Kid Rock and Eminem’s Collaboration Update
Kid Rock has expressed that critics from both sides of the political spectrum are not pleased with his collaboration with Eminem.
The outspoken Trump supporter recently shared plans for a joint effort with his long-time friend and fellow Detroit musician, who has been openly critical of the president. However, following a wave of backlash concerning their partnership, Kid Rock revealed that Eminem would no longer be part of the track.
‘It will probably not make you very happy to hear …’
Unforeseen Change
But there’s a twist. Kid Rock (real name Robert Ritchie) and Eminem (Marshall Mathers) have known each other for decades, well before politics drove a wedge between their views on Trump.
Eminem unleashed a scathing freestyle aimed at Trump in 2017, marking the beginning of multiple confrontations in the years to follow.
Initially, Eminem was slated to feature on “7 Sins,” a track from Kid Rock’s forthcoming album, “Halfway 2 Jesus.” However, on Wednesday, Kid Rock announced a notable alteration.
“There have been some folks online, like there always are, who don’t seem happy about my old friend of almost 40 years, Eminem, collaborating with me on my new album,” Kid Rock stated in a video.
“You’re probably going to be glad to hear that he’s not on ‘7 Sins’ anymore.”
However, Rock soon followed up with some less favorable news for those focused on their political stances: Rapper Lil Wayne has been brought in to replace Eminem on “7 Sins,” while Eminem will still feature on a different track titled “Heal My Faith” from the same album.
“It will probably not make you very happy to hear that Eminem is still going to be on the album, just on another song now,” Kid Rock remarked, pointing to his updated track list.
In the past, Kid Rock had mentioned that despite their differing political views, he respects Eminem and artists like Taylor Swift who stand firm in their beliefs.
Bridging Divides
“We said years ago not to let politics get in the way between us. And we haven’t,” Kid Rock told Fox News in an interview.
“Maybe two little foul-mouthed white rappers from Detroit could set a good example for the rest of the country,” he added.
Ritchie characterized Eminem as a “class act” and suggested that political differences enrich the tapestry of the United States, though he believes artists shouldn’t make their concerts serve as political platforms.
Metallica frontman James Hetfield echoed a similar idea recently, asserting that his band aims to unite people through music, rather than charge them to hear political discussions at concerts.
A Long-Standing Relationship
Ritchie and Mathers reportedly first crossed paths in Detroit’s rap scene during the early ’90s. While their relationship faced some challenges initially, mutual respect developed over time.
Kid Rock’s breakthrough album, “Devil Without a Cause,” released in 1998, eventually sold over 14 million copies and featured a then-emerging Eminem on the track “F*** Off.” Since then, they haven’t collaborated on any shared releases.
Eminem, in his 2018 track “The Ringer,” confessed that he saw his fan base declining as a result of his critiques of Trump.
In his original freestyle from 2017, Eminem drew a definitive line, suggesting fans must choose between him and Trump. Yet in “The Ringer,” he reflected on those decisions with some doubt, pondering whether it was all worth it.
Although Eminem continues to take jabs at Trump, his political commentary has become less prevalent in his music.
Conversely, Kid Rock has increasingly leaned into both his Christian faith and conservative ideology, something apparent in songs like “We the People.”
