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Eminem under fire for rap comparing himself to the Manchester bomber

(NO TABLOIDS)    Eminem performs at the 2002 MTV Movie Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. during 2002 MTV Movie Awards - Show at the The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California.  (Photo by Michael Caulfield/WireImage)
(NO TABLOIDS) Eminem performs at the 2002 MTV Movie Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. during 2002 MTV Movie Awards - Show at the The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Caulfield/WireImage)

Eminem has been roundly criticised for his latest album which features a rap comparing himself to the Manchester terror attack which saw 22 people killed in 2017.

One such person who has called out the Slim Shady star is Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, who called the lyrics in question "unnecessarily hurtful and deeply disrespectful".

In a song on new album, Music To Be Murdered By, the 47-year-old raps: "I'm contemplating yelling 'bombs away' on the game/Like I'm outside of an Ariana Grande concert waiting."

Read more: Eminem surprises fans with a new album

The line is followed by the sound of an explosion.

Twenty-two people died at an Ariana Grande gig at Manchester Arena in May 2017 when a suicide bomber attacked the crowd.

In a statement to BBC News, Mr Burnham said: "This is unnecessarily hurtful and deeply disrespectful to the families and all those affected."

LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 17: Ariana Grande performs on stage during her "Sweetener World Tour" at The O2 Arena on August 17, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for AG)
Ariana Grande performs on stage during her "Sweetener World Tour" at The O2 Arena on August 17, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for AG)

Figen Murray, whose son Martyn Hett died in the attack, was also critical of the lyrics.

She wrote on Twitter: "Feels like he is piggybacking on the fame of Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber and says distasteful things about other celebrities,"

"Not clever. Totally pointless. And before all Eminem fans pounce on me, I am not interested and will not engage."

Read more: Eminem was visited by Secret Service agents over lyrics about Donald Trump and daughter Ivanka

Hett's former partner Russell Hayward also voiced his disapproval on social media, writing: "It's disappointing but not surprising that #Eminem would use controversial lyrics about the Manchester bomb, dragging the victims' families & Ariana back into a very dark time.

"Not sure how popular he is these days but I hope any success he gets from the back of this is worth it."

Eminem is no stranger to controversy, having rapped in the past about topics such as the Columbine Massacre, homophobia, misogyny and murder.

The song in question, Unaccommodating, is the opening track on the star’s eleventh album, which was unexpectedly released yesterday, 18 January.