Secret Service Probes Eminem 'Bush Threat'

scotsman.com ^ | 12/06/03 | metalboy

[metalboy]

Secret Service Probes Eminem 'Bush Threat'

By Mark Sage, PA News, in New York

The United States presidential bodyguard said today it was examining lyrics by rap star Eminem to see whether he had threatened George Bush.

The Secret Service confirmed it was probing lyrics by the controversial artist, who says in a song: “I’d rather see the president dead.”

The words to the song, We As Americans, are available on the internet and have not been released by the award-winning rap artist.

Eminem says in the song: “F*** money, I don’t rap for dead presidents. I’d rather see the president dead.”

The Secret Service, charged with protecting the president, said it was looking into the song’s lyrics.

A spokesman said: “We are aware of the lyric and are in the process of determining what action, if any, will be taken.”

A spokesman for Oscar and Grammy award winner Eminem told CNN the song was not ready for release.

“This was an unfinished song, either lost or stolen,” he said.

“There was no determination where, when, how or if it was going to be used.”

Eminem, from Detroit, came under fire recently after a tape was uncovered in which he condemned black women.

The star said the words were “foolishness”, and the result of a split with a black girlfriend.

Meanwhile, his track, Lose Yourself, has been nominated for song and record of the year at the 46th annual Grammy Awards, which will be presented in Los Angeles in February.

[metalboy]

"Aww, now you shouldn`t have gone and said that. It`s a felony to threaten the President. You could go to jail, even if you don`t mean it" - Clint Eastwood from the movie 'In the line of Fire'

[thefactor]

i dont think what he said crosses into the felony arena. what he said was first amendment protected. he wasn't trying to incite anyone to actually kill the President. believe me, there were plenty of record label lawyers going over that line way before the secret service got a hold of it. eminem is a commodity like any other. this is good for record sales but not good if he goes to jail.

[mysterio]

I love that movie.

[RandallFlagg]

GREAT! More publicity for another moron.

[Hildy]

I don’t rap for dead presidents. I’d rather see the president dead.”

I don't even know what that means.

[Joe 6-pack]

Given your argument,

"I’d rather see white-boy rap-stars dead."

How long 'til eminem's lawyer's drop me a line?

[HiTech RedNeck]

If these were, as Eminem claimed, private scribblings that got unintentionally leaked, then why isn't Eminem's label threatening to sue everyone who printed it?

[thefactor]

well, yeah. all you are doing is stating an opinion. as silly as some opinions may be, people have the right to express them. the only way these silly things are legitimized is if rational people, i.e. us, take time and talk about them. ignore it and they will go away.

[Azzurri]

Eminem says in the song: “F*** money, I don’t rap for dead presidents. I’d rather see the president dead.”

I'd have to see the lyrics in context. That phrase doesn't even make much sense as written (of course, it is rap after all). For all we know, he could've been rapping about a record company president. I'd give Eminem the benefit of the doubt right now because if ANY rapper leans on the right politically, it would be him.

[Joe 6-pack]

"well, yeah. all you are doing is stating an opinion. as silly as some opinions may be, people have the right to express them"

To paraphrase George Orwell, "All opinions are equal. Some are more equal than others."

If you need me to explain further, just let me know...

[RandallFlagg]

Dear Hollywood,

Bush is defending you from terrorism, too.

--R.F.

[thefactor]

of course, when he says he doesn't rap for dead presidents he means he doesn't rap for money (pictures of dead presidents on the bills). that's just slang. rappers say things merely for shock value now. eminem couldn't give a rat's-butt who is in the white house. they all just say whatever will make 15 year old boys buy their cd's. now, i think that he is extremely talented, but it's just music to dance to and be entertained by. not something to model your life after. he raps a lot about how silly it is when people take his lyrics seriously.

[HiTech RedNeck]

A 'dead President' is a piece of American paper money. So called because it bears a picture (Washington, Lincoln, Jackson, etc.) of a past American president. Eminem had better hope he can prove this would not have gotten out except for an unintentional leak because otherwise he's jail fodder, dude.

[traumer]

? link to the lyrics ?

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

If I remember correctly from hearing about this earlier today on local radio, the surrounding lyrics talk about the war.

It's pretty clear he's talking about President Bush. I can just see some screwed up fan of his imagining he can ingratiate himself to this [insert expletive here] by making Marshall's dream come true.

[thefactor]

you're doing orwell a disservice by injecting him into a conversation about eminem. it shows you are taking his lyrics a bit too close to heart and forgetting that they are simply words in a song and were put there because they rhyme. there is no message in them except how silly it would be to take them seriously.

[Jackson Brown]

"I don't rap for dead presidents" means -- I do not perform for money (dead presidents = money)

THEN

it's "I'd rather see the president dead". That's the line that is in question. The rest of the lyrics are his reasons for justifying why he'd "rather see the President dead"

[HiTech RedNeck]

I would assume, too, he ain't referring to Saddam.

[Hildy]

Maybe he's talking about Clinton?

[Hildy]

By the way, JB...I used to be in love with you...