Eminem has addressed the controversy surrounding his new album, Music To Be Murdered By, writing a letter to the ‘gentle listeners’ who became ‘victims of the album’.
The rapper’s letter comes after he received heavy backlash for his song Unaccommodating, which appears to make light of the 2017 Manchester terror attack, in which 22 people were murdered – and many more injured – during an Ariana Grande concert.
Lyrics within the song included: ‘But I’m contemplating yelling ‘bombs away’ on the game / like I’m outside of an Ariana Grande concert waiting.’ They caused outrage among many who questioned how he could be so insensitive when many innocent people lost their lives.
Eminem dropped the surprise album, titled Music To Be Murdered By, in the early hours of January 17, treating fans to a whole host of songs featuring the likes of late rapper Juice WRLD, Ed Sheeran, Anderson .Paak, Royce da 5’9″, Skylar Grey and Young M.A.
It wasn’t the big names that caught people’s attentions though, but the numerous ‘disgusting’ references to terrorism, murder, and suicide throughout – because the Manchester terror attack wasn’t the only one mentioned in the album.
In his song Darkness, the 47-year-old raps from the point of view of a mass shooter targeting people at a concert, akin to the 2017 shooting at the Route 91 Harvest music festival in Las Vegas, in which 58 people died and more than 400 were injured.
Responding to the criticism, Em – real name Marshall Mathers – said his album wasn’t made with ‘the squeamish’ in mind, adding that murder ‘isn’t always literal nor pleasant’.
He wrote:
Gentle Listener, in today’s wonderful world murder has become so commonplace that we are a society obsessed and fascinated by it. I thought why not make a sport of it and murder over beats? So before you jump the gun, please allow me to explain.
This album was not made for the squeamish. If you are easily offended or unnerved at the screams of bloody murder, this may not be the collection for you. Certain selections have been designed to shock the conscience, which may cause positive action. Unfortunately, darkness has truly fallen upon us.
So you see, murder in this instance isn’t always literal, nor pleasant. These bars are only meant for the sharpest knives in the drawer. For the victims of the album, may you rest peacefully. For the rest of you, please listen more closely next time. Goodnight! With deepest sympathy, Eminem.
Since posting the letter on Instagram earlier today, January 23, it has already received nearly 600,000 likes at time of writing, with many of his fans applauding him for refusing to give in to the criticism.
And with current projections putting the album on track to become Eminem’s 10th No. 1 entry on the Billboard 200 albums chart, it seems the rapper’s fans knew what he was getting at all along.
Music To Be Murdered By is available to stream now.
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A Broadcast Journalism Masters graduate who went on to achieve an NCTJ level 3 Diploma in Journalism, Lucy has done stints at ITV, BBC Inside Out and Key 103. While working as a journalist for UNILAD, Lucy has reported on breaking news stories while also writing features about mental health, cervical screening awareness, and Little Mix (who she is unapologetically obsessed with).