Football fans throughout the 2024 NFL playoffs have likely seen Eminem, the great Detroit rapper known for songs like “Lose Yourself,” pop up on various commercials and on the sidelines of his beloved Detroit Lions football team. For the lyricist, who also performed at halftime of the 2022 Super Bowl with Dr. Dre and others, his connection with his hometown team seems close.
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As a fan, he’s well aware of his team’s history. (Check out this clip of Eminem on HBO’s Hard Knocks visiting with the team last year, even volunteering to suit up.) While the Lions are many fans’ darling in this year’s playoffs, that fan following is born after years—decades—of suffering and losing. Prior to the team’s win last weekend over the Los Angeles Rams, the Lions hadn’t won a playoff game since 1992. In between, the team even suffered the worst fate any NFL team can in a single year.
[RELATED: Eminem Makes an Offer the Detroit Lions Surely Will Refuse: “I’m Around for Sunday”]
And in the 2013 song from Eminem, “Legacy,” from his album, The Marshall Mathers LP 2, the Detroit native wasn’t afraid to cite that era in his lyrics.
Five Years Before
The year was 2008 and the Detroit Lions were off to a bad start with losses to Atlanta, Green Bay and San Francisco. But it only got worse, with 13 more losses in row to teams like the Minnesota Vikings, Tennessee Titans and Indianapolis Colts. Indeed, the team went winless, 0-16 during the season, forcing fans to put bags over their heads.
Over the interim fifteen years, or so, the team made major moves. Drafting good players, setting a plan and working to execute that. But still, it wasn’t easy. Still the team endured much losing, rarely getting to the postseason and never winning. Now, though, the team is finally out of the basement of the NFL and part of its final eight teams, thanks in part to their latest coach, Dan Campbell.
Eminem Never Forgets
But Eminem didn’t forget 2008 when he was writing his empowering 2013 song, “Legacy.” In the song’s final verse, Em brings in the NFL references, rapping,
Me against the world.
So what I’m Brian Dawkins
versus the whole 0-16 Lions offense
so bring on the Giants, Falcons
and Miami Dolphins.
The idea is that Em is one of the best defensive players of that time (Philly’s Brian Dawkins) going up the weakest of competition (the 0-16 Lions offense) and so, pumping himself up, he’s set to win no matter what. Never shy, Eminem pushes himself again.
NFL Fandom
In the end, it’s true fans who can talk smack about their own teams. It’s like family, an older brother can chide his younger brother, but don’t let anyone outside the family do it. So, here, Eminem is just exercising his right as a diehard Lions fan.
And throughout the rest of the song, Eminem talks about bad times that he’s turned to good ones. Tough times, he’s flipped on their heads. So, in that way, the Lions are the perfect analogy for a rags to riches transformation. In “Legacy,” Em adds,
I used to be the type of kid that would always think the sky is falling
Now I think the fact that I’m differently wired’s awesome
‘Cause if I wasn’t I wouldn’t be able to work
Words like this and connect lines like crosswords
And use my enemy’s words as strength (strength)
To try and draw from, and get inspired off ’em
The only question now is: Will the Lions continue to follow in Eminem’s footsteps? Will they win on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers? Maybe a little rap music from their No. 1 fan will help! (And who knows, maybe all this attention will push Em to be the headliner for the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show?)
Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images
