Eminem says homophobic slur against Tyler, The Creator went ‘too far’
Eminem. (Kevin Winter/Getty for iHeartMedia)
Eminem has admitted that a homophobic slur he used against Tyler, The Creator was a step “too far.”
The musician used the anti-LGBT+ lyrics in his song “Fall” on his latest album Kamikaze, rapping: “Tyler create nothing, I see why you called yourself a faggot, bitch/It’s not just ’cause you like attention.
“It’s ’cause you worship D12’s balls, you’re sac-rilegious/If you’re gonna critique me, you better at least be as good or better.”
Tyler, The Creator has been open about dating men and referenced his sexuality on 2017 album Flower Boy.
Tyler, The Creator. (Getty)
Now, in a new interview, Eminem has suggested he crossed a line with his homophobic lyrics.
“I was angry when I said the shit about Tyler,” he told fellow rapper Sway in a video uploaded to YouTube. “The word that I called him on…that song was one of the things where I felt like, ‘This might be too far.’ Because in my quest to hurt him, I realised that I was hurting a lot of other people by saying it.”
The track led to criticism of the rapper for resorting to homophobic slurs that have been increasingly eschewed by mainstream rappers over the past few years.
“Fall” also features Justin Vernon, the frontman of indie folk band Bon Iver, who has said he will “kill” the track.
Vernon responded to a fan who congratulated him for “Fall,” writing: “Was not in the studio for the Eminem track… came from a session with BJ Burton and Mike Will.
Watch Sway’s interview with Eminem below:
“Not a fan of the message, it’s tired. Asked them to change the track, wouldn’t do it.”
Eminem has used slurs before
The homophobic attack is far from the first time Eminem has come under fire for anti-gay lyrics.
Eminem has claimed previously that his use of anti-gay slurs such as “dyke” and “faggot” are not actually aimed at the LGBT+ community.
Eminem performs on stage during the MTV EMAs 2017. (Dave J Hogan/Getty for MTV)
In a song titled “Criminal” on his second studio album, The Marshall Mathers LP, Eminem rapped: “My words are like a dagger with a jagged edge/ That’ll stab you in the head, whether you’re a fag or lez/ Or the homosex, hermaph or a trans-a-vest/Pants or dress? Hate fags? The answer’s yes.”
The singer previously came under fire for homophobic lyrics in his 2013 single “Rap God.”
He told Rolling Stone that he hadn’t used the words “fag” or “faggot” in a homophobic way, saying he hadn’t “really equated” they would come across that way.
He said: “That word, those kind of words, when I came up battle-rappin’ or whatever, I never really equated those words .
“Yeah. It was more like calling someone a bitch or a punk or asshole. So that word was just thrown around so freely back then.”
Eminem performing live. (TORBEN CHRISTENSEN/AFP/Getty)
In 2015 he turned his fire to Caitlyn Jenner, rapping: “I invented prick, and that’s a true statement, I see the bitch in you, Caitlyn / I keep the pistol tucked like Bruce Jenner’s dick.”
In 2010, Eminem came out in support of same-sex marriage, surprising many.
He said: “I think if two people love each other, then what the hell? I think that everyone should have the chance to be equally miserable, if they want.
“It’s the new tolerant me! My overall look on things is a lot more mature than it used to be.”
