US rapper Eminem. (Theo Wargo/Getty) Bon Iver’s lead singer Justin Vernon has pledged to “kill” a homophobic Eminem song which he is featured on. Eminem, who has repeatedly come under fire for using anti-LGBT+ lyrics in the past, last week released his new album, Kamikaze. The track “Fall” takes aim at acclaimed rapper Tyler, The Creator—who has been open about dating men and referenced his sexuality on 2017 album Flower Boy. Eminem took direct aim at his sexuality, rapping: “Tyler create nothing, I see why you called yourself a faggot, bitch/It’s not just ’cause you like attention. “It’s ’cause you worship D12’s balls, you’re sac-rilegious/If you’re gonna critique me, you better at least be as good or better.” The track led to criticism of the rapper for resorting to homophobic slurs that have been increasingly eschewed by mainstream rappers over the past few years. Justin Vernon, the frontman of indie folk band Bon Iver, responded to a fan who congratulated him for “Fall,” writing: “Was not in the studio for the Eminem track… came from a session with BJ Burton and Mike Will. “Not a fan of the message, it’s tired. Asked them to change the track, wouldn’t do it.” He added: “Eminem is one of the best rappers of all time, there is no doubt. I have and will respect that. Tho, this is not the time to criticise Youth, it’s the time to listen. To act. “It is certainly not the time for slurs. “Wish they would have listened when we asked them to change it.” This thought process culminated with a single, more decisive tweet in which the Grammy Award-winning Vernon wrote: “I was wrong and we are gonna kill this track.” Eminem has not yet responded to the Bon Iver singer’s message. The homophobic attack is far from the first time Eminem has come under fire for anti-gay lyrics. Eminem has previously claimed that his use of anti-gay slurs such as “dyke” and “faggot” were not actually aimed at the LGBT+ community. In a song titled “Criminal” on his second studio album, The Marshall Mathers LP, Eminem’s lyrics include: “My words are like a dagger with a jagged edge/That’ll stab you in the head, whether you’re a fag or lez. “Or the homosex, hermaph or a trans-a-vest/Pants or dress? Hate fags? The answer’s yes.” The singer previously also came under fire for homophobic lyrics in his 2013 single “Rap God.” He told Rolling Stone that he hadn’t used the words “fag” or “faggot” in a homophobic way, saying he hadn’t “really equated” that they would come across that way. In 2010, Eminem came out in support of same-sex marriage, surprising many. He said: “I think if two people love each other, then what the hell? I think that everyone should have the chance to be equally miserable, if they want.”<doc-sep>Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon is not happy with the final version of his collaboration with Eminem. Vernon tweeted his dissatisfaction with “Fall,” the track off Eminem’s “Kamikaze,” just hours after the album hit streaming services by surprise. “Was not in the studio for the Eminem track…came from a session with BJ Burton and Mike Will,” the folk musician said. “Not a fan of the message; it’s tired.” Was not in the studio for the Eminem track… came from a session with BJ Burton and Mike Will. Not a fan of the message, it’s tired. Asked them to change the track, wouldn’t do it. Thanks for listening to BRM https://t.co/E0wmt732ty — blobtower (@blobtower) August 31, 2018 In a follow-up tweet, Vernon was quick to recognize the rapper’s legend status, but he also included further criticism about the track’s theme, and claimed that he had asked the producers to change the song previously. “Eminem is one of the best rappers of all time, there is no doubt. I have and will respect that,” he said. “Tho, this is not the time to criticize Youth, it’s the time to listen. To act.” Eminem is one of the best rappers of all time , there is no doubt. I have and will respect that. Tho, this is not the time to criticize Youth, it’s the time to listen. To act. It is certainly not the time for slurs. Wish they would have listened when we asked them to change it — blobtower (@blobtower) August 31, 2018 Later, he tweeted, “I was wrong and we are gonna kill this track.” It’s unclear what he means by this, given that the album is already out. Variety has reached out to both Vernon and Eminem’s camps for clarification. I was wrong and we are gonna kill this track — blobtower (@blobtower) August 31, 2018 On “Fall,” Eminem takes shots at several other rappers, including Tyler, the Creator, using a homophobic slur. “Tyler create nothin’, I see why you called yourself a faggot, bitch,” he says about the rapper. The album addresses several mainstream topics such as President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, the Grammy Awards, and the press, alongside voicemails with his manager and a track from the upcoming marvel movie “Venom,” starring Tom Hardy and Riz Ahmed. Also included on the album are interpolations from Kendrick Lamar’s “Humble,” Playboi Carti’s “Woke Up Like This,” Young M.A’s “Oouu” and L.L. Cool J’s “I’m Bad.” In addition to Vernon, the album features Joyner Lucas, Eminem’s manager Paul Rosenberg, Royce Da 5’9,″ and Jessie Reyez. Eminem executive produced the album with Dr. Dre, with additional production credits for Mike Will Made It (“Greatest” and “Fall”), Illadaproducer, Ronny J, Jeremy “Backpack” Miller, Boi-1da & Jahaan Sweet, Tay Keith, Tim Suby, Fred Ball and S1 for S.K.P. Inc. “Kamikaze” is Eminem’s follow up to 2017’s “Revival” and his 10th full length release.<doc-sep>Bon Iver wants Eminem to ‘kill’ homophobic track (Picture: Rex/Shutterstock, WireImage) Bon Iver’s lead singer Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon is passionately slamming a song on Eminem’s new album Kamikaze. Eminem is under fire for using homophobic slurs against fellow rapper Tyler, The Creator in his the track Fall – a song Justin happened to write. Tyler, 27, has been heavily criticised himself for his use of homophobic slurs in his music, but lyrics on his 2017 album Flower Boy suggested that he was coming out as gay. Eminem took a very direct shot at his sexuality, with the lyrics: ‘Tyler create nothing, I see why you called yourself a f*****, bitch/It’s not just ’cause you like attention. ‘It’s ’cause you worship D12’s balls, you’re sacrilegious/If you’re gonna critique me, you better at least be as good or better.’ It seems Justin is not pleased to be a part of the song and was left unhappy when Eminem allegedly refused to remove the slur. Eminem is one of the best rappers of all time , there is no doubt. I have and will respect that. Tho, this is not the time to criticize Youth, it’s the time to listen. To act. It is certainly not the time for slurs. Wish they would have listened when we asked them to change it — blobtower (@blobtower) August 31, 2018 I was wrong and we are gonna kill this track — blobtower (@blobtower) August 31, 2018 Responding to a fan who congratulated him on Twitter for penning the song he wrote: ‘Was not in the studio for the Eminem track… came from a session with BJ Burton and Mike Will. ‘Not a fan of the message, it’s tired. Asked them to change the track, wouldn’t do it.’ He added: ‘Eminem is one of the best rappers of all time, there is no doubt. I have and will respect that. Tho, this is not the time to criticise Youth, it’s the time to listen. To act. [sic] ‘It is certainly not the time for slurs. Wish they would have listened when we asked them to change it.’ Later, he concluded in a final tweet: ‘I was wrong and we are gonna kill this track.’ Eminem has come under fire for his lyrics (Photo by C Flanigan/WireImage) Eminem has not yet responded to the Bon Iver singer’s message. The homophobic attack is far from the first time Eminem has come under fire for anti-gay lyrics. The rapper has been accused of homophobia on multiple occasions over the years, with the slur ‘f****t’ used in many of his songs. ‘It was more like calling someone a bitch or a punk or asshole… I poke fun at other people, myself. But the real me sitting here right now talking to you has no issues with gay, straight, transgender, at all.’ Elton John, who is openly gay, famously performed with Eminem at the 2001 Grammys, with the pair holding hands after a performance of Stan. In 2017, Elton told Zane Lowe: ‘For me, Eminem was never homophobic. I listened to the whole of the Marshall Mathers album when I drove to a show in South Hampton and I was floored by it. And I thought how could anyone think this is… he’s just writing about the way things are. Not how he thinks, but the way things are. ‘I did the Grammys with Marshall and I became very big friends with Marshall. I’ll fight for anyone who is misunderstood and misrepresented by the idiots out there.’ Got a showbiz story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page - we'd love to hear from you. MORE : ‘Elvis was nodding along to the radiation of racism’: How The King became a metaphor for America MORE : John Boyega proves his versatility as he produces British fantasy-horror A Spriggan<doc-sep>
Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon has spoken out about his appearance on Eminem’s unexpected new album ‘Kamikaze’, which was released today (August 31). Appearing on song ‘Fall’, the track sees Eminem take aim at other rappers, most notably Tyler, The Creator. On the track, Eminem appears to rap: “Tyler create nothin’, I see why you called yourself a f*****, bitch.” Vernon has since responded on Twitter, addressing the song in response to a fan. He wrote: “Was not in the studio for the Eminem track.” He added: “Came from a session with BJ Burton and Mike Will. Not a fan of the message, it’s tired. Asked them to change the track, wouldn’t do it.” Was not in the studio for the Eminem track… came from a session with BJ Burton and Mike Will. Not a fan of the message, it’s tired. Asked them to change the track, wouldn’t do it. Thanks for listening to BRM https://t.co/E0wmt732ty — blobtower (@blobtower) August 31, 2018 In a series of further tweets, Vernon said he thought Eminem is “one of the best rappers of all time” before adding: “This is not the time to criticize Youth, it’s the time to listen. To act. It is certainly not the time for slurs.” Vernon also revealed that he asked for the song to be changed. “Wish they would have listened when we asked them to change it.” In a final tweet, Vernon said: “I was wrong and we are gonna kill this track.” Eminem is one of the best rappers of all time , there is no doubt. I have and will respect that. Tho, this is not the time to criticize Youth, it’s the time to listen. To act. It is certainly not the time for slurs. Wish they would have listened when we asked them to change it — blobtower (@blobtower) August 31, 2018 I was wrong and we are gonna kill this track — blobtower (@blobtower) August 31, 2018 In the same song, Eminem also seemingly takes aim at Arcade Fire who won ‘Album of the Year’ seven years ago ahead of the rapper. “Then give ‘Album of the Year’ to somebody that no one’s ever even heard of”, he raps on the track. Enimem criticises a host of people across the album including Drake, Donald Trump and several other rap artists including Earl Sweatshirt and Lil Yachty.