Out of nowhere, hip-hop star Eminem dropped a surprise album on everyone on January 17. Music to be Murdered by is the rapper’s 11th studio album and features 20 tracks, including intros, interludes, and an outro.
One of the songs getting the most attention after the album drop has the rapper turning his attention to gun laws.
Eminem’s Darkness focuses on mass shootings, gun laws
Darkness is the first official single from Eminem’s new album and has the rapper calling for an end to gun violence. The lyrics recreate the mass shooting in Las Vegas from October 2017.
The mass shooting was the deadliest in U.S history, claiming 58 people’s lives during the Route 91 Harvest Music festival, which took place on the Vegas strip.
Over 800 people suffered injuries during the shooting. Stephen Paddock committed the horrific crime from his hotel room window.
#Darkness song Lyrics
Album #MusicToBeMurderedBy
Sung by @Eminem
Produced by @Royceda59, @Eminem & #LuisRestohttps://t.co/IXeJJlSw8t pic.twitter.com/lxjw1ISBao— OriginalLyric (@lyric_original) January 17, 2020
In the Darkness song lyrics, Eminem takes on the role of the shooter as he goes through the lead up to and then the actual event.
“As I slide the clip in from inside the hotel/Leanin’ out the window, going Keyser Söze/Finger on the trigger, but I’m a licensed owner/With no prior convictions, so loss, the sky’s the limit/So my supplies infinite, strapped like I’m a soldier,” Eminem raps before going into the shooting and aftermath.
To close out his final verse, the hip hop star raps, “No suicide note, just a note for target distance/But if you’d like to know the reason why I did this/You’ll never find a motive, truth is I have no idea/I am just as stumped, no signs of mental illness/Just tryin’ to show ya the reason why we’re so f—-d.”
The song ends with a variety of news clip soundbites. The first group of clips includes the report that the shooter shot himself following the concert mass shooting, and then the song closes with others about mass shootings at schools or public events.
Darkness video recreates shooting
In addition to the song, Eminem released the Darkness music video (below).
Warning: Video features some scenes of violence.
The video presents images of the shooter taking pills before shooting out the window towards the country music concert attendees. Police begin to close in on the hotel room, and the shooter ends his own life as news clips play describing that mass shooting and others.
At the end of the music video, there’s a message calling for people in America to register to vote to change gun laws.
Eminem’s official website also includes several web links to different organizations that are against gun violence. Those include Everytown for Gun Safety, Survivors Empowered, and March For Our Lives.
Twitter reacts to Darkness lyrics and video
When a new album drops out of nowhere, it typically brings plenty of reactions on Twitter. That’s no different for Eminem’s Music to be Murdered By which is getting a mixed reaction.
The song Darkness is also starting conversations over the controversial nature of the song and video.
Eminem calls for change in gun laws in America in the heartfelt video for #Darkness pic.twitter.com/5elnESYJx9
— HipHop-N-More (@HipHopNMore) January 17, 2020
There are those who feel Eminem hasn’t dropped a good album in years and that this one doesn’t do him any justice. Others are still in support of him as an artist as well as the conversation he’s bringing with his Darkness song and video.
We needed a new @Eminem
The #darkness has enveloped me, thanks #Eminem for holding my hand in the darkness when nobody else would.My friend…
— Hurst (@SeanHur46058855) January 17, 2020
#Darkness is one hell of a song. Some deep deep lyrics there. Bars had me crying. This is why hes the #GOAT #MusicToBeMurderedBy #Eminem
— L@dY $H@Dy (@FranPal49802726) January 17, 2020
This music video was hard to watch. I wish it was all just a music video or a movie, but this is our world right now. So heartbreaking. ??? #Eminem #Darkness pic.twitter.com/w4s70toVRc
— Sylvia Nicole (@_SylviaNicole) January 17, 2020
When will this end?
When enough people care. @Eminem’s new album is ? but this song goes beyond that. Props to Em for not backing away from controversial topics and using his voice to try to make a change. ?? #Darkness #eminem pic.twitter.com/0NzVeuVrvI— Roi Tubío (@Roi2bo) January 17, 2020
Not all reactions have been in support of the hip-hop star’s message or artistic take on the topic. Some Twitter users are drawing attention to celebrities getting political with their speeches or art.
Others are bringing up Eminem’s reference to the suicide bombing that happened just after a 2017 Ariana Grande concert at the Manchester Arena in England.
Those lyrics were part of a 10-minute freestyle he released in December 2018 called Kick Off.
No one should use school shootings to make a buck.#Eminem#Darkness pic.twitter.com/TuWfLLzNkt
— 2019Indies (@2019Indies) January 17, 2020
https://twitter.com/demzo72/status/1218172833488130051
Eminem’s new album Music to Be Murdered By is currently available at the iTunes, Apple Music, Spotify, TIDAL, and Amazon Music platforms for streaming and download.