Barack Obama has relied on hip hop music throughout his political career. His playlists have become an annual tradition, and he has friendships with high profile artists like Beyonce and JAY-Z. It made all the sense in the world that Eminem, Detroit's very own rap icon, would introduce Obama during the Harris rally on October 22. The two men have voiced admiration for one another in the past, and Obama paid the vote of confidence forward by performing a segment from one of Eminem's biggest hits.
Eminem's opening statement made it clear that he supported Kamala Harris for President. "I think Vice President Harris supports a future for this country," he noted. "Where these freedoms will be protected and upheld." He then passed the reigns over to Barack Obama, who walked out to Eminem's classic hit "Lose Yourself." The former President continued to heap praise on Harris, but he decided to spice it up by dropping a few lyrics. "Our palms are sweaty," he yelled. "Knees weak, arms are heavy..." The crowd perked up at the recognition of the "Lose Yourself" verse, and joined in.
Barack Obama Has Praised The Eminem Song For Years
Barack Obama's love for this song has been well-documented. He talked about "Lose Yourself" during the promotional rollout for his 2020 memoir A Promised Land. He pointed to Eminem's Oscar winning hit and JAY-Z's "My 1st Song" as music that helped him through difficult times in his presidency during an IG interview. "When I needed some inspiration on the presidential campaign I often turned to music," he noted. "It was rap that got my head in the right place." He described both songs as inspirational. Eminem co-signed the Obama shoutout and posted the interview on his IG Story.
Barack Obama has remained steadfast in channeling his inner-Eminem. In 2016, footage surfaced of the former President gearing up to give a speech at the Democratic National Convention. He nodded intently to the song in the minutes leading up to his speech. Not everybody was thrilled with Eminem's decision to co-sign Obama and Harris, however. Elon Musk, noted Donald Trump supporter, tweeted a withering insult about Em before the campaign rally got underway. He accused the Detroit rapper of being aligned with Diddy and being a "party participant."