Who is Eminem in the Trump era? That's a question fans, critics, and the artist himself have been asking since at least 2015. In a time when shock has no value, how can Eminem—an artist defined as a provocateur of conservatives with bad language and shock-value lyrics—have a meaningful place in American culture?

Those questions seemed to be answered last year, when Eminem emerged as a harsh anti-Trump hero, channeling his anger, his masterful lyricism at a disgraceful president. In a surprise BET cypher last October he said of Trump, "What we got in office now is a kamikaze that’ll probably cause a nuclear holocaust."

Unfortunately, the album he released a few months later completely ruined that political moment. Revival was a dad rap album at its finest, with embarrassing production, and forgettable burns.

On the first song of his surprise new album, Kamikaze, (possibly an interesting nod to that cypher) Eminem reflects on both his critics and his attack on Donald Trump. He even claims that Trump heard it and sent the Secret Service to check in on him. As he raps on "The Ringer":

But I think it's workin'

These verses are makin' him a wee bit nervous

And he's too scurred to answer me with words

'Cause he knows that he will lyrically get murdered

But I know at least he's heard it

'Cause Agent Orange just sent the Secret Service

To meet in person to see if I really think of hurtin' him

Or ask if I'm linked to terrorists

The remainder of the album is surprisingly light on the politics. Instead, Eminem focuses his anger at other rappers, and his place in hip-hop, which he seems deeply uncomfortable with.



Earlier on The Ringer he calls out Lil Yachty before taking on mumble rap in general:

Lil Pump, Lil Xan imitate Lil Wayne

I should aim at everybody in the game, pick a name

I'm fed up with being humble

And rumor is I'm hungry

I'm sure you heard rumblings

I heard you wanna rumble like an empty stomach

I heard your mumbling but it's jumbled in mumbo-jumbo

The era that I'm from will pummel you

That's what it's comin' to

What the fuck are you gonna do, where you runnin' to?

I'm gonna crumble you and I'll take a number two

And dump on you if you ain't Joyner

If you ain't Kendrick or Cole or Sean then you're a goner

Then later he seems to call out Chance the Rapper and Drake on "Fall":

Put me on a track, I go cray on it like a color book

You got some views, but you're still below me

Mine are higher so when you compare our views you get overlooked

And I don't say a hook unless I wrote the hook

The worst moment of the album, and in Eminem's recent career, comes later on "Fall" when he calls out Tyler, the Creator. He raps:

Tyler create nothin', I see why you called yourself a fa—, bitch

It's not just 'cause you lack attention

It's 'cause you worship D12's balls, you're sack-rilegious

If you're gonna critique me, you better at least be as good or better, get Earl the Hooded Sweater

Whatever his name is to help you put together

Some words, more than just two letters

The fans waited for this moment like that feature when I stole this show, sorry if I took forever

While it's bleeped out on the song, it certainly sounds like Eminem is using a homophobic slur to describe Tyler, a rapper who has occasionally referred to himself as gay. Eminem has long been homophobic in his music—he even made a grand apology for it with Elton John. But this attack on Tyler is inexcusable.

It truly seems like Eminem is insecure about his place in hip-hop right now. And after an early listen through this album, he absolutely should be.

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Matt Miller Culture Editor Matt is the Culture Editor at Esquire where he covers music, movies, books, and TV—with an emphasis on all things Star Wars, Marvel, and Game of Thrones.

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