Eminem often finds himself at the center of controversy for his sometimes inflammatory lyrics — that’s nothing new. But apparently some Gen Z’ers are just catching up and were aghast to hear Slim Shady rap, “If you fucking leave again I’m strap you to this bed and set the house on fire” on his 2010 smash hit “Love The Way You Lie” featuring Rihanna.
So on Tuesday (March 2), Em became a trending Twitter topic after countless people tried to “cancel” Eminem on TikTok and the millennials fought back. Their valiant effort to protect Shady’s name included a now-viral video of a TikTok user “rapping” over an instrumental version of Dr. Dre’s “Forgot About Dre” featuring Em.
“Did you hear Gen Z is canceling Eminem?” the video begins. “Gen Z. They’re trying to cancel Eminem. Yeah.” From there, the woman launches into a full-on lyrical assault aimed at the “little kiddies” with lines such as “Let me make this quite clear/This man was around even before you were here/So what? You’re all mad? Cuz the man was a lyricist? While all your rappers are mumbling gibberish?”
In another popular TikTok clip, a man plays both a Gen Z’er and millennial and makes a pretty convincing case for leaving Eminem alone.
Gen Z: “We need to cancel Eminem.”
Millennials: “Why?”
Gen Z: “His lyrics are terrible.”
Millennials: “And this coming from the marble-mouthed mumble rap generation?”
Gen Z: “Have you heard his lyrics?”
Millennials: “Heard ’em? I was raised screaming them all through grade school.”
Gen Z: “Just imagine if he dropped those lyrics now.”
Millennials: “Yeah, but he didn’t though, so…he’s still better than the skiddily, skeet skirt stuff you got now.”
Gen Z: “All his lyrics, full of hate.”
Millennials: “And so is my angsty little teenage soul, but look at me now. I turned out fine.”
Gen Z: “Did you though?”
Millennials: “Hmm, fair point. But whatever, leave Em alone.”
But that was just the beginning. The millennials came out in droves to defend Shady with one person writing “Since Eminem is trending, let’s bring this back … if you are easily frightened by loud noises or offended by explicit lyrics you shouldn’t be here.”
Another noted, “Since Eminem is trending let me remind y’all that he is the first artist in history to have 10 consecutive no.1 albums on the billboard 200 and he reached this achievement last year with his album music to be murdered by. legend shit me thinks.”
Check out some of the other reactions below.
Canxel Deez Nuts, Bitch!
Ain’t nothing new. When Eminem was popping, another group was trying to cancel em. Rap will always have its enemies
Gen Z is the most bitch made generation ever. Is there anything you little bitches aren‘t offended by? Why don‘t you do the world a favor and go cancel yourselves?
1 – You guys are so lame that you write an article like Gen Z is a country or a real life anime character who can do S.h.i.t. Step your game up and do interviews with real artists rather than making up news
2 – WTF is canceling? These lil btches cnt even afford a meal. Stop making up and spread terms like it is a thing. Cancel!!! I lose my s.h.i.t. whenever I hear this.
Right? What the fuck does that even mean? People say it but it doesn’t fucking mean anything
Why write it as s.h.I.t.? It stand for something?
How about we cancel social media? Let gen z implode!
It’s not taken serious, this place is for laughs only. Anyone coming here for “news” is just playing themselves
I dont think Gen Z understands the limitations of cancel culture the way milenials do. Eminem isnt a food product or a clothes line. Teenagers on tik tok have absolutely no influence on the adults who spend money to listen to Enimem. They never will. And the companies who write Eminem’s checks know it. If anything Gen Z is giving Eminem free promotion. Now younger milenials want to hear what he said 20 years ago that was so damn offensive.
You americans….wtf is Gen Z, why people still talk about Em in 2021? You dont have any other problems ffs
Anybody born between 1997-2012 are you slow
He is still being talked about because he is still making hits and and destroying these Young bucks that rap like they’ve got a pile of shit in their mouth. Gen Z’s are Dumbed down, ignorant, propagandized little fucks.
He’s like 45 at this point? Think he cares? Lol!
Almost 50, actually
HOW ABOUT WE CANCEL GEN Z…?
By taking away social media. Simple as that. I’m also a Gen Zer and I don’t associate with my foolish colleagues above ?.
same man
Slim Shady: “Siamese twins/joined at the groin like lesbians” – CLASSIC SHIT gen Z with your gay pride need some xanax after hearing this shit
THIS DIDN’T HAPPEN.
Can you show me MORE THAN 2 people trying to “cancel” Eminem? Go ahead I’ll wait.
You do show me tons of push back in your article here but where’s the actual people trying to cancel him?
You can’t show me because this was like 2 people on tiktok who got amplified by all the others using those 2 to push back on.
This is b.s. clickbait by older tiktokers trying to get clicks, then put on twitter, now covered in music news blogs.
But it didn’t happen.
Why the hell are people tryna cancel Eminem just because of his lyrics from before I was even born. I am from Gen Z (late 2000s) and I was raised on Eminem´s music since I was born. His music is amazing way better than that mumble rap bullshit.
Dumbass kids if they were smart they would’ve used his throwback racist bars where he hates black women, or many other far more offensive lyrics he’s spit in the past, but if they dig too deep they’ll find themselves as fans when they realize how dope he really was
*inserts Wacka Flacka’s “Okayy…”-meme*
Born in late Gen z and listened to eminem for almost my whole life in my opinion my generation is full of hypersensitive pussys that thinks mumble rap is the best and can’t find good lyrics unlike most of the good rappers that actually don’t mumble make sense hit on beat and rhyme don’t get enough recognition or love by newer generations