*Note* All the underlined words are active links!
I know many people love Rihanna and Eminem but sometimes musical artists do things that make me go.. “Are they crazy or just plain stupid? or both?”
As most people know Rihanna ended a relationship with Chris Brown which was abusive leading to Chris Brown being charged with two felonies 1. Making Criminal Threats 2. Felony Assault and then being released on $50,000 bail. The verdict on Chris Brown was he pleaded guilty to felony assault in exchange for an adjusted sentence that includes no jail time and the dropping of a ‘making criminal threats’ charge.
So in light of all this.. then Rihanna and Eminem come out with the music video “Love the Way You Lie.” Which if you watch it seems on the surface like a usual music video – until you really listen to and read the lyrics. Its talking about an abusive relationship which is something both Eminem and Rihanna have been in.
Still the lyrics of this video say something completely different – and advocate for a violent abusive relationship.
“Just gonna stand there, And watch me burn
But that’s alright, Because I like ,The way it hurts”
Rihanna – if your trying to not fall into blaming the victim or say that people liked to be abused – you just FAILED miserably.
“Now you’re getting fucking sick of looking at ’em
You swore you’ve never hit ’em, Never do nothing to hurt ’em.”
“Don’t you hear sincerity in my voice when I talk
Told you this is my fault , Look me in the eyeball
Next time I’m pissed, I’ll aim my fist
At the dry wall”
Eminem does a great job lyrically of painting the picture of the cycle of violence but what this song really does is glamorize abuse. Especially when the last lines of the song before returning to Rihanna’s chorus are ,
“I’m tired of the games
I just want her back,I know I’m a liar
If she ever tries to fucking leave again, I’m gonna tie her to the bed
And set the house on fire.”
Umm.. Eminem you remember that song you did called Stan ? Well that’s what could happen with this video if some abuser listens to “Love the way you lie,” and takes from the message in the lyrics and video – Wow – Eminem is all into abuse.
See the rest of the video here –Love the Way You Lie – if you haven’t checked it out already.
If they wanted to talk about abusive relationships why didn’t they do something that was more along the lines of Ludicris’s featuring Mary J. Blige’s “Runaway Away Love,” – which is a whole lot more positive and tells not just one story but multiple ones? It also tells the victim to get help! Which is what we really want our victims to do. Check that video out here – Runaway Love .
Sorry Rihanna and Eminem but your video and song was a epic FAIL for the relationship abuse and prevention community.
American Muslimahs Musings 
Eminem has spoken openly about his unhealthy relationship with his wife Kim Mathers. The lyrics in this song, as well as lyrics in all his songs, illustrate his life (aka are personal accounts rather than facts like other songs similar to this)–both positive and negative aspects. Believe it or not but Eminem has been the abusive one in his relationship and that’s what the lyrics are about. The video does actually bring light–maybe one that most might not be comfortable with–to domestic violence. Abuse is not something that should be taken lightly or sugarcoated, so I like Em and Rihanna’s interpretation. It’s real and raw. The story shows the opposite side as it shows the cycle of an abusive relationship: the honeymoon stage moving to the dangerous/violent stage, and back again. The story isn’t meant to show the victim’s side, because in life, there are two sides to every story. This song is mostly meant, not for the victims or the offenders, but for people who haven’t experienced an abusive relationship; it’s meant to give insight before someone is caught in a relationship like that. Once someone is in, the victim maybe too blind by infatuation to think that he/she might be in an unhealthy relationship aka Rihanna. Just my opinion.
I know Eminem has spoken openly about his relationship with his wife. However I feel that if your not informed or working in the field as I was with youth I am going to have to disagree with you. I talked with my youth specifically about this song – and they agree its misleading and that Eminem and Rihanna could have done a way better job. I really appreciate your comments and highly value the discourse! InshaAllah you will continue to read the blog and comment.