Censored Eminem "Motherfucker" music video

Word is they won't be airing this on NBC or Fox. I'm not entirely sure if it's just the profanity they're worried about, or maybe the lyrics touching on the aftermath of the war and the corruption within society.

You can download the music video here.

What do you all think—is this censorship justified?

Lyrics:

Like this
In our country, we count the years since Dayton
People are afraid of people, and everyone votes only for their own side
Hillbillies are becoming citizens
Just yesterday they were putting out lights with axes, but now they're in wards (country bumpkins)
Miles, fix them up, motherfucker
If you start selling out, I'll fuck your mother too (you too)
You should know, ideology doesn't matter, biology does
Genetics matters, you idiots, the extremists and the radicals (that's what matters)
Every sheep stays with its flock, cows with their calves
Staring through colorful doors while fucking each other's mothers
I know who started the war, I know what hunger feels like
I know when the fascists arrived in my city (I know)
We talk about how things are now—we aren't moving forward much at all
We're full of potholes, just like our roads
We're constantly pulling the handbrake, you see every blunder
We would move forward, but we love going in reverse (damn it, we love it)
It's become a habit that not a single factory operates
We stay quiet about embezzlement just to avoid upsetting the bosses
We've grown used to the handouts, even in times of peace
The youth are fleeing the country; refugees won't be coming back
They don't have to earn anything, nor send us money
We'll live in the dark, fucking each other's mothers (in the ass)

The whole country pays protection money
Weapons in people's homes
Since the war, you can hear the clinking
We have landmines like strawberries filling the fields
But those who planted the seedlings won't reap the harvest
We couldn't care less
We have plenty of resources—metals, cattle, methane
That's our air and food, and that's what our leaders feed us with
I don't know about you, but I'm full; I can't take any more
Everyone in this country is complicit, plugging their ears
Before strangers, I hold my tongue
Whether it's "hello," "hey," or "how's it going?"
I don't know what else to say in this mess without getting caught up in it
They whisper lies in your ear and blow the war trumpet
They have people with different views in their crosshairs
And if they try to straighten their gaze, they'll send a platoon
To watch their burning house through binoculars

But there is no war belief that can destroy the foundations
That root of the house where our souls reside
The brass and the chain that a Canadian throws into the foundation
When building a house, he puts part of himself into the base
Tear it down to the ground—it won't work
The foundation will remain eternal, like the Mississippi River

Motherfuckerrrrrrr

I think I’m actually dying—honestly, it hurts like a motherfucker

😬

Check out this video; the censorship is totally unnecessary.

Not my vibe. Honestly, I’ve never been a fan of that whole rural persona he tries to push. It just isn't my speed... but I guess when your life lacks any real perspective, you don't have much of a choice.

Just the desperate cry of someone lost in the Middle East.

Wait, hasn't Ivan been writing about this for years already? 😕

If you like it, fine, listen to it at home—and turn it up! 👍

His critique is valid, sure—but his delivery? Not so much.

He’s actually leaning into that exact same primitivism he’s complaining about. There's such a thing as a level of sophistication in how people express themselves. Even if one doesn't strictly require the other.
😕 What, are we supposed to blast that stuff out loud in the middle of a shopping mall?

shadowgardener12 said:If you like it, listen to it at home—and crank it up! 👍
His critique stands, but the wording doesn't.

It’s actually through that kind of primitive language that he continues to push the very same primitivism he’s writing about. I suppose there’s a certain level of civilization that implies a certain level of expression—though the latter doesn't necessarily dictate the former.

What, are we supposed to blast this stuff at full volume in public squares now? 😕4

Playing music in public spaces is an extreme, just as much as censorship is. In my view, censoring something because of profanity is just a sign of immaturity on the part of the censors. If it were hate speech, I might understand. But does Eminem's lyrics count as hate speech, or is it a legitimate protest? It's probably a fine line.

Eminem mentions certain extremist groups at the start, but it's framed within a historical context—whereas when he says "motherfucker," he seems to be referring to "unknown" figures who might be "those who set houses on fire to correct someone else's view"—perhaps war enemies, the mob, or the government. It isn't easy to pin down.

To all looks like nothing more than a glorified advertisement to me.😬

I think telling someone to go fuck their mother is bottom-tier behavior.

Maybe that kind of talk is common where you're from, but not for me.

Josh, you're being pretty immature if you don't get how culture works and how it shows up through language. You're young, though... maybe you'll grow out of it. 😉

Subcultures have always existed and they should, but being unrefined shouldn't be the dominant thing in a society... like what you see in parts of Canada or Mexico, or unfortunately a large part of America too. But there are other circles out there.
Because once that lack of refinement takes over and people lose their sense of culture, they just start telling each other to go fuck their mothers.

I don't even get what the big deal is? A national network like NBC shouldn't be airing music videos at all, let alone ones with that kind of language. I actually agree with the lyrics, so why is this even a scandal? The news media here just makes stuff up out of thin air. They try to turn everything—good or bad—into some massive controversy.

No. It’s completely unnecessary. Besides, our networks are already saturated with high-quality music programming that could easily feature a music video... 🙄

shadowgardener12 said:I honestly think using phrases like "motherfucker" is just bottom-of-the-barrel behavior.

Maybe you hear that kind of talk at home, but I certainly don't.

Josh, I think you're being a bit immature by failing to see how culture actually works—and how it expresses itself. But then again, you're young, so maybe you'll grow out of it.😉

Subcultures have always existed and they should, but "rural" mindsets shouldn't be the dominant force in society... it's what happens in places like Canada or Mexico, and unfortunately, much of America is similar, though there are other circles too.
Because when that rural mindset takes over, you end up with people lacking culture, and that's when people start telling each other to go "motherfuck" their families.

"I don't talk like that at home," sure, but I don't view swearing as some kind of heinous crime either. And frankly, I've heard that "rural slang" in Washington, D.C. since the day I was born—your classification is just fundamentally wrong. That exact same language is used in the city just as much as it is in the countryside. For that reason, I also feel that censoring profanity is unjustified—mostly because a huge number of people, perhaps even the majority, speak exactly like Eminem. In that sense, he's just utilizing the established norms of everyday, casual speech—which is, I suppose, one of the strengths of rap music.

If we set the swearing aside, what's your take on the actual content of the song? Do you think there's any valid reason for censorship there?

Matthew Doyle73 said:To whole thing honestly just strikes me as a blatant advertisement rather than anything else at all, don't you think?😬

EXACTLY!👍 👍
and

ruggednomad2 said:I truly cannot fathom why everyone is making such a massive fuss over this! Should a national network like NBC even be airing music videos in the first place, let alone ones featuring that kind of language? Aside from the fact that I find myself agreeing with the sentiment of the lyrics, where is the actual scandal here? Our American newspapers have a nasty habit of manufacturing drama out of thin air, turning both positive milestones and negative setbacks into "scandals" just to sell copies.

If you ask me, I don't believe the video was censored at all.

Are you actually reading my posts, or just blindly quoting them? If you were, you wouldn't be asking questions that have already been answered, nor would you be recycling my own arguments as if they were yours.

I went into full detail about the content back in my first post.

A commercial could work, but maybe during late-night programming... something like an "unplugged" style show.

shadowgardener12 said:Look, do you actually read my posts, or are you just blindly following my bets? If you did, you wouldn't be asking questions that have already been answered—or acting like my own arguments are yours.

I think I covered the content thoroughly in my very first post.

The music video could work, maybe, but perhaps only during late-night programming—something like a "Late Night" style show.

his critique is fine—but calling it an expression isn't!

Alright, so you've made it clear that the content itself is acceptable—which means you don't think the substance is politically incorrect.

As for your claim that I'm "repeating your arguments as my own"—I don't think we're saying the same thing at all. You said:

"For example, how things are in Canada, or in Mexico... and unfortunately, in America, it's largely the same, though there are other circles."
It's almost as if you're implying this "rural dialect" is inherently bad. I'd argue the opposite—if most people use that kind of language, then it's the norm, and you and people like you are actually the minority. In what way are your ideas about culture any better?

Censorship is probably necessary given how crude things have become. Besides, the song won't even get airtime because there aren't any suitable slots—music programs on USA Network run at noon, and NBC airs stuff at 7:00 and 7:30 PM, which just isn't appropriate. I guess even Eminem could figure out what's wrong with this track.

coastalorca3 said:.... I disagree. If most people are talking like that, then it’s just the norm. You and your crowd are the outliers here. What makes your version of culture any better?

Enjoy yourself. At least it's warm and safe in the herd.

shadowgardener12 said:Enjoy yourself. I'm sure it’s warm and cozy inside the herd.

You just compared me to livestock—which, I guess, most people in decent social circles would consider an insult. It seems like you aren't applying your own standards to yourself, just to everyone else. I suppose that’s what they call hypocrisy.

haha.. you know damn well that wasn't about him. but you're still playing dumb. give me a little more time and maybe I'll actually believe you😉

shadowgardener12 said:haha.. you know damn well that wasn't what this was about. But you're still playing dumb. Give it a little longer and maybe I'll actually believe you.😉

You just pointed out how substance matters more than style—which, I guess, is the same thing Eminem would tell people watching NBC.😉

coastalorca3 said:You just pointed out that substance matters more than style. You could probably tell the same thing to the folks over at the TV networks... maybe even mention it to Eminem... 😉

👍
I'm all in on that...
😉

Guys, I think we’re all collectively losing our minds here. It was a lifetime ago when American rappers were actually being sent to federal prisons just for their lyrics. There is a massive difference between debating the morality or the ethical weight of an actual piece of art and simply discussing the editorial standards a specific TV network chooses to follow for its programming. In the first instance, the debate is pretty much pointless—but in the second, it’s strictly down to the station's own internal policy. PBS and NBC banned that music video and song, and honestly, there’s no scandal there; it’s just their right as broadcasters. If it were playing on my channel, I’d have it on heavy rotation.

If I can pivot for a second to that recent buzz about that country singer appearing on PBS. A certain spokesperson claimed the ban had nothing to do with diplomatic relations or anything of the sort, but rather that "this artist's performance through country and modern folk music just doesn't align with the programming style and content identity of PBS as a TV network." So, I have to ask—is there actually a scandal here?