Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window) Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Eminem denied using gunshot sound effects during his Bonnaroo music festival set — amid fierce backlash from fans who said they were left traumatized when the noises made them duck in panic or run for the exits. “Contrary to inaccurate reports, Eminem does not use gunshot sound effects during his live show,” a spokesperson for the rapper told People Sunday. The loud blasts heard during the hip-hop heavyweight performance of his 2000 track “Kill You” were actually “a pyrotechnic concussion which creates a loud boom,” the spokesperson said. “[Eminem] has used this effect — as have hundreds other artists — in his live show for over 10 years, including previous US festival dates in 2018 without complaint,” the rep said. But fans of the 45-year-old musician panicked when they heard the noises during his headlining set at the festival in Manchester, Tennessee, on Saturday night. “[I] was having a good time at Eminem’s set then he played a realistic gunshot noise,” tweeted an attendee with the handle @sandwahhh. “[T]he whole crowd ducked and I’ve never felt more traumatized and ready to panic. completely inappropriate.” The frightening effects came as some in the crowd were on edge after the deadly shooting at a Las Vegas music festival in October when gunman Stephen Paddock killed 58 people and wounded over 800 more.<doc-sep>“The effect used by Eminem in his set at Bonnaroo was a pyrotechnic concussion which creates a loud boom.” During Eminem’s Bonnaroo performance on Saturday, June 9, fans were sent into a panic after hearing what they believed to be three realistic gunshots at the conclusion of the artist's headlining set. Following numerous erroneous reports from media outlets, Eminem’s manager, Paul Rosenberg, took to Instagram late Sunday evening to clear the air about the effects used on stage. “Contrary to inaccurate reports, Eminem does not use gunshot sound effects during his live show,” Rosenberg wrote. “The effect used by Eminem in his set at Bonnaroo was a pyrotechnic concussion which creates a loud boom. He has used this effect — as have hundreds other artists — in his live show for over 10 years, including previous US festival dates in 2018 without complaint.” While Rosenberg's clarification makes perfect sense, here’s the rub: this is not unfounded outrage. People who voiced their unhappiness with Eminem’s performance, gunshots or not, are really speaking to their larger anxiety over the state of the country. When mass shootings are taking place in all settings at a startling rate but reformative legislation is being crafted at a snail’s pace, concertgoers are understandably concerned. Last October, 59 people attending a country music festival in Las Vegas were killed when a gunman opened fire from his hotel room at the Mandalay Bay. It is the worst mass shooting in modern American history.<doc-sep>(CNN) — Eminem doesn’t use gunshot sound effects during his live show, his spokesman said, after the rapper came under fire for a series of blast sounds that were mistaken by several festival attendees as gunshots. On Saturday night, Eminem – one of several performers during the Bonnaroo music and arts festival in Tennessee – had performed the 2000 song “Kill You” when the loud sounds rang out. The sound effects frightened some in the audience, leading some to panic, duck and run, they said on social media. But his spokesperson said in a statement to CNN: “Contrary to inaccurate reports, Eminem does not use gunshot sound effects during his live show. The effect used by Eminem in his set at Bonnaroo was a pyrotechnic concussion which creates a loud boom.” “He has used this effect — as have hundreds other artists — in his live show for over 10 years, including previous US festival dates in 2018 without complaint.” Although loud, booming sound effects are common at concerts, they weren’t received that way by some fans at Bonnaroo this year, following the recent mass shooting at a country music festival in Las Vegas, that left 58 people dead. In one cell phone video, fans are singing along to Eminem, but when they hear the sound effects, some scream and the person holding the phone drops it. Some attendees at the music festival said the sound startled them and caused them to run for cover. CNN’s Dianne Gallagher spoke to a student who attended Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and was at Eminem’s performance Saturday. The student told CNN she had been really excited to see his show, but after hearing the popping sounds, she started to cry, felt like throwing up and had to leave. But others on social media defended Eminem, saying that the rapper had been incorporating the noise in his performance for years and that the song is called “Kill You” – so concert goers should know what kind of content to expect from him. CNN’s Dianne Gallagher and Konstantin Toropin contributed to this report.<doc-sep>Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window) Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Rapper Eminem ​left fans traumatized with his performance at the Bonnaroo music festival Saturday night — using realistic gunshot sound effects that left some fans running for the exits in the wake of last year’s deadly mass shooting at a Las Vegas festival. Fans screamed and ducked for cover as the blasts punctuated Eminem’s performance of the 2000 track “Kill You” during the hip-hop heavyweight’s headlining gig at the popular annual festival in Tennessee, attendees said. “[I] was having a good time at Eminem’s set then he played a realistic gunshot noise,” tweeted an attendee with the handle @sandwahhh. “[T]he whole crowd ducked and I’ve never felt more traumatized and ready to panic. completely inappropriate.” Added @macykatemusic, “coming from a performing standpoint, I get the effect of sound effects on stage, but there’s a certain point that cross’s [sic] the line.” “[I]’m one of Eminem’s number 1 fans but to hear 3 gunshots coming straight from his set had me scared af. not gonna lie. especially in this world…” The frightening effects came as some in the crowd were on edge after last October’s massacre at the Route 91 country music festival in Las Vegas. In that bloodbath — the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history — gunman Stephen Paddock opened fire with an assault rifle from a hotel room overlooking the festival, killing 58 and wounding over 800 more. Others were quick to point out that the gunshot sound effect is nothing new at Eminem’s shows. “The Kill you outro Gunshot has been part of The Eminem live shows since 2001,” wrote fan account @Mainly Eminem. “Why all of a sudden is Tennessee getting all cut up about it? The millions of people who have seen em do it haven’t had a problem. You don’t deserve Eminem ffs.” Eminem — born Marshall Mathers — had not addressed the controversy on social media as of Sunday afternoon.<doc-sep>
Products in this story are independently selected and featured editorially. If you make a purchase using these links we may earn commission. Eminem sparked criticism from some fans who became frightened after hearing what sounded like gunshots during his set Eminem‘s Bonnaroo set on Friday night has been criticized for gunshot noises that fans reported hearing, but a spokesperson for the rapper tells PEOPLE the set did not include gunshot effects. “Contrary to inaccurate reports, Eminem does not use gunshot sound effects during his live show,” the spokesperson said in a statement to PEOPLE. “The effect used by Eminem in his set at Bonnaroo was a pyrotechnic concussion which creates a loud boom. He has used this effect — as have hundreds other artists — in his live show for over 10 years, including previous US festival dates in 2018 without complaint.” During his headlining set at the annual music festival held in Manchester, Tennessee, the noises were heard as the 45-year-old musician performed his 2000 song “Kill You” from The Marshall Mathers LP, prompting some fans to panic. In one video taken during the concert, a fan immediately drops their phone as soon as a loud noise is heard. Others can be heard screaming. eminem Eminem | Credit: C Flanigan/WireImage Following the performance, some fans shared their outrage on social media. “Less than a year after Vegas and @Eminem thinks it’s a good idea to blast gun shot sfx onstage at a music festival? Bad call on this headliner @bonnaroo,” wrote one social media user, referencing last year’s deadly shooting at Route 91 Harvest music festival in Las Vegas. “I was having a good time at eminem’s set then he played a realistic gunshot noise. The whole crowd ducked and i’ve never felt more traumatized and ready to panic. Completely inappropriate,” wrote one social media user, who later added that they decided to leave after the sound was heard again. Some fans pointed out that Eminem has previously used gunshot noises in his recordings. RELATED VIDEO: Eminem Raps His Regrets to Daughter Hailie, Including Near-Fatal OD and Public Feud With Ex Kim Wrote one social media user, “The Kill you outro Gunshot has been part of The Eminem live shows since 2001. Why all of a sudden is Tennessee getting all cut up about it? The millions of people who have seen Em do it haven’t had a problem. You don’t deserve Eminem ffs.” Another penned, “So apparently Eminem is performing at Bonnaroo right now and a bunch of younger people are losing their s— because his set included realistic gunshot sound effects. I dunno what song(s) it was from, but it sounds to me like a bunch of people became Eminem fans post 2002.” But one of the fans who felt unsafe at the concert said it’s not okay.