Michigan took a major W this week as Abdul El-Sayed beat Mike Rogers for the Michigan Senate seat. But as voters headed to the polls, El-Sayed came through with an election day ad featuring music from none other than Eminem. The Detroit MC’s 2010 single, “Not Afraid,” set the tone for the minute-and-18-second ad. The montage features the song playing as El-Sayed meets with Michiganders and hosts rallies.
It should be noted that Eminem’s spokesperson denied that El-Sayed’s campaign reached out to him to use his music in the ad. But the fact that there wasn’t a cease-and-desist sent in the same way he did for Vivek Ramaswamy in 2023 indicates that Em wasn’t all the way mad about his song’s inclusion in the ad.
What’s even more interesting is that this comes after Eminem’s horrendous collaboration with Kid Rock, a staunch MAGA Republican who drew comparisons between the Michigan Senator and 9/11 hijackers during an appearance on Real Time With Bill Maher. Their song, “Heal My Faith,” centered around their bond outside of their politics, especially since Em leans toward the Democrats.
Eminem's "Not Afraid" Used In Ad
In the past, Em has endorsed Kamala Harris and even allowed Joe Biden to use his song “Lose Yourself” in an ad, per Complex.
El-Sayed evidently has some sort of appreciation for hip-hop since Eminem isn’t the only rapper whose music he’s used during his campaign. He also had another ad that included Kendrick Lamar’s “Euphoria,” which is undoubtedly a strong song choice when the stakes are high.
We will continue to keep you posted on any further updates on Eminem and Abdul El-Sayed. Check the video out above and let us know your thoughts in the comments.
