# Eminem...censored? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 4, 2000, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-censored/44017 "2000-12-04T21:21:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2000, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-censored/44017/1 "2000-12-04T21:21:36Z")
I just got Eminem’s “Marshall Mathers LP.” Undoubtedly more profanity-filled than any CD I’ve ever owned. Yet there are a few songs where it seems that some of the words were blanked out–can he really have been censored? It seems to be when he’s insulting various people (though he lays into others pretty clearly). Is the label worried about slander? ---
**Author:** ![jmullaney](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/85e7bf/32.png) [@jmullaney](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jmullaney)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2000, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-censored/44017/2 "2000-12-04T21:32:50Z")
IIRC, sometimes a label will press two versions of a CD in order to appease different distributors. I know this happened with the _jacket_ of one of The Smashing Pumpkins albums – either Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness or, perhaps, Siamese Dream – which had the word “fuck” as part of the title of one of the songs (either “silverfuck” or “Fuck You (An Ode to No One).” Some versions blanked out or omitted the offending word from the jacket. They might do that with the actual songs also in extreme cases, although I can’t recall a specific example… since the days of Tipper Gore anyway! Good thing those days are gone… Huh? She’s married to \*who]/i] Aw, fuck… ---
**Author:** ![Caldazar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Caldazar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caldazar)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2000, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-censored/44017/3 "2000-12-04T22:50:13Z")
There are two versions of the album in question, one with the original explicit lyrics and one that has been edited. The explicit lyrics version has a sticker labelling it as such on the cellophane wrapping. ---
**Author:** ![Conti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c67d28/32.png) [@Conti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Conti)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2000, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-censored/44017/4 "2000-12-04T23:30:31Z")
I have this CD and i know what toadspittle is talking about. Keep in mind, i have the EXPLICIT cd, yet there are STILL a few words that have been blanked out. They are very rare however. I think that it’s stuff that is just too hard-core even for explicit…perhaps the record company is afraid they will be sued. I think eminem blocks out certain words on purpose too. He seems to avoid specifically the use of the N word. I think he purposesly omits that word when he actually records the label, because there are some points in the song where that word would rhyme…yet eminem just hesitates instead of saying it. Thats my two cents anyway. Conti ---
**Author:** ![evilbeth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/evilbeth/32/2268_2.png) [@evilbeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/evilbeth)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2000, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-censored/44017/5 "2000-12-05T06:07:59Z")
My WAG: I’m not sure what the words are that are omitted but sometimes it has to be done to avoid lawsuits from companies. For example, if he used the name McDonald’s or The Gap in one of his songs in a not entirely pleasing light, they may censor it to keep the lawsuits to a minimum. ---
**Author:** ![Badtz\_Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@Badtz\_Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Badtz_Maru)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2000, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-censored/44017/6 "2000-12-05T06:30:38Z")
I know that there were three versions of that first popular single of his - there was an original (now only available as a bootleg) version, an album version that still had some profanity but had replaced certain homophobic lines (forced to by the artist he sampled for the main riff), and then the radio-friendly version. The first version is definitely the best, the newer versions make no sense. Bootleg Version My English teacher wanted to have sex in junior high The only problem was my English teacher was a guy I smacked him in his face with an eraser, chased him with a stapler and stapled his nuts to a stack of paper Walked in the strip club, had my jacket zipped up Flashed the bartender, then stuck my dick in the tip cup Extraterrestrial, killin pedestrians Rapin lesbians while they screamin: “LET’S JUST BE FRIENDS!” The Album Version My English teacher wanted to flunk me in junior high Thanks a lot, next semester I’ll be thirty-five I smacked him in his face with an eraser, chased him with a stapler and stapled his nuts to a stack of paper Walked in the strip club, had my jacket zipped up Flashed the bartender, then stuck my dick in the tip cup Extraterrestrial, runnin over pedestrians in a spaceship while they screamin: “LET’S JUST BE FRIENDS!” Radio Edit My English teacher wanted to flunk me in junior high Thanks a lot… next semester, I’ll be thirty-five I smacked him in his face with an eraser, chased him with a stapler and told him to change the grade on the paper Walked in the strip club, had my jacket zipped up Served the bartender, then walked out with a tip cup Extraterrestrial, runnin over pedestrians in a spaceship while they’re screamin at me: “LET’S JUST BE FRIENDS!” There is another part that is the same in the Bootleg Version and the Album Version, but is pretty damn different (and nonsensical in places) in the Radio Edit… Bootleg/Album Version Well since age twelve, I’ve felt like I’m someone else Cause I hung my original self from the top bunk with a belt Got pissed off and ripped Pamela Lee’s tits off And smacked her so hard I knocked her clothes backwards like Kris Kross I smoke a fat pound of grass and fall on my ass faster than a fat bitch who sat down too fast C’mere slut! (Shady, wait a minute, that’s my girl dog!) I don’t give a fuck, God sent me to piss the world off! Radio Edit Well since age twelve, I’ve felt like a caged elf who stayed to himself, in one space, chasin his tail Got ticked off and ripped Pamela Lee’s lips off Kissed em and said, “I ain’t know silicone was 'sposed to be this soft” I’m bout to pass out and crash, and fall in the grass faster than a fat man who sat down too fast C’mere lady! (Shady, wait a minute, that’s my girl dog!) I don’t give a damn, Dre sent me to tick the world off! Then in the last verse there are again differences between the Radio Edit and the Album/Bootleg Version… Album/Bootleg Version I just drank a fifth of vodka – dare me to drive? All my life I was very deprived I ain’t had a woman in years, and my palms are too hairy to hide Clothes ripped like the Incredible Hulk I spit when I talk, I’ll fuck anything that walks When I was little I used to get so hungry I would throw fits HOW YOU GONNA BREAST FEED ME MOM? YOU AIN’T GOT NO TITS! I lay awake and strap myself in the bed Put a bulleproof vest on and shoot myself in the head I’m steamin mad And by the way when you see my dad? Tell him that I slit his throat, in this dream I had Radio Edit I just drank a fifth of Kool-Aid – dare me to drive? All my life I was very deprived I ain’t had a woman in years, and my palms are too hairy to hide Clothes ripped like the Incredible Hulk I spit when I talk, I’ll {fuck} anything that walks When I was little I used to get so hungry I would throw fits HOW YOU GONNA BREAST FEED ME MOM? YOU AIN’T GOT NO {TITS!} I lay awake and strap myself in the bed Put a bulleproof vest on and tap myself in the head I’m steamin mad And by the way when you see my dad? Ask him if he bought a porno mag and seen my ad The words in parentheses are usually silenced out, but I have heard this version on the radio with the profanity in (yet still with the ‘fifth of Kool-Aid’ line).