When thinking about Marshall Mathers, professionally known as Eminem, many usually remember his violent/irreverent rap lyrics, including talking about murdering his wife or extensively taking drugs. However, the critically acclaimed rapper changed his tune for a song where he professes having faith in Jesus.
Khaled Mohammed, a professing Muslim popularly known as DJ Khaled, a hitmaking DJ who has produced music for countless artists, released a new studio album titled God Did in 2022.
The album hit No. 1 on the iTunes chart after its release and featured a remix of Kanye West’s gospel song release titled, “Use This Gospel,” originally from his Jesus Is King album. Dr. Dre produced the remix, which now features Eminem’s verse.
The chorus begins with a declaration from West, who has professed to become a Christian in recent years. West sings, “Use this Gospel for protection. It’s a hard road to Heaven. We call on Your blessings. In the Father, we put our faith. King of the Kingdom, our demons are tremblin’. Holy angels defendin’. In the Father, we put our faith.”
Eminem begins his verse, which focuses heavily on the attacks of Satan and how God has been helping him. “Use This Gospel (Remix)” is one of the few songs on the album that does not feature explicit lyrics. Eminem raps, “I’m holding on, but I don’t know if I can take it much longer/Today’s the day that I put all of my trust and faith in You, Father/Please let this hate make me stronger ‘Fore they turn on me like a zombie/It’s like I’m being strangled unconscious/When temptation is almost like Satan is making you tryna take you away from your daughters/Danglin’ a bunch of painkillers on ya.”
Later in the verse, he says: “So my Savior I call on to rescue me from these depths of despairs/So these demons better step because He is my shepherd/I’m armed with Jesus, my weapon is prayer/Soon as I squeeze it, I’m blessed like sneezes/Call me Yeezus, I’m F’d in the head, maybe I’m bonkers/Regardless, never claimed to be flawless/Long as the mistakes I’ve acknowledged.”
Throughout the years, Eminem has openly discussed struggling with mental health issues. In times past, his dark imagery was the exact opposite of God-glorifying. But in recent years, it appears he has turned to the Bible. Eminem concluded the verse by saying: “Bible at my side like a rifle with a God-given gift/Every single day I thank God for/That’s why I pay so much homage/Praises to Jesus, I’ll always.”
According to Rapzilla, the artist who called himself a “Rap God” a few years back was praying before his shows in the early 2000s, and “Then he’d go on to rap some of the most profane hip-hop of all time.” Although Christians may find it interesting to hear one of the most profane artists of the 2000s speak so openly about Jesus in 2022, the 49-year-old is still on a journey, just like the rest of us.