Kid Rock had critics thinking they won. In a video announcement, he said Eminem was being removed from the track“7 Sins”on his upcoming album“Halfway 2 Jesus,”apparently giving in to the backlash over their politically opposite pairing. Then came the twist: Eminem is still on the album, just moved to a different song called“Heal My Faith.”Lil Wayne takes his place on“7 Sins.”
The move was pure bait-and-switch, but the friendship underneath it is real. Kid Rock and Eminem have known each other for nearly 40 years, going back to Detroit’s 1990s rap scene, and their last collaboration was 1998’s“F*** Off.”Eminem has repeatedly criticized Trump while Kid Rock has been one of his loudest supporters, yet both have said politics was never going to end the friendship.
The stunt also lands in the middle of a bigger conversation about politics in entertainment, the same debate Metallica’s James Hetfield recently waded into. Whether it’s albums, concerts, or award shows, fans are split on how much politics belongs in the music. Kid Rock and Eminem seem to have answered that one their own way: they disagree completely, and they’re still making songs together.
Would you collaborate with a friend whose politics are the total opposite of yours? Sound off in the comments.
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.