White America

(album: The Eminem Show - 2002)

America, we love you
How many people are proud to be citizens of this beautiful country of ours
The stripes and the stars for the rights that men have died for to protect the women and men who have broke their necks for the freedom of speech the United States Government has sworn to uphold
(Yo', I want everybody to listen to the words of this song) or so we're told

I never would've dreamed in a million years I'd see
So many motherfucking people who feel like me
Who share the same views and the same exact beliefs
It's like a fucking army marching in back of me

So many lives I touched, so much anger aimed
In no particular direction, just sprays and sprays
And straight through your radio waves it plays and plays
'Til it stays stuck in your head for days and days

Who would've thought, standing in this mirror bleaching my hair
With some peroxide reaching for a T-shirt to wear
That I would catapult to the forefront of rap like this?
How could I predict my words would have an impact like this?

I must've struck a chord, with somebody up in the office
Cause Congress keeps telling me I ain't causing nothing but problems
And now they're saying I'm in trouble with the government
I'm loving it
I shoveled shit all my life
And now I'm dumping it on

White America, I could be one of your kids
White America, little Eric looks just like this
White America, Erica loves my shit
I go to TRL, look how many hugs I get
White America, I could be one of your kids
White America, little Eric looks just like this
White America, Erica loves my shit
I go to TRL, look how many hugs I get

Look at these eyes, baby blue, baby just like yourself
If they were brown, Shady lose, Shady sits on the shelf
But Shady's cute, Shady knew, Shady's dimples would help
Make ladies swoon, baby—ooh, baby!—look at my sales

Let's do the math, if I was black, I would've sold half, I
Ain't have to graduate from Lincoln High School to know that
But I could rap, so fuck school, I'm too cool to go back
Gimme the mic, show me where the fucking studio's at

When I was underground, no one gave a fuck I was white
No labels wanted to sign me, almost gave up, I was like
"Fuck it!" until I met Dre, the only one to look past
Gave me a chance, and I lit a fire up under his ass

Helped him get back to the top, every fan black that I got
Was probably his in exchange for every white fan that he's got
Like damn, we just swapped, sitting back looking at shit, wow
I'm like my skin is just starting to work to my benefit now
It's

White America, I could be one of your kids
White America, little Eric looks just like this
White America, Erica loves my shit
I go to TRL, look how many hugs I get
White America, I could be one of your kids
White America, little Eric looks just like this
White America, Erica loves my shit
I go to TRL, look how many hugs I get

See the problem is I speak to suburban kids
Who otherwise would've never knew these words exist
Whose moms probably would've never gave two squirts of piss
'Til I created so much motherfucking turbulence

Straight out the tube right into your living rooms I came
And kids flipped when they knew I was produced by Dre
That's all it took, and they were instantly hooked right in
And they connected with me too because I looked like them

That's why they put my lyrics up under this microscope
Searching with a fine tooth comb, it's like this rope
Waiting to choke
Tightening around my throat
Watching me while I write this
Like I don't like this
Nope

All I hear is lyrics, lyrics, constant controversy
Sponsors working 'round the clock to try to stop my concerts early
Surely hip-hop was never a problem
In Harlem
Only in Boston
After it bothered the fathers of daughters starting to blossom

So now I'm catching the flak
From these activists when they ragging
Acting like I'm the first rapper
To smack a bitch, or say "faggot"

Shit, just look at me like I'm your closest pal
The posterchild
The motherfucking spokesman now for

White America, I could be one of your kids
White America, little Eric looks just like this
White America, Erica loves my shit
I go to TRL, look how many hugs I get
White America, I could be one of your kids
White America, little Eric looks just like this
White America, Erica loves my shit
I go to TRL, look how many hugs I get

So to the parents of America
I am the Derringer aimed at little Erica
To attack her character
The ringleader of this circus of worthless pawns
Sent to lead the march right up to the steps of congress
And piss on the lawns of the White House
To burn the flag and replace it with a Parental Advisory sticker
To spit liquor
In the faces of in this democracy of hypocrisy

Fuck you, Ms. Cheney
Fuck you, Tipper Gore
Fuck you with the freest of speech this Divided States of Embarrassment will allow me to have
Fuck you

I'm just playing, America, you know, I love you