# "Eminem - like toy soldiers" censored. Why? \[new title\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 30, 2004, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-like-toy-soldiers-censored-why-new-title/277402 "2004-11-30T22:56:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bubastis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d07c76/32.png) [@bubastis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bubastis)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-like-toy-soldiers-censored-why-new-title/277402/1 "2004-11-30T22:56:00Z")
in the eminem song “like toy soldiers”, he sings a line "i got through my whole career without mentioning (blank). its blanked out on the european release disc, but maybe not the american one. can anyone shed any light as to who he is refering to? and why? anyone? anyone? ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-like-toy-soldiers-censored-why-new-title/277402/2 "2004-11-30T23:04:38Z")
I’ve heard the uncensored version (available from recordings of the Europe MTV awards) was “Suge”, aka Suge Knight. Makes sense in context of the rest of the song. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2004, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-like-toy-soldiers-censored-why-new-title/277402/3 "2004-12-01T12:32:17Z")
Uncensored lyrics are [here](http://www.letssingit.com/?http://www.letssingit.com/eminem-like-toy-soldiers-tbtw9gb.html) (annoying pop-ups, as with most lyric sites). [quote] …It wasn’t my intentions, my intentions was good I went through my whole career without ever mentionin’ Suge Now it’s just out of respect for not runnin’ my mouth… [quote] ---
**Author:** ![tim314](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim314/32/3468_2.png) [@tim314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim314)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2004, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-like-toy-soldiers-censored-why-new-title/277402/4 "2004-12-01T14:41:44Z")
Why would Suge Knight’s name be censored? ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2004, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-like-toy-soldiers-censored-why-new-title/277402/5 "2004-12-01T16:28:35Z")
Moved to CS and changed the title. Hope our new guest finds his/her thread 🙂 **bubastis** , please refrain from using expletives in titles. Please read forum descriptions carefully before you post your next question. Thanks. - **xash** General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2004, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-like-toy-soldiers-censored-why-new-title/277402/6 "2004-12-01T17:23:25Z")
I’ve also noticed that there is a rather weird and disturbing trend to censor and bleep out rather inocuous lines from some other videos on MTV. I noticed this when watching Coheed and Cambria’s song _A Favor House Atlantic_. In the chorus, “Good eye sniper, I’ll shoot, you run.” they have “bleeped” out the word “shoot”!!! What the hell? I don’t get this one at all. Shoot is offensive or the figurative context is going to inspire someoner to shoot another? Does anybody have any ideas on this one? ---
**Author:** ![Chastain86](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Chastain86](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chastain86)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2004, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-like-toy-soldiers-censored-why-new-title/277402/7 "2004-12-01T18:00:43Z")
This isn’t The Pit, so I’ll refrain from remarking with too much vitriol on the sorry state of The House Kurt Loder Built. I mean, you’d think if MTV’s execs were TRULY offended by an artist, they’d just refuse to run his or her videos. I mean, not that long ago, they refused to air “Justify My Love.” Now they feel the need to censor a word like “shoot” even when it’s used in figurative context? Ohhhhh, thaaaaaaat’s right. You’d lose **money** if you didn’t promote them. :smack: So what you’re saying is, you’ll savagely slash lyrics out of a song, so you can still make a buck, and absolve yourself of any responsibility if somebody freaks out. Am I understanding that right? Never mind for a moment that MTV was one of the biggest detractors of Wal-Mart in years past for their “censored music” policy. :rolleyes: Honestly, it’s stupidity like THAT that makes people mad enough to shoot others. ---
**Author:** ![bubastis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d07c76/32.png) [@bubastis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bubastis)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2004, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-like-toy-soldiers-censored-why-new-title/277402/8 "2004-12-01T19:39:31Z")
> [@xash](#): > > Moved to CS and changed the title. Hope our new guest finds his/her thread 🙂 > > **bubastis** , please refrain from using expletives in titles. Please read forum descriptions carefully before you post your next question. > > Thanks. > > - **xash** > General Questions Moderator sorry for any offence caused- i blanked out the offending words, and i thought that this would not break the sites rules. People should recognise the phrase- its from dr. evils rap in goldmember, i thought it was humourous… apologies… ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2004, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-like-toy-soldiers-censored-why-new-title/277402/9 "2004-12-01T20:47:07Z")
I’ve mentioned it before, but in a discussion of Bill Clinton’s impeachment, MTV bleeped the word “inserted.” While someone was quoting the Starr Report. The thing is run by chimps, and not even the brightest available chimps either. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2004, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-like-toy-soldiers-censored-why-new-title/277402/10 "2004-12-01T21:10:52Z")
The strangest MTV censorship I ever heard was one from a Weezer concert clip of “Hash Pipe.” Obviously the word “asswipe” was offensive…so they censored the “wipe” part, leaving the “ass” intact. ---
**Author:** ![lisacurl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/41988e/32.png) [@lisacurl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisacurl)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2004, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-like-toy-soldiers-censored-why-new-title/277402/11 "2004-12-01T22:15:17Z")
I’ve noticed that the local pop station edits all brand-name references out of songs. This makes quite a mess of a lot of hip-hop songs. I’m thinking the editing of “Suge” referenced in the OP has to do with the incident of violence at the Vibe Awards, where Dr. Dre (mentor of Eminem) was punched by someone with ties to Suge. ---
**Author:** ![Chastain86](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Chastain86](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chastain86)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2004, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-like-toy-soldiers-censored-why-new-title/277402/12 "2004-12-02T03:55:26Z")
> [@lisacurl](#): > > I’m thinking the editing of “Suge” referenced in the OP has to do with the incident of violence at the Vibe Awards, where Dr. Dre (mentor of Eminem) was punched by someone with ties to Suge. If that’s true, then it would be the most timely rap song in history. Didn’t that just go down a couple weeks ago? ---
**Author:** ![vinniepaz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b4bc9f/32.png) [@vinniepaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vinniepaz)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2004, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-like-toy-soldiers-censored-why-new-title/277402/13 "2004-12-02T04:50:15Z")
Suge Knight is at once one of the most influential and powerless people in the hip-hop business. He has little to no actual power, except for re-releasing old Tupac albums over and over. However, he is a known gang leader and strikes fear in the hearts of rappers. Many say he was behind the of Tupac. Regardless, the line is “I went my entire career without ever mentioning [Suge]” Get it? As in he still isn’t mentioning it? ---
**Author:** ![lisacurl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/41988e/32.png) [@lisacurl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisacurl)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2004, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-like-toy-soldiers-censored-why-new-title/277402/14 "2004-12-02T17:01:04Z")
> [@Chastain86](#): > > If that’s true, then it would be the most timely rap song in history. Didn’t that just go down a couple weeks ago? The Suge Knight/Dre feud has been going on for years. The Vibe awards melee was just the latest action. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2004, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-like-toy-soldiers-censored-why-new-title/277402/15 "2004-12-02T17:49:05Z")
> [@Duke](#): > > The strangest MTV censorship I ever heard was one from a Weezer concert clip of “Hash Pipe.” Obviously the word “asswipe” was offensive…so they censored the “wipe” part, leaving the “ass” intact. MTV’s censors must keep hash pipes in the break room. I’m sure I remember one time where they censored “motherfucker” by blanking out the _first_ half of the word. ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2004, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-like-toy-soldiers-censored-why-new-title/277402/16 "2004-12-04T09:28:13Z")
> [@bubastis](#): > > sorry for any offence caused- i blanked out the offending words, and i thought that this would not break the sites rules. People should recognise the phrase- its from dr. evils rap in goldmember, i thought it was humourous… apologies… If I had gotten the reference I probably would have let it stand. Sorry, my bad. Haven’t seen Goldmember. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![nachoguy50](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f1d935/32.png) [@nachoguy50](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nachoguy50)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2016, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eminem-like-toy-soldiers-censored-why-new-title/277402/17 "2016-06-24T18:58:57Z")
Old thread…stumbled onto it searching for the censored lyric, but felt compelled to revive this old thread to point out that you all missed the irony of the statement. He never mentioned Suge in his songs. Even when he is explaining in the song that never mentions him, he never mentions him! I had to google to even find out that Suge was the lryic! It’s an intentional self censor and it’s genius!