Music defines culture and provides communities and people with a sense of direction, value and individual stories that shape our history. Everyone has their own musical taste, but one type of music has made me unsettled and disturbed these past few weeks.
Rap has been taking center stage in the musical world for some very disturbing reasons. I would like to discuss the recently released video by the rap star Eminem. The long-time rapper has taken a new turn on his future in his business by attacking our president with such hatred and fury that it should be labelled as a “hate video.”
Eminem, or Marshall Bruce Mathers III, recently released “ The Storm” to attack and criticize the president and his administration. These types of social wars are not new to American politics, but I find Mathers and his use of talent revolting and not for our next generation’s ears.
Before we break down “The Storm,” let’s dive into Eminem’s past music as a model for his disrespectful and derogatory song. According to The Daily Caller news foundation, Eminem has a dark past of rapping about women in unclean and abusive themes. The news organization has found nineteen instances in which Mathers raps about beating and raping women.
In my opinion, anyone who creates music to degrade women and praise rape should be seen as a monster of society. In one song, he raps about choking and stabbing women until he receives his desired sexual pleasure. I cannot quote these lines from his raps because they are just so unbelievably repulsive, but please take time to understand the content of his “music.”
Concerning his October 6 rap, “The Storm,” Eminem focuses on a variety of President Trump’s accomplishments and offers his audience false commentary. In his rap he states, “When he attacks the NFL so we focus on that and instead of talking Puerto Rico or gun reform for Nevada all these horrible tragedies and he’s bored or would rather cause a Twitter storm with the Packers…” Certainly, he is just using what he saw on the news and social media outlets to back up his rhetoric.
The NFL and our National Anthem has been a critical issue for the past few weeks and has surely caused controversy. Whether you agree or disagree with the president on this issue, standing and placing your hand over your heart for a bit over four minutes as a sign of respect and admiration for the heroes of yesterday is the correct American behavior.
According to the New York Times, President Trump has approved a $36.5 billion dollar bill for recovery of the island and restructuring efforts and stated, “I will always be with them.” Interestingly enough, the President himself was there handing out water and supplies to citizens and devoted much military presence there despite the media’s mostly negative coverage of the administration’s success.
As for Mathers’s comments on gun control and the recent tragedy in Nevada, President Trump and the first lady visited the wounded while at the Las Vegas Hospital and Trauma Center. They spent time with the families of the innocent lives taken and held a beautiful ceremony for them.
I’m confused as to how President Trump’s actions are detrimental to our society, but Eminem describes them as such. In reality, the so-called “racist 94-year-old grandpa,” as the rapper calls him, has proven himself to answer the call of leadership in each of the recent disasters in our country regardless of race, color and/or creed.
Eminem’s outrageous use of profanity is a hideous mark on our society and people need to stand up to him and shield their children from his hate and slander. The last few lines of his rap tell listeners that are fond of the president to “get lost.” I hope people soon realize that the mission Mathers promotes is not one of healing and communal attitude, rather he seeks to curse up a storm and wage a frightening war with Americans who seek a new nation.
Zac Mrochko is a Senior Secondary Education and History Major with a Minor in Special Education. He is the Vice President of the College Republicans and a staff writer for The Voice