'Lose Yourself': Barack Obama thrills crowd as he raps to Eminem’s classic hit

Former US President Barack Obama channeled his inner MC on Tuesday by rapping lyrics to Eminem’s iconic song ‘Lose Yourself’ at a packed Kamala Harris campaign rally.

The former president, 68, was introduced to the stand at the Detroit rally by the Grammy award-winning musician himself - and himself a Detroit legend.

After the introduction, Obama began his speech by quoting the song’s lyrics.

“I gotta say, I have done a lot of rallies, so I don’t usually get nervous,” Obama said. “But I was feeling some kind of way following Eminem. I noticed my palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy, vomit on my sweater already, mom’s spaghetti.”

He then followed those first lines with several more lyrics from the song before chanting some of the melody as the crowd roared, "I’m nervous but on the surface I look calm and ready, to drop bombs but I keep on forgetting…”

“I thought Eminem was going to be performing," Obama said. "I was about to jump out … love me some Eminem." 

Eminem, real name Marshall Mathers, also took the opportunity to make clear his support for Harris and vice presidential candidate Tim Walz in his introduction at the rally, saying the city of Detroit and the state of Michigan were important to him and were in the spotlight going into the election in two weeks.

“It’s important to use your voice,” he said. “I’m encouraging everyone to get out and vote, please … I don’t think anyone wants an America where people are worried about retribution of what people will do if you make your opinion known."

“I think Vice President Harris supports a future for this country where these freedoms and many others will be protected and upheld."

Tapping Eminem to appear at the rally was strategic, as he has been vocal about his disdain for the former President and current Republican nominee, Donald Trump. 

In 2017, Slim Shady performed a five-minute freestyle at the BET Awards where he called Trump a “bi**h,” called him out for his commentary at a White Nationalist rally, and for his stance on NFL players protesting the national anthem.

In his song ‘Framed’ from that same year, he rapped, “That’s an awfully hot coffee pot/ Should I drop it on Donald Trump? Probably not/ But that’s all I got till I come up with a solid plot.”

One year later, on his track ‘The Ringer,’ he suggested that his supposed threats toward Trump caused Secret Service to pay him a visit.

“‘Cause Agent Orange just sent the Secret Service/ To meet in person to see if I really think of hurting him,” he spat.

US publication Buzzfeed then-obtained documents that the Secret Service referred to Slim Shady as “exhibiting inappropriate behavior” threatening the “protectee.”

The rapper, who has numerously been tapped as one of the five greatest rappers of all time, also supported the Biden-Harris ticket in the 2020 election while also being outspoken against Trump. 

On his part, former president Obama is an avowed music fan, sharing his favourite songs twice a year in official posts on his social media platforms. 

His summer 2024’s selections included songs by contemporary pop and Afrobeat names such as Beyoncé, Tyla and Rema alongside older tracks by Nick Drake, the Supremes, Tupac Shakur and soul legend Etta James.

The US presidential election will take place on November 5, 2024.