7 November 2013
Even though the year was dominated by ‘Blurred Lines’, 2013 couldn’t pass without the O.G. crassness of Eminem. His singles this year include ‘Berzerk’ (with sexist slurs and a cheap diss of a female celebrity), ‘Survival’ (sexist slurs) and ‘Rap God’ (homophobic slurs and a cheap diss of a female celebrity), all top thirty hits in Ireland.
‘The Monster’ tries to repeat the trick of his previous Irish chart-topper, ‘Love The Way You Lie’, by being about how he’s not a nice guy and getting Rihanna to feature on a dramatic chorus. Perhaps because Eminem Inc. wanted or needed a global number one, it gives the blatant misogyny and homophobia a rest, instead blaming his behaviour on fame, addiction and mental health issues. You can be sure that last subject gets all the considered sensitivity we know so well from Eminem, especially in the video with Rihanna playing his therapist and his alter ego ending up locked in a cage.
Speaking of the video, it noticeably features two clips of him on stage welcoming Elton John. That’s because, despite all those homophobic slurs and skits in previous tracks and videos, including on ‘Rap God’ from the same album and charting in Ireland the same month as ‘The Monster’, Eminem Inc. would like you to know that Eminem is definitely not homophobic so please stop looking at those other lyrics and just brush it off as him being “controversial”. Who listens to Eminem? Eejits, that’s who.
