Eminem Has Been Canceled by the Teens on TikTok, and Fans Want to Know Why
Published March 3 2021, 12:27 p.m. ET
Although he's been a public figure for decades, Eminem has never shied away from controversy. The most recent dust-up about the rapper has some of his fans baffled, though, in part because it's unclear exactly what kicked it off. Users on TikTok have started a movement to "cancel" the rapper, and the movement has picked up some steam. Even so, many are still unclear about exactly what Eminem has done wrong.
Why is Eminem being canceled?
Some users on TikTok have decided to start a crusade to get Eminem canceled thanks in large part to his song "Love the Way You Lie." Specifically, these lyrics caused some concern among the young audience on the platform: “If she ever tries to f**king leave again
/I’mma tie her to the bed and set this house on fire.”
The lyrics were viewed as problematic by one user, and others have since weighed in on both sides.
Although the lyrics are clearly problematic, it's very possible that Eminem is aware of that. The rapper frequently takes on characters in his music, and "Love the Way You Lie," which was a collaboration with Rihanna, is about what it's like to be in an abusive relationship. While you may have problems with the content, the song seems to be aware that's what it's describing is abuse.
Eminem fans are fighting back against his cancellation.
Although it's unclear how serious the movement to cancel Eminem really is, Eminem's fans are already coming out to defend him.
“Gen Z really trying to cancel Eminem? Stop. You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into," one user wrote on Twitter.
“I DARE Gen Z to try and cancel Eminem. I’ve got the popcorn ready,” another added.
Eminem fans are clearly ready for a fight, but it's possible that the movement to cancel Eminem will just blow over before he faces any real consequences. Some public figures have faced genuine retribution for their past actions in recent years, while others have been allowed to slide by. Still, it's unclear whether Eminem has anything to atone for, at least as far as "Love the Way You Lie" is concerned.
Eminem recently passed some streaming milestones.
Although people may be trying to cancel him online, Eminem has achieved some pretty significant milestones in recent days with regards to his music. "Lose Yourself," one of his most popular tracks, just passed 1 billion streams on Spotify. The song was first released in 2002, and also earned Eminem an Oscar for Best Original Song.
"Lose Yourself" joins a pretty exclusive group of songs that have passed that milestone. The list also includes Jason Mraz's "I'm Yours," "Mr. Brightside" by The Killers and another Eminem track, "Till I Collapse." Although teens on TikTok may be trying to take the rapper down, his music has never been more popular with his die-hard fans. Eminem's days of producing enormous hits may be behind him, but the rapper has thus far maintained his legacy.