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Renee Powers COMS 691 “When a Tornado Meets a Volcano”: Eminem, Rihanna, and the Cycle of Domestic Violence Renee M. Powers COMS 691 – J. Chown Northern Illinois University November 30, 2010 1 Renee Powers COMS 691 Rap artist Eminem recently made waves again with his recent album, “Recovery.” A notable collaboration on this album is the hit song “Love the Way You Lie” featuring Rihanna, which spent ten weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 (“Hot”). “Love the Way You Lie” is a realistic depiction of the cycle of domestic violence characterized by graphic imagery and violent language. Upon first listen, “Love the Way You Lie” is unsettling. Eminem and Rihanna both have storied and public history with intimate partner violence; Eminem has been accused of perpetrating the crime and Rihanna is the survivor of her ex-boyfriend Chris Brown’s attack. This paper will begin by looking at who Eminem and Rihanna are as artists as well as their backgrounds with the issue of domestic violence. An explanation of the song “Love the Way You Lie” and the corresponding music video will also be discussed here. Next, it will unpack the song’s depiction of domestic violence through a feminist theoretical lens, focusing on the theory of the cycle of domestic violence. In addition, it will explore the effects of rap music on America’s perception of women, violence, and misogyny. Finally, it will discuss some of the media’s reaction to the song and the music video, in juxtaposition with both of the artists’ experiences with domestic violence. The trouble with a song like “Love the Way You Lie” is its audience. The intent of the song is to depict an honest representation of domestic violence. However, this is troubled by the popularity of the song, the context in which it is heard, and who hears it. The message is affected by the medium and channel through which it is sent and also depends on the frame of reference of the listener. Because of these variables, the message may not be received in its intended way. Though it is impossible to measure the exact effects “Love the Way You Lie” has had, this paper will present an argument on the 2 Renee Powers COMS 691 influence rap music has on American consumers. Rihanna, born Robyn Rihanna Fenty, was born in Barbados in 1988. She moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a musical career. Soon after, Jay-Z’s company Def Jam Records signed her (Paiva). Her first number one single was “SOS” in 2006. Since then, eighteen of her singles have achieved a place on Billboard’s Hot 100 Chart (“Rihanna Album”). In February 2009, Rihanna and her then-boyfriend Chris Brown, a fellow singer, were noticeably missing from the Grammy Awards where Rihanna was scheduled to perform. Later that week, TMZ.com published a leaked photo of Rihanna’s battered face, apparently attacked by Brown. According to the Daily News, Rihanna witnessed a suggestive text message from another woman to Brown. Rihanna questioned Brown, which provoked his anger. Brown began to abuse her; he put her in a headlock, attempted to choke her, punched her, and yelled, “Now I’m really going to kill you” (Dillon and Siemaszko). After this episode of domestic violence, Rihanna broke up with Chris Brown and almost immediately began making music again. The album “Rated R” was released in November 2009 and, less than a year after surviving domestic violence, Rihanna received two Grammy awards for her collaboration with Jay-Z, “Run this Town” (“Winners”). In July 2010, she was featured on rap artist Eminem’s single, “Love the Way You Lie” (Eminem). According to the Billboard.com artist biography, Eminem, born Marshall Mathers III, grew up in Detroit, Michigan. He grew up in a violent household. His mother, Debbie Nelson, is a survivor of domestic abuse. She married four abusive men, including 3 Renee Powers COMS 691 Eminem’s father (Kaufman). Eminem’s first album, Slim Shady LP, was released in 1999 under the guidance of rap mogul Dr. Dre. Eminem made a reputation for himself for being vulgar and violent, due to the character he created, Slim Shady, whom he describes as his alter ego without a filter (Ankeny and Torreano). In his discussion of Eminem’s white race in rap music, Rodman describes the lyrics Eminem is known for: Listen to Eminem’s first three major label releases and— among other things—you’ll hear him insult his fans, drive with a fifth of vodka in his belly, assault his high school English teacher, encourage children to mutilate themselves, kidnap and kill his producer, shoot cashiers during armed robberies, rape his mother, and (at least twice) murder his wife with sadistic brutality (99). According to an interview in “People,” it was this last song, “Kim,” that led Kimberly Mathers, Eminem’s now-ex-wife, to attempt suicide (Silverman). Eminem and Kimberly have been married and divorced twice. As reported in “People” magazine, after their first divorce, Eminem tattooed “Kim – Rot in Pieces” across his chest (Tyrangiel). In June 2000, shortly following their second marriage, Eminem pistol-whipped a man at a bar after he kissed Kim. According to USA Today, this led to Eminem’s arrest and ultimately, their second divorce (Soriano). Eminem has a violent side, which would understandably worry any woman in his life. Additionally, according to Walker, witnessing violence in a childhood home is considered having history of violent behavior, identified as “the best prediction of future violence” (15). Indeed, Eminem’s childhood home was a violent one. It is clear why a song written by Eminem featuring Rihanna depicting the highs and violent lows of domestic violence would cause listeners and the media to scratch their heads. The last lines of the song are, “I’m tired of the games, I just want her back, I know 4 Renee Powers COMS 691 I’m a liar/If she ever tries to fuckin’ leave again, I’ma tie her to the bed/And set this house on fire.” The lyrics are certainly jarring, but by looking closer, one can tell that it is an honest representation of what both Eminem and Rihanna have been through from both sides of the issue. This will be discussed later in the paper using the feminist theory of the cycle of domestic violence. “Love the Way You Lie” appears on Eminem’s latest album, “Recovery.” This album was intended to be different altogether. Instead of his usual celebrity bashing and violence for the sake of shock, Eminem intended to make statement with this album. He tells Billboard writer Monica Herrera, “I wanted there to be a reason why I was making each song, instead of making it just to make it” (Herrera “Eminem”). The album also features a moving tribute to Eminem’s fallen friend and fellow rapper DeShaun “Proof” Holton and an inspirational anthem called “Not Afraid.” Slim Shady, Eminem’s volatile alter ego, is said not to make an appearance on “Recovery,” indicating that all the lyrics come true from the heart of Eminem. When penning “Love the Way You Lie,” Eminem reportedly had only Rihanna in mind for the female role. Rihanna’s collaboration on this song is key to its success. Her voice and history add weight to a song that could easily be found offensive otherwise. The reason for the song and its staggering lyrics, Rihanna says in a July 2010 interview with “Access Hollywood,” is to shed light on the cycle of domestic violence (“Rihanna Talks”). The media attention the song received soon after its release generally agrees that the song does as it intended. In an August 2010 interview with “Showbiz Tonight”, speaking of the song’s startling and raw depiction of domestic violence, Kim Serafin from “In Touch Weekly” 5 Renee Powers COMS 691 tells the host, “It is almost too much of art imitating life.” However, when “Showbiz Tonight” host Brooke Anderson asks Cooper Lawrence, author of the book Cult of Celebrity, whether or not Rihanna did the right thing, he says, “She went through this. This is her experience… It’s cathartic for them to get it out. You know, they’re starting a conversation” (Anderson). Rihanna confirms this in her “Access Hollywood” interview. She says, “The lyrics were so deep, so beautiful, and intense. It’s something that I understood, something I connected with” (“Rihanna Talks”). Jamie Doak, feminist blogger for “Bust Magazine,” is inclined to agree. She writes, “Eminem is trashy but he is clever and ‘Love the Way You Lie’ is sparking conversations about domestic violence and gives a realistic and visceral depiction of it without romanticizing it at all.” Doak contends that by creating a hit song about domestic violence, Eminem and Rihanna are drawing attention to a difficult issue. Eminem’s lyrics admit that men who abuse are liars and Rihanna’s lyrics imply that victims of domestic violence find it difficult to leave the situation. In the music video for the song, two recognizable actors, Megan Fox of Transformers fame and Dominic Monaghan, a former Lord of the Rings hobbit, portray the couple in question (“Love”). In The Sunday Times, Daisy Goodwin points out that it is Fox who throws the first punch in the video. Goodwin notes that Fox and Monaghan “ricochet back and forth between love and rage” implying that “a passionate relationship is by definition a violent one” (4). In addition to the images in the music video, Goodwin might also be referring to the lines “But your temper’s just as bad as mine is, you’re the same as me/But when it comes to love, you’re just as blinded.” Is this mutual violence or the abuser attempting to justify his actions? Goodwin believes this music video proves that the 6 Renee Powers COMS 691 song is not about violence against women rather mutual violence in the home.

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