Why is Gen Z cancelling Eminem? The TikTok beef explained

12 March 2021, 12:24 | Updated: 16 March 2021, 11:49

Eminem Caught Kissing Mystery Woman In Hotel Room

Eminem is facing backlash from Gen Z on TikTok after they resurfaced some of his old lyrics.

Eminem has been facing backlash for some of his lyrical content, and Gen Z TikTok users are trying to cancel him.

The Detroit rapper has never been one to shy away from the odd eyebrow-raising lyric. However, some of his fans have stepped up to defend him amid accusations of Gen Z trying to denounce him.

Eminem 'Tone Deaf' lyrics meaning explained

In February, a video began making the rounds on TikTok criticising the lyrics to Eminem's 'Love The Way You Lie', his 2010 Rihanna-assisted smash hit, during which the Detroit native spits:

"If she ever tries to f**king leave again
I’mma tie her to the bed and set this house on fire"

Eminem - Love The Way You Lie ft. Rihanna

Now, to those who have listened to much of Eminem's back catalogue, these particular lyrics won't come as a surprise to you. However, for some younger listeners, they were enough to warrant a possible cancellation.

Many of the rapper's fans jumped to his defence and brushed off any attempts to tarnish Slim Shady. "Gen Z really trying to cancel Eminem? Stop. You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into," wrote one.

"Whatever you do gen z, DON’T listen to MMLP by Eminem. TRUST ME," tweeted another, in reference to his 2000 album The Marshall Mathers LP.

Eminem clapped back at the criticism with a diss track, 'Tone Deaf'. In the tongue-in-cheek song, he blames his lyrical content on his alter ego, Slim Shady. He uses this persona to narrate his deepest, darkest thoughts.

He also explains that he chooses to ignore his critics and will continue to do so for the rest of his life. The rapper has faced backlash in the past, but most recently from Gen Z.

Eminem - Tone Deaf (Lyric Video)

Check out the full lyrics to 'Tone Deaf' by Eminem below.

[Intro]
Yeah, I'm sorry (Huh?)
What did you say?
Oh, I can't hear you
I have an ear inf**ktion and I c**t finger it out (Out), yeah (I need Auto-Tune)
Yeah

[Verse 1]
It's my alter ego's fault
These evil thoughts could be so dark
Cerebral palsy, three Zolofts
I eat, doze off to "Rico Suave" (Look it up)
Cadillac with a ladder rack in the back, with a cracked axel, a backpack full of Paxil
A black satchel, a knapsack and a flask full of 'gnac and Jack Daniels
Girl, let's go back-back to my castle (Yeah)
I don't wanna hassle you, Alexandra
But my dick's an acronym 'cause it stands for you (Stands for you, oh)
Wait, Alexandra who? (Damn)
All I know is Friday, I met you (What?)
Saturday, I'll probably forget you
Guess that's what the Molly and ex do (What the f**k?)
'Cause who the f**k am I laying next to? (Huh)
But evеr since D-Nice To Tha Rescuе, Fila Fresh Crew (Uh)
I been a lab rat (Yeah) from a test tube (Uh)
I'm goin' in-nn like the red roof (Red Roof Inn)
You don't like it, eat a c**k 'til your jaw breaks (Yeah)
Call it caught between a rock and a hard place
Like a sasquatch in a crawlspace
'Cause you're watchin' your heart race like you're Scarface
In a car chase with the cops or an arcade
Stuck inside of a Mario Kart race duckin' saw blades
At a stop and a start pace
What I'm tryin' to say is I'm drivin' 'em all crazy

[Chorus]
I can't understand a word you say (I'm tone-deaf)
I think this way I prefer to stay (I'm tone-deaf)
I won't stop even when my hair turns grey (I'm tone-deaf)
'Cause they won't stop until they cancel me (Yeah, yeah)

[Verse 2]
I see the rap game, then attack the verses (Uh)
Turn into a graveyard packed with hearses (Yeah)
Just like your funeral, I'm at your service (What?)
Pockets 'on stuff' like a taxidermist (Woo)
Just landed in Los Angeles when this chick Angela and her grandmother in a tan
Colored van pull up with a handful of Xans
And a substantial amount of gan' just to ask what my
(Plans) plans for the night are (Yeah)
I said, "Sneak into the Sleep Inn for the weekend and pretend it's a five-star," yeah
Or leap into the deep end of the pool
I can show you where the dives are (Get it?), ha
We don't even gotta drive far
I know this spot that is so live
But I'm tryna get some head first (What?), like a nosedive (Haha)
So many side chicks, can't decide which to slide with and which should I ditch
So when it comes to ass, b**ch, I get behind like the Heimlich (Get behind, yeah)
Had one chick who liked to flip sometimes on some switchin' sides s**t
Pushed her out the Sidekick, then I flipped the lil' white b**ch off like a light switch (B**ch)
It's okay not to like my s**t
Everything's fine, drink your wine, b**ch
And get offline, quit whinin', this is just a rhyme, b**ch (Rhyme, b**ch)
But ask me, will I stick to my guns (Guns) like adhesive tape? (Adhesive tape)
Does Bill Cosby sedate once he treats to cheesecake and a decent steak? (Huh?)
You think gettin' rid of me's a piece of cake?
I'm harder than findin' Harvey Weinstein a date (Damn)
And that's why they say I got more lines than Black Friday
So save that sssshit for the damn library (Shh)
You heard of Kris Kristofferson? (Yeah)
Well, I am Piss Pissedofferson (Oh)
Paul's askin' for Christmas off again
I said, "No," then I spit this song for him
It goes

[Chorus]
I can't understand a word you say (I'm tone-deaf)
I think this way I prefer to stay (I'm tone-deaf)
I won't stop even when my hair turns grey (I'm tone-deaf)
'Cause they won't stop until they cancel me (Yeah, yeah, yeah)

[Verse 3]
B**ch, I can make "orange" rhyme with "banana" (Yeah)
Bornana
Eating pork rinds, sword fightin' in pajamas
At the crib, playin' Fortnite with your grandma
But I'm more like a four-five with the grammar
'Bout to show you why your five favorite rappers can't touch this
But before I get the hammer
I should warn you, I'm Thor-like in this manner (Thor)
But the day I lose sleep over you critiquin' me or
I ever let you c**ksuckers eat at me
I'd need to be a motherf**kin' pizzeria
But you ain't gettin' no cheese from me
I went from Little Caesars, BLTses, grilled cheeses
Bein' dirt poor to filthy rich, I'm still me, b**ch
Like a realtor, that's real tea (Realty), b**ch (Real talk)
Aftermath, b**ch, whole camp's lit
We put out fire, Dre stamps it
With my cohorts, hit a bogart
Yeah, got your whole squad yellin', "Oh, God"
Here comes Barshall with no holds barred
B**ch, I'm a hurricane, you're a blowhard
Like your old broad, she full of semen (Sea men), like the coast guard
And life's been pretty good to me so far (Yeah), for the most part
Had a couple of run-ins with po-po, caught
A couple assault charges, got a few priors (Priers) like crowbars (Priors)
Which is so odd 'cause I'm forty-eight now
That 5-0's startin' to creep up on me like a patrol car (Woo)
I'll be an old fart, but you don't want no part, so, b**ch, don't start (Don't start)
Simmer down, compose yourself, Mozart
I ain't went nowhere, call me coleslaw
'Cause I'm out for the cabbage and I'm so raw
And if time is money, you have no clocks
And any folk caught within close proximity's gettin' cold-c**ked
My enemies, I'm a chimney, give me the smoke, opps
And R.I.P. to King Von, and it don't stop, and I know not
What the f**k you say? I told y'all, it ain't me, it's my alter ego's fault
But if y'all wanna cancel me, no prob
I'll tell you the same thing I told Paul (Woo)

[Chorus]
I can't understand a word you say (I'm tone-deaf)
I think this way I prefer to stay (I'm tone-deaf)
I won't stop even when my hair turns grey (I'm tone-deaf)
'Cause they won't stop until they cancel me (I'm tone-deaf)

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