During a freestyle at the BET Awards in October 2017, Eminem delivered the following line: “And any fan of mine who’s a supporter of his / I’m drawing in the sand a line, you’re either for or against.” The lyrics targeted U.S. President Donald Trump, a stance Eminem maintained through his endorsement of Kamala Harris in 2024 and several other public statements. Now, that history is putting Slim Shady under scrutiny over his collaboration with Kid Rock on the album Halfway 2 Jesus, titled “Heal My Faith.”
Fans have voiced widespread disappointment in Eminem for working with Kid Rock, a vocal MAGA supporter, despite the two Detroit artists’ long history. Eminem reflects on their relationship in “Heal My Faith,” ultimately describing Rock as his “brother” rather than a “political enemy.” Some fans hoped the rapper would offer a more direct explanation of the collaboration, but his latest comments have done little to address their concerns.
Over the weekend, Marshall Mathers took to social media, including Instagram, to promote “Heal My Faith.” However, the caption accompanying his posts has sparked even more backlash from fans.
“Not about choosing sides, just choosing to make music with my old friend. Praying for all of us. #HealMyFaith @kidrock,” he wrote.
Kid Rock’s response to the backlash surrounding his collaboration with Eminem also highlights the long-standing friendship between the two artists. Speaking to the Detroit Free Press, he said, “If there are two people who understand the noise, who have created a lot of noise in their careers, it’s us,” he told the outlet. “We understand (that) empty wagons make the most noise, right? Who are these (complainers)? […] You’re upset that two old friends did something together? I mean, you’re essentially confirming the problem to us. And he understands that. We both understand that.”
Rock previously shared his thoughts on the collaboration, saying, “His verse speaks to something we’ve talked about and that really needs to be heard. We differ politically and on other things. But we’ve stayed friends through it all. We hope that sets an example for people who’ve lost friends or stopped talking to family because they think differently.”
Given Eminem’s latest comments, his current stance appears to differ significantly from the position he took in 2017 and continued to maintain in subsequent years. That earlier stance was particularly clear in his criticism of Donald Trump and those who supported him.
