—. But he felt, as a person of his color … to represent us on BET with a rhyme addressing the president. Y’all gotta understand that, alright? He’s not black. He’s white. We all know that. But he has power. And he used his power on that BET Cypher to make a statement. For us, as well, as a people,” Redman said.
On Twitter and other social media platforms, many listeners denounced Eminem and their fandom of him in reaction to some of Eminem’s concluding lines:
“And any fan of mine who’s a supporter of his/I’m drawing in the sand a line, you’re either for or against/And 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— you!” Eminem rapped, proceeding to flip the camera off.
This ultimatum was undoubtedly bold. By condemning his fans, he might be seen as biting the hands that feed him. But Eminem seems to be “drawing in the sand a line” for a reason.
Some of Eminem’s deepest fan base is in Trump-voting-and-supporting states.
The New York Times recently released an article surveying music-fandom across the country. The article noted that “[Eminem’s] fan base is strongest in whiter and more rural places: West Virginia; southern Ohio; eastern Kentucky; deep north Maine; the Ozarks in Missouri; across the Great Plains.”
These are Trump-ripe places; Eminem is preaching against the choir with his anti-Trump piece.
When YG cursed Trump’s name in “FDT” (parts one and two), and Kendrick Lamar voiced his ani-Trump feelings in songs like “The Heart Part 4,” “LUST.,” and “XXX.,” YG and Lamar were speaking to the majority of a fanbase that does not support Trump.
Unlike the songs of YG and Kendrick Lamar, Eminem’s lyrics that take a position against Trump’s policies are more against-the-grain to the majority of his supporters — many of them have condemned Eminem and renounced their fandom as a result of the cypher.
As stated by Redman, this is different because he is a white artist. Many are saying that the attention Eminem has received for “The Storm” is because of his whiteness, his white privilege.
Whether or not that is true, I believe Eminem is doing the right thing. He’s using his platform as an artist — and as a white artist — to get a message out to a wider audience. He’s making the same points that have been made against Donald Trump, but to an audience that was willing to listen to him.
A Trump supporter likely hasn’t listened to YG’s “FDT,” but if they are, or were, a fan of Eminem, they heard what he said.
It’s also important to note, Eminem is speaking from the hip-hop community. Of course, this doesn’t make him black. It’s quite the opposite, actually. It makes him one of just a few white people in a group of mostly-black people, putting him in a unique position to convey their sentiments to sections of the population that otherwise wouldn’t listen.
When he speaks as an emcee, he speaks as a member of the hip-hop community. And Trump supporters — who do not listen to YG because of his animosity towards Trump — do not understand how the hip-hop community feels.
Eminem, who has, or had, a way into this often-resistant demographic, is using that way in to voice an opinion and points from a community of majority-black people — opinions and points that can go unheard to the intolerant or un-acknowledging ear.
I look forward to Eminem’s upcoming album, “Revival,” which industry insiders speculate will be released November 17. In the meantime, enjoy the unreleased album’s lead single, “Walk on Water,” featuring Beyoncé.