At the risk of augmenting album sales for a performer I don't personally support, I call your attention to Eminem's latest track attack on Mariah Carey and her husband Nick Cannon's confrontational response. This back and forth is a little more interesting than the standard diss and diss back, because Cannon calls out the racial dynamic of Eminem's sexually derogatory attacks on Mariah Carey in a track called 'Bagpipes From Baghdad' from Eminem's forthcoming album, 'Relapse.'
Here's just an excerpt of what Cannon had to say to Eminem, calling him "Slim Lamey," via a Friday blog post, which seems to have been taken down:
Maybe I'm going too far, but I thought we moved beyond the days where white men could spew vulgar obscenities at our beautiful queens and get away with it. What's next?
Source: Rap-Up.com
Cannon continues:
Are we going to let this trash say something horrible about our lovely first lady, Mrs. Michelle Obama? Or would Marshall have talked sideways out of his neck like this about Oprah Winfrey? This act of racist bigotry cannot go unnoticed. Calling my wife a "c-word" and a "whore" is way worse than anything Don Imus could have ever said. So trust, repercussions will be served.Cannon raises an interesting point. Given that Eminem has used racist, derogatory language to describe black people, and black women in particular, in previous lyrics, why do so many black people lap up what he lays down?
Reading the comment threads surrounding this drama, I am surprised by the number of women and black people defending Eminem when Asher Roth just got excoriated for joking about "nappy headed hoes."
And rightly so, I might add.
Please explain it to me. Why does the black community continue to support Eminem despite his racist lyrics?
Mariah Carey Pictures
NEW YORK - APRIL 26: Singer/actress Mariah Carey attends the premiere of 'Tennessee' during the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival on April 26, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images)
Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon, right, wait before the junior welterweight title boxing match between British boxer Ricky Hatton and Manny Pacquiao, of the Philippines, Saturday, May 2, 2009, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
AP
LAS VEGAS - MAY 02: Singer Mariah Carey and husband Nick Cannon look on during the Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines and Ricky Hatton of England junior welterweight title fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena May 2, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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LAS VEGAS - MAY 02: Singer Mariah Carey looks on during the Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines and Ricky Hatton of England junior welterweight title fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena May 2, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
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CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA - APRIL 02: Sol Kerzner poses for a portrait at his new One&Only Cape Town resort on April 2, 2009 in Cape Town, South Africa. Today is the Grand Opening of Sol Kerzner's first hotel in his home country since 1992. The 130 room property is One&Only's first Urban resort and sits in the fashionable Waterfront district. Celebrities from all over the world including Mariah Carey, Clint Eastwood, Matt Damon, Morgan Freeman, Thandie Newton, Marisa Tomei will attend the event. Gordon Ramsay will be launching his first restaurant in Africa at the resort, Maze and Robert De Niro will be opening Nobu. Nelson Mandela will be attending an intimate luncheon at Maze on Friday to celebrate his long-standing relationship with Mr. Kerzner. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
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SANTA MONICA, CA - FEBRUARY 21: Singer Mariah Carey arrives at the 24th Annual Film Independent's Spirit Awards held at Santa Monica Beach on February 21, 2009 in Santa Monica, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)
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SANTA MONICA, CA - FEBRUARY 21: Singer Mariah Carey arrives at the 24th Annual Film Independent's Spirit Awards held at Santa Monica Beach on February 21, 2009 in Santa Monica, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)
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WASHINGTON - JANUARY 20: Mariah Carey performs during the the Neighborhood Inaugural Ball on January 20, 2009 in Washington, DC. President Barack Obama is hosting ten Inaugural Balls this evening. Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States today, becoming the first African-American to be elected President. (Photo by Max Whittaker/Getty Images)
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WASHINGTON - JANUARY 20: Mariah Carey performs during the the Neighborhood Inaugural Ball on January 20, 2009 in Washington, DC. President Barack Obama is hosting ten Inaugural Balls this evening. Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States today, becoming the first African-American to be elected President. (Photo by Max Whittaker/Getty Images)
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WASHINGTON - JANUARY 20: Singer Mariah Carey performs at the Neighborhood Inaugural Ball at the Washington Convention Center on January 20, 2009 in Washington, DC. Obama became the first African-American to be elected to the office of President in the history of the United States. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
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Comments: (636)
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By: sagedame on 5/11/2009 12:54PM
Perhaps we think because Eminem imitates black rap he must really like us? Ya think? Perhaps those who support him are too stupid to listen to the lyrics. Or, may be their poor education does not allow them to analyze what's being said. I too would love to know the answer to your question. I am deeply saddened.
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By: Kevin on 5/11/2009 2:48PM
I agree with Debbie. Mariah Carey is white. I've never heard Nick Cannon respond any other time about the women Eminem has been talking about. This is silly. I listen to him and I'm a black man. I haven't heard anything from him worse than what I hear from a black rapper. J.Simpson isn't black nor are Palin, Ellen, Whinehouse, and the rest of women Eminem bashes. Some of us black people are more racist then we would like to believe. Because someone is white, they can't say the same things they hear every day one the radio or on tv just because of the color of their skin. Something is really wrong with that. Who's to say that's it's more OK for me to call someone a n*gg* or call a woman a B*tch or a Ho, because I'm black. Men and women, White and black, need to look at themselves first, before casting any stones.
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By: me on 5/11/2009 3:58PM
Ok, I hate to admit this...but. I think Em is talented and I'm a 40 year old white woman. I don't like alot of his stuff because it's just plain nasty, but Curtain Call, the clean version, was really masterfully done.
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By: me on 5/11/2009 3:57PM
I also hate to call myself a "white" woman. I am a woman. When we are at church and a black woman is singing, I refer to her as the woman with the purple hair tie, or the lady in the pink dress, to my children. This is what we all need to begin to do, even Jamie Foxx, Chris Rock etc. You are promoting segregation and separation when you define yourselves by the color of your skin.
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By: Sammo on 5/11/2009 4:22PM
it's racism! it's racism! waaaah!! waaaahhh! wahhhhh!!
when are you whiners going to learn that the days are over when you "win" any argument just by saying "it's racism" ad nauseum. More and more normal people are realizing that blacks are more racist and hate-filled than anybody else.
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By: Big D on 5/11/2009 4:57PM
why would he associate with so many black rappers if he was racist you dumb fuck? honestly are you(the writer) and nick cannon this fucking stupid? When he said the N word on a mix tape he made when he was like 16-17, he didn't have that much knowlege of what to say or not say. he already explained why he said that he hated black bitches, it was because he got dumped by one and made that generalization to all black women, which was wrong but understandable at his age. he already apoligized for that. but seriously if he was still a racist why would he be with g unit, dre, jesus, the list goes on with the amount of black rappers he collabed with. so please shut the fuck up before you open your mouth and spit nonsense.
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By: kb on 5/11/2009 5:14PM
Mariah Carey is not white - she is bi-racial, half black and half white. don't comment about things before you know the facts .
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By: bubbles on 5/11/2009 6:30PM
Ignorant fool. There IS no such thing as "black" rap - RAP was created and invented by a WHITE MAN called Lord Buckley - as far back as the 1940's.
Next you will be claiming that Thomas Edison "stole" the idea of inventing electricity from a black man?
Get an education - go learn your history.
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By: john on 5/11/2009 6:43PM
African-American and Venezuelan, and her mother, Patricia Hickey, was Irish American. The fact she is 1/4 African-American. Get your facts straight
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By: natosha on 5/11/2009 7:54PM
answer me this then, why is it ok for african american artists to call women bit**** and hoes, but its not ok for a white rapper to say them? whats the differnce? none they are all being rascist, sexist, and all the other dirty words in the book. I dont see the big deal here. I personally do like EM. but I never listened to his lyrics and said hey hes talkin about a white woman, or a black woman...just the persons name. he has never hidden who he is spoofin in his lyrics. I dont think the man has said a thing about anyone because of their skin color and that is why the african american community supports him..cannon is just bullin hairs out of butt lol
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