Barack Obama rapping a few bars from “Lose Yourself” following an appearance by Eminem at a rally in Detroit, Michigan, fits almost too neatly into a recent trend in American politics defined by longing for the sense of positivity that defined the late aughts and early 2010s — that ”optimistic, energized, celeb-obsessed, self-conscious, cringeworthy time” that some have referred to as “Obamacore.”
If you’re a millennial, you likely saw this moment coming from eight miles away, but that didn’t seem to blunt the impact of it, at least for the thousands of people gathered in support of Democratic presidential nominee Vice-President Kamala Harris on Tuesday.
Eminem, a Detroit native and a long-time critic of Donald Trump, took the stage ahead of Obama, offering a few words in what was a rare political appearance.
“As most of you know, the city of Detroit and the whole state of Michigan mean a lot to me,” the rapper, whose real name is Marshall Mathers, said. “And going into this election, the spotlight is on us more than ever. And I think it’s important to use your voice. So I’m encouraging everybody to get out and vote.”
The 52-year-old rapper and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer then introduced the 44th president of the United States.
“I’ve gotta say, I’ve done a lot of rallies, so I usually don’t get nervous,” Obama told the energized audience upon taking the stage. “But I was feeling some kind of way following Eminem.”
He then rattled off the opening lines from “Lose Yourself,” an Eminem classic from 2002 — a song that over the last two decades has become something of millennial anthem:
“I notice my palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy, vomit on my sweater already, mom’s spaghetti, I’m nervous but on the surface I look calm and ready to drop bombs but I keep on forgetting.”
Obama has long waxed poetic about his love for “Lose Yourself,” a song he named alongside Jay-Z’s “My 1st Song” as one of the tunes that helped him through the difficult times in his presidency.
“When I needed some inspiration on the presidential campaign I often turned to music,” he explained in an interview ahead of the rollout of his 2020 memoir “A Promised Land.” “It was rap that got my head in the right place.”
The appearance by Obama and Eminem came just days before early voting kicks off across Michigan.
Voter turnout in Detroit, a longtime Democratic stronghold, will be crucial in determining who wins the state in November, when Michigan is among a handful of swing states expected to determine who wins the presidency as well as control of the U.S. Senate.
Obama attacked Trump as unfit, citing recent incidents such as the town hall where Trump opted to hold an impromptu concert of sorts, swaying back and forth to various songs for about 40 minutes rather than taking questions from voters.
The appearance also marks a contrast between Harris, who has managed to secure a long list of celebrity endorsements, and Trump, who has amassed a laundry list of artists who have demanded that the Republican nominee stop using their music.
Generally, the reaction to Obama’s “Lose Yourself” rendition was positive.
”… the dude is in a class of his own,” journalist Hopewell Chin’ono wrote on X. “The guy knows how to work move a crowd and is truly in touch with popular culture.”
“Barack Obama rapping the lyrics to ‘Lose Yourself’ in front of a cheering crowd is such a Millenial-coded joyful moment. I cannot,” wrote another user.
Others were less enthused. “I miss the good ol’ days when Eminem hated both parties and went against ‘The Man,’” read one post on X. “Still the best rapper but he’s been part of ‘The Man’ for a while now.”
“You either die a rap hero or live long enough to see yourself become Moby,” quipped another user in a reference to “The Dark Knight.”
Some users pointed out the dark irony of Obama rapping the lines “he looks calm and ready / To drop bombs, but he keeps on forgetting,” citing the Obama administration’s history of airstrikes in Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia and Libya.
“Obama speaking about dropping bombs (even as part of lyrics to an Eminem song) is an incredible display of lack of self-awareness,” posted one user.
The U.S. election takes place on Tuesday, Nov. 5.
