Eminem: Incitement to Vote?!

10/30/2004:The new video for Eminem's song "Mosh" was released online and on MTV this week. The video was produced by the Guerrilla News Network. This is not the first collaboration between GNN and Eminem: GNN also produced a video for the song "White America", which exposes racism and the alienating effects of growing up in suburban America.

The lyrics of the song "Mosh" advocate for political pressure as a means to bring the American troops home (from Iraq): "Stomp, push up, mosh, fuck Bush, until they bring our troops home..." Some of Eminem's earlier music has shown a disgust with aspects of the system, and more specifically, with parts of mainstream culture that do not reflect his morals or his dreams for a better world for his daughter. The political activists amongst Eminem's fan base are likely to find the incitement to political action refreshing and inspiring...until they get to the end of the video.

At the beginning of the video, we see Eminem, whose hairdo and suit resemble the appearance of George W. Bush. He is reading a book that is entitled "My Pex" to a classroom full of students. Perhaps this is a reference to Eminem's past "belly-button gazing," in which he clearly has spent some time working out and bulking up; also, reaching a stable point in his career. "We gonna charge, we gonna stomp, we gonna march through the swamp / We gonna mosh through the marsh, take us right through the doors..." These lyrics are an interesting play on Eminem's given name, Marshall Mathers. However, the crowd does not mosh past or through Eminem- rather, Eminem is the leader, both physically and ideologically, throughout. This writer might be missing the mark here- perhaps, the comment, "It feels so good to be back," that President Eminem makes at the beginning of the song is a reflection of the fact that Bush's career as president was forever changed by the events of September 11th, in spite of his much-maligned (by Michael Moore) reading of a book about a goat while thousands of Americans were dying in New York and elsewhere as a result of the terrorist attacks. Professor/President Eminem goes on to lecture about the Bush presidency, government complicity with the events of 9/11, and attacks on Eminem the artist.

Eminem seems to make a point of using language that would attract people who are already part of the movements against corporate globalization and the war: the word "Blechtell" (a reference to Bechtel, a corporate exploiter of the war and water rights all over the world) on the chalkboard, and the use of the phrase "No more blood for oil" come to mind. Eminem says "We got our own battles to fight on our own soil." This would appear to be incitement to focus on local struggles-- but the soil that Eminem refers to is national territory - in particular, the White House. It is clear that he sees women, children, and men of color, as well as your everyday white solider as targets of the Bush administration, as the video shows a young mother finding an eviction notice, a young man being profiled by the police for "walking while black," and a young white soldier receiving a letter informing him that he will be deployed to Iraq. Eminem points out that the addition of these allies makes us "stronger, now more than ever."

Eminem uses the trope of black bloc garb to indicate anger and intent to take radical action; however, the video ends with the hooded-up crowd arriving at what appears to be the White House, with Eminem at the front, ready to sign in and vote. Ooh. Does this indicate political naivete (the black bloc is about actions far more militant than voting), a hint of more radical intent, or just cool imagery used by GNN and the artists who designed the video? The black bloc is a tactic that is largely used, at least in this country, by anarchists and anti-authoritarians. Anarchists don't vote. And, what the heck are those kids at the end of the video saying: is it "Gracias," or "would that be us?" In the recent Rolling Stone article, Eminem stated, "Every motherfuckin' vote counts." Not in the most fraud-filled election ever to hit this country!

This writer also finds the use of the terms "mosh" and "march" to be interesting. Moshing definitely has meaning for listeners in our age bracket (I am only 3 years younger than Marshall Mathers), but not necessarily to hip hop heads. Between Eminem's accent and the similarity of the pronunciation of the two words, listeners are likely confused about which word the writer means. One supposes that this is intentional...

Eminem has reportedly not endorsed any candidate in this race. Hopefully Eminem will read the criticism that has been written about the song and the video and be convinced that he should advocate further action than voting for "Mr. President, Mr. Sentator." Fans are reportedly planning to wear black hoodies to the polls on election day. Anarchist Chuck0 says, "Eminem is a fucking joke" Beyond the Mainstream Article: Eminem Joins the ABB (Anyone But Bush) Mosh Pit The Dead End of Electoralism

Author's note: I still like Eminem. His music is catchy and he exposes a lot of fucked-up attitudes in America.