Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Eminem criticised for disturbing rape lyrics on Dr Dre's new album Compton

The rapper has been blasted by fans and campaigners

Heather Saul
Sunday 09 August 2015 13:52 EDT
Comments
Eminem
Eminem (Getty)

Your support helps us to tell the story

This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.

The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.

Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.

Eminem has been criticised by his fans and anti-sexual violence campaigners for disturbing lyrics alluding to rape on a track on Dr Dre’s new album Compton.

The graphic rape lyric appears in his verse for Medicine Man, which includes the line: “Ain’t no one safe from, non-believers there ain’t none/I even make the bitches I rape come.” This line was condemned by a number of appalled Twitter users, who blasted the rapper for releasing more “disgusting” lyrics condoning sexual violence.

Karen Ingala Smith, chief executive of the London-based charity Nia Project, said his lyrics were particularly problematic because they could encourage victims of a sexual assault to believe that they may have been in some way at fault.

Ms Smith told The Guardian: “Women and girls who have suffered sexual violence often blame themselves or question whether they were really raped. Peddling the lie that orgasm equals consent silences victims of sexual violence.

“When we minimise, celebrate, glorify or condone men’s violence against women, we are amplifying the conditions in which it can occur. Lyrics like these contribute to a conducive context for sexual violence.”

Eminem has a controversial history of referencing rape, sexual violence or abuse in his tracks, often referencing famous women in some of these lyrics.

The 42-year-old was branded “disgusting” by singer Charlie XCX for a lyric threatening Iggy Azalea on his song Vegas: “So what’s it gon’ be? Put that shit away, Iggy. You don’t wanna blow that rape whistle on me. Scream! I love it.”

In another rap for CXVPHER freestyle he talked about punching the singer Lana Del Rey twice in the face in a lift, referencing an incident involving the disgraced former NFL player Ray Rice who knocked his wife unconscious in a casino hotel.

Lana Del Rey
Lana Del Rey (Reuters)

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in