Detroit native and world-famous rapper Eminem stood up for Kamala Harris during a Michigan rally on Tuesday, offering a positive endorsement that avoided attacks on former President Trump.
Eminem spoke only a few words before introducing former President Barack Obama, saying Harris will protect freedom of speech.
“As most of you know, the city of Detroit and the home state of Michigan mean a lot to me,” he said. “And going into this election, the spotlight is on us more than ever, and I think it’s important to use your voice. So I’m encouraging everybody to get out and vote please.”
Former U.S. President Barack Obama (L) greets American rapper Eminem (R) during a rally in support of Vice President Kamala Harris’s 2024 presidential campaign in Detroit, Michigan, United States on October 22, 2024. (Katie McTiernan/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Eminem then said people should not be afraid to express their opinions, adding he does not want an America where people experience retribution for doing so.
“I also think people shouldn’t be afraid to express their opinions, and I don’t think anyone wants an America where people are worried about retribution, of what people will do if you make your opinion known,” he said. “I think Vice President Harris supports a future for this country where these freedoms and many others will be protected and upheld.”
Kamala Harris’ running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, said in 2022 that there is “no guarantee to free speech on misinformation or hate speech,” though it remains unclear if Walz was speaking about censorship on social media or actual government regulations on individuals spreading misinformation.
Former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton also said in a television interview recently that Americans should be “criminally charged” for spreading Russian propaganda.
“I also think there are Americans who are engaged in this kind of propaganda, and whether they should be civilly or even in some cases, criminally charged, is something that would be a better deterrence,” she told MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow in an interview.
“I think we need to uncover all of the connections and make it very clear that you could vote however you want, but we are not going to let adversaries, whether it is Russia, China, Iran, or anybody else, basically try to influence Americans as to how we should vote in picking our leaders,” she added.
While Eminem avoided any attacks on former President Donald Trump during his endorsements, he has been a vocal opponent of the former president in his past statements. In 2017, shortly after Trump was inaugurated president, Eminem famously called the former president a “bitch” and rapped about raping pro-Trump commentator Ann Coulter in a song featured on fellow Detroit rapper Big Sean’s studio album “I Decided.”
“I’m anti, can’t no government handle a commando. Your man don’t want it, Trump’s A BITCH. I’ll make his whole brand go under,” Eminem said of Trump on the song “No Favors.”
“And fuck Ann Coulter with a Klan poster. With a lamp post, door handle, shutter. A damn bolt cutter, a sandal, a can opener, a candle, rubber. Piano, a flannel, sucker, some hand soap, butter. A banjo and manhole cover,” he also rapped.
Eminem was later interviewed by the Secret Service over “threatening” lyrics against then-President Trump. Prior to that, Eminem rapped about having explicit sex with former Republican Vice President Sarah Palin in 2009: “And I’ll invite Sarah Palin out to dinner then. Nail her, baby, say hello to my little friend!”
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