# Eminem Bin Laden **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 13, 2002, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-bin-laden/113868 "2002-06-13T15:20:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![LolaCocaCola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7cd45c/32.png) [@LolaCocaCola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LolaCocaCola)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2002, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-bin-laden/113868/1 "2002-06-13T15:20:39Z")
Apparently Eminem’s latest video has Al Queda up in arms: > [@](#): > > **Eminem parodies bin Laden** > > DETROIT, Michigan (AP) – Eminem’s latest video includes a scene where the rapper dresses up as Osama bin Laden. > > The video shows suspected terrorist bin Laden as an old-school hip-hop rapper who busts into MC Hammer-like dance moves. > > Eminem is also shown as an overweight Elvis sitting on a toilet and in bed with porn stars in the video for his new single “Without Me”. > > MTV’s Making the Video show premiered the video on Wednesday. > > Eminem’s video also parodies several TV shows including Survivor and Sally Jessy Raphael. ---
**Author:** ![Why\_A\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/13edae/32.png) [@Why\_A\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Why_A_Duck)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2002, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-bin-laden/113868/2 "2002-06-13T15:23:13Z")
I love that video. At the end, just as a group of rappers is about to clobber Emimen Bin Laden, he grabs a white flag, raises it, and they all begin to dance. Plus he makes fun of Moby. ---
**Author:** ![LolaCocaCola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7cd45c/32.png) [@LolaCocaCola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LolaCocaCola)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2002, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-bin-laden/113868/3 "2002-06-13T15:25:52Z")
Damn! I haven’t seen it yet! Yeah, I’d like to see Al Queda take on Tha Dawg Pound. heh heh heh 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Wrong\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b782af/32.png) [@The\_Wrong\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Wrong_Girl)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2002, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-bin-laden/113868/4 "2002-06-13T15:26:49Z")
Yeah, apparently Eminenm has hired two more bodyguards. I’m sure that makes a _huge_ dent in his “posse.” So, is it bad to root for Osama here? Just a little? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Why\_A\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/13edae/32.png) [@Why\_A\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Why_A_Duck)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2002, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-bin-laden/113868/5 "2002-06-13T15:28:08Z")
Do you get BET? They show it all the time. Plus the running gag throughout the video is a rapper (Dr. Dre possibly) playing Batman and MM playing Robin (Burt Ward style). ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2002, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-bin-laden/113868/6 "2002-06-13T15:28:34Z")
That video is very funny indeed. I was watching it on MTV yesterday, and they’d bleeped the word ‘MTV’: “Tried to shut me down on \_\_\_”. Are they censoring their own brand name to avoid annoying other sponsors, or are they protecting their name from being dragged thru the mud by Mr. Mathers; or indeed are they a bunch of idiots? ---
**Author:** ![LolaCocaCola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7cd45c/32.png) [@LolaCocaCola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LolaCocaCola)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2002, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-bin-laden/113868/7 "2002-06-13T15:31:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Why A Duck \* > \*\*Do you get BET? They show it all the time. > > Plus the running gag throughout the video is a rapper (Dr. Dre possibly) playing Batman and MM playing Robin (Burt Ward style). \*\* Nah, don’t have cable. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![The\_Wrong\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b782af/32.png) [@The\_Wrong\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Wrong_Girl)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2002, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-bin-laden/113868/8 "2002-06-13T15:38:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jjimm \* > \*\*That video is very funny indeed. > > I was watching it on MTV yesterday, and they’d bleeped the word ‘MTV’: “Tried to shut me down on \_\_\_”. > > Are they censoring their own brand name to avoid annoying other sponsors, or are they protecting their name from being dragged thru the mud by Mr. Mathers; or indeed are they a bunch of idiots? \*\* And when has MTV been anything but slaveringly supportive to Eminem? Yuck. He’s so despicable. ---
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2002, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-bin-laden/113868/9 "2002-06-13T15:39:38Z")
MM is back in style… It looks like it really _will_ take al Qaeda to take him out… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sealemon88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c68b51/32.png) [@Sealemon88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sealemon88)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2002, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-bin-laden/113868/10 "2002-06-13T18:05:14Z")
_Without Me_ is easily my favorite song of his. As long as he stays away from the ultra-violent shock value songs, he’s enjoyable. He’s definitely a talented rhymer. ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2002, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-bin-laden/113868/11 "2002-06-13T19:08:22Z")
I actually like the video and 'cos makes me chuckle. (The part where he’s dressed up as Bin Laden is a hoot.) The song is pretty catchy too, but I confess I haven’t really listened to the words because they’d probably ruin it for me. The “This looks like a job for me” part really sticks in my head and I usually end up singing it all day if there’s no one else around. Heh. ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2002, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-bin-laden/113868/12 "2002-06-13T19:23:52Z")
LOL, vogue, I’m the same way. I’m _this_ tempted to buy the album… ---
**Author:** ![LolaCocaCola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7cd45c/32.png) [@LolaCocaCola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LolaCocaCola)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2002, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-bin-laden/113868/13 "2002-06-13T20:05:04Z")
I just downloaded the video. HA HA FUCKIN’ HA!!! > [@](#): > > (Intro - Obie Trice) > “Obie Trice. Real Name No Gimmicks…” Note : Complete lyrics that were posted _despite_ our repeated requests not to do so because of the cpyright issue have been deleted. ---
**Author:** ![tsarina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f4b2a3/32.png) [@tsarina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tsarina)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2002, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-bin-laden/113868/14 "2002-06-13T20:39:40Z")
I love the video too, but the little thing that bugs me is when he’s in his Osama get-up dancing around, the script at the top of the screen is Devanagari (used for Hindi and a few other Indian languages). Just what the hell does Hindi have to do with Osama bin Laden? Looks like Shady needs a damn geography lesson. - tsarina, who proves that not everything from Michigan is a complete disaster. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2002, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-bin-laden/113868/15 "2002-06-13T21:21:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by The Wrong Girl \* > \*\* > > And when has MTV been anything but slaveringly supportive to Eminem? Yuck. He’s so despicable. \*\* That’s odd; it hasn’t been bleeped when I’ve seen it on MTV. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2002, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-bin-laden/113868/16 "2002-06-13T21:26:37Z")
Eminem is a genius. ---
**Author:** ![LolaCocaCola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7cd45c/32.png) [@LolaCocaCola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LolaCocaCola)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2002, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-bin-laden/113868/17 "2002-06-13T21:33:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tsarina \* > **I love the video too, but the little thing that bugs me is when he’s in his Osama get-up dancing around, the script at the top of the screen is Devanagari (used for Hindi and a few other Indian languages). Just what the hell does Hindi have to do with Osama bin Laden? Looks like Shady needs a damn geography lesson.** Do you know what it says in Devanagari - a translation? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Xan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ac8455/32.png) [@Xan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xan)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2002, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-bin-laden/113868/18 "2002-06-14T00:11:46Z")
I think he is sending subliminal messages in his music cause…I’m ashamed to say it but…I bought his new album (when I say I mean with my step-dad’s money ;-)). Actually its pretty good . 90% of it isn’t about shock value lyrics. > [@](#): > > I love the video too, but the little thing that bugs me is when he’s in his Osama get-up dancing around, the script at the top of the screen is Devanagari (used for Hindi and a few other Indian languages). Just what the hell does Hindi have to do with Osama bin Laden? Looks like Shady needs a damn geography lesson. I think I have a translation: Buy my album! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Amp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2002, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-bin-laden/113868/19 "2002-06-14T00:53:11Z")
At least you don’t see **YVAN EHT NIOJ** anywhere in the video. ---
**Author:** ![Fred](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/db5fbb/32.png) [@Fred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fred)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2002, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-bin-laden/113868/20 "2002-06-14T01:07:21Z")
IIRC, Most of the censoring on MTV and is done by the record companies themselves. Most rappers cut two versions of their singles: the album version and the radio-friendly version. The changes made differ from artist to artist. This is why some video’s are almost completely edited (Papa Roach’s “Last Resort” comes to mind, in which the word “Resort” was edited out of the chorus) while others say pretty much everything. I agree that Eminem’s claims of being “shut down” by MTV and on the radio (“Without Me” and “The Way I am”, respectively) are ludicrous. It is, however, part of the Eminem formula: Mix inane pop-culture references, paranoia, and hyper-aggressive pre-fabricated “beefs” with other pop music figures while extolling the virtues of Eminem, Slim Shady, and Marshal Mathers. I won’t deny his talent, but I won’t pretend he makes good music either. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-bin-laden/113868.md?page=2)