Eminem on Manchester bombing: what the rapper says about the Ariana Grande concert attack in surprise new album

Eminem has referenced the 2017 Manchester Arena bombings in new album Music to be Murdered by, appearing to compare himself to bomber Salman Ramadan Abedi.
Eminem has rapped about the Manchester Arena attack on two occasions (Getty Images)Eminem has rapped about the Manchester Arena attack on two occasions (Getty Images)
Eminem has rapped about the Manchester Arena attack on two occasions (Getty Images)

The controversial rapper released his 11th full length album on Friday morning to the surprise of many fans, with track two Unaccomodating featuring a lyric about the attack which occurred during the conclusion of an Ariana Grande concert.

The Detroit performer "But I’m contemplating yelling ‘bombs away’ on the game / Like I’m outside of an Ariana Grande concert waiting.”

Previous Manchester Arena rap

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It's not the first time Eminem has made light of the attack - in 2018 during a freestyle rap, the divisive performer joked about the attack.

He rapped: "Squashed in between a brainwashing machine / Like an Islamic regime, a jihadist extreme radical / Suicide bomber that’s seeing / Ariana Grande sing her last song of the evening / And as the audience from the damn concert is leaving / Detonates the device strapped to his abdominal region / I’m not gonna finish that, for obvious reasons."

Preempting controversy the 47-year-old said that "nothing's off limits" in freestyle battles.

Mother of victim Charlotte Hodgson described the 2018 performance as “disgusting” and “disrespectful” to Manchester Evening News.

Manchester Arena victims

23 people were killed in the terrorist attack, including Barra teenager Eilidh MacLeod.

MacLeod was a piper from Sgoil Lionacleit Pipe Band, which is made up of children from Uist and Barra.

Laura McIntyre, also of Barra, was seriously injured in the attack.

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Speaking in the aftermath of the attack, McIntyre's parents said: "We have been overwhelmed by the love, help and support from everyone. It means so much to us.

"Laura sustained horrendous injuries. The main worries being head and leg injury."

Other controversies in new album

In Unaccomodating the Slim Shady performer also makes reference to the 9/11 terror attacks, rapping: “And you backpedal that as a cowardly act / Like a Saudi attack when the towers collapse."

The album opens with track Premonition (intro), which appears to contain the sound of a woman being stabbed to death.

The performer also compares himself to Charles Manson and serial killers the Boston Strangler and The Night Stalker in Music to be Murdered by.