Eminem Faces Backlash Over 'Pathetic' Megan Thee Stallion Shooting Lyric On Comeback Single
Eminem has released his comeback single Houdini – and already sparked controversy over one particular lyric.
The chart-topping rapper has been teasing for the last few weeks that he’ll be killing off his Slim Shady alter-ego on his new album, the first single from which dropped on Friday morning.
But it didn’t take long for the Lose Yourself star to come under fire over a line of the new track that references fellow rapper Megan Thee Stallion.
In Houdini’s first verse, Eminem is heard rapping: “If I was to ask Megan Thee Stallion if she would collab with me would I really have a shot at a feat?”
This references an incident from 2020, in which the Hot Girl Summer rapper alleged she was shot in the foot by fellow musician Tory Lanez, for which he was eventually convicted and sentenced to 10 years in prison in the summer of 2023.
Following the release of Houdini, many fans expressed disappointment over the lyric that mentioned Megan:
This is such low hanging fruit. It's so unbelievably pathetic https://t.co/hqFrcVeOMb
— Natasha Mulenga🇿🇲🇬🇧 (@SampaTasha) May 31, 2024
Fuck this guy! Men love to bring up traumatic moments in women’s lives for attention. Leave Megan alone. https://t.co/IF1Jqykkrk
— 𝑀𝑒𝑔𝒶𝓃 (@meganNwalsh) May 31, 2024
megan gets so many unprovoked jokes about her shooting, it’s disgusting and weird https://t.co/g0chyVGdK8
— h (@fallnalien) May 31, 2024
A man, especially a white one, making light of a black woman’s trauma will never hit for me https://t.co/KNdsVaXgBlpic.twitter.com/GZaGr9cDei
— quin. (@quinsdiary) May 31, 2024
i raise the question again, what is so funny about a black woman getting shot in her foot. why is it the butt of the joke every fucking rap song? i don’t get it. https://t.co/4Qy0UsDZjWpic.twitter.com/rxetcw7otY
— ۟ (@THEBLKLARAJEAN) May 31, 2024
Why do rappers always have the audacity to use Megan’s situation as a “bar” when it got nothing to do with them…
— steven ☀️ (@arianaunext) May 31, 2024
Whatsup with GROWN ASS MEN coming for Megan unprovoked??? ESPECIALLY MALE RAPPERS pic.twitter.com/15u4XIUQb7
— gucci bucket hat. (@Unapologetic_Z) May 31, 2024
He can’t do nothing without mentioning a black womans name
— ✌︎ 𝙽𝚘𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚐𝚒𝚊 𝙹𝚞𝚗𝚔𝚒𝚎 ✌︎ (@elllleboogey1) May 31, 2024
what exactly did this girl do to deserve this type of harassment by male rappers constantly? I mean genuinely what did she do? https://t.co/JAVjY3QLj7
— kimberly. (@problemsthots) May 31, 2024
it's really wierd how these people just find it ok to mock or use specifically Megan's trauma for trash bars https://t.co/Wkd72nAx7c
— Shoto (@RobbyApologist) May 31, 2024
imagine bringing up someone’s trauma AND it’s not even a bar 🫠
— Sara Phillips (@Sara_JPhillips) May 31, 2024
Reeks of desperation, go back to retirement https://t.co/jP8aDD3JAz
— ada enechi (@adaenechi) May 31, 2024
This is trash on so many levels https://t.co/lYCrqnpDLs
— Olayemi Olurin (@msolurin) May 31, 2024
this is soooooo sad pic.twitter.com/bGuGLmkG5f
— TheeSunniHoney🍯 (@Sparklingcltt) May 31, 2024
Many fans also pointed out that Eminem’s lyric comes after Megan opened her US number one Hiss with the lyric: “I feel like Mariah Carey, got these n****s so obsessed.”
Obsessed was a Mariah hit from 2009, perceived by many to be a diss track about Eminem, who previously alleged he once had a sexual relationship with the We Belong Together singer, which she has long denied.
Fellow rappers Drake and Nicki Minaj have also faced backlash in recent history over lyrics relating to Megan being shot in their music.
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