As one of the major swing states, Michigan is getting plenty of attention before the U.S. presidential election. On Tuesday (Oct. 22) evening, Vice President Kamala Harris brought out some big names at her rally in Detroit. Eminem fired up the crowd by encouraging everyone to vote, followed by former President Barack Obama giving a powerful speech.
“I wrote down a few things I wanted to say,” the Encore artist opened. “As most of you know, the city of Detroit and my home state of Michigan mean a lot to me. 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 everyone to get out and vote, please.”
Eminem later emphasized that “people shouldn’t be afraid to express their opinions,” stressing the importance of protecting free speech. He added, “Vice President Harris supports a future for this country where this freedom, and many others, will be protected and upheld.” See the full clip below.
Obama took the stage shortly after, where he jokingly admitted to “feeling some kind of way following Eminem.” He later reworked the lyrics to 2002’s “Lose Yourself”: “Palms were sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy/ Vomit on my sweater already, mom’s spaghetti/ I’m nervous, but on the surface, I’m calm already.”
Amid the crowd cheering, the former president humorously said, “I thought Eminem was going to be performing, and I was going to jump out.” Elsewhere, Obama also took a few jabs at Republican Party nominee Donald Trump, who visited Detroit the previous Friday (Oct. 18).
Music-wise, Eminem debuted The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce) in July. Spanning 19 tracks, it housed standout cuts like "Renaissance,” “Tobey” featuring Big Sean and BabyTron, and “Houdini,” in which he referenced Megan Thee Stallion’s 2020 shooting incident. Other guest appearances on the LP included JID, Jelly Roll, and Skylar Grey.