NEW DOCUMENTS HAVE revealed that rapper Eminem was interviewed by the US Secret Service over alleged “threatening lyrics” about Donald Trump and his daughter Ivanka, which appeared on a song from his Revival album released last year.
The rapper has been critical of Trump and in 2017 released a video performance of a freestyle rap directed at the US president.
US news site Buzzfeed now reports details of documents received under Freedom of Information, which shows the Secret Service sought an interview with the rapper, whose real name is Marshall Mathers.
One document shows the case was prompted by correspondence it received from individuals described as “concerned citizens” on the back of the album’s release, while another document identifies a TMZ employee as the person who reported it.
The Secret Service file notes the ‘Direction of Interest’ as ‘Exhibits Inappropriate Behaviour’ under the heading of Donald Trump.
Under the heading of ‘Ivanka Trump’ it cites ‘threatens protectee’ as its reason of interest.
One song on the album, Framed, which the rapper was questioned about states: “I’m almost certain I was framed. Woke up, it was dawn, musta’ knew somethin’ was wrong. Think I’m becomin’ a monster ’cause of the drugs that I’m on.”
It continues: “Donald Duck’s on, there’s a Tonka Truck in the yard. But dog, how the fuck is Ivanka Trump in the trunk of my car?”.
An interview was carried out by agents on 16 January 2018.
One document notes that “this is not the first time Mathers made threatening comments towards POTUS and his family. In June 2017, Mathers freestyled comments that were threatening in nature towards POTUS”.
Buzzfeed first sought access to the documents under FOI in October 2018 and some 40 pages of documents were released on Wednesday.
In August 2018, a song on the album Kamikaze – the second album released by Eminem last year – makes reference to the January interview.
The song The Ringer states: “Cause Agent Orange just sent the Secret Service. To meet in person to see if I really think of hurtin’ him. Or ask if I’m linked to terrorists. I said ‘only when it comes to ink and lyricists’.”
The case was “non-referred” to a federal prosecutor.
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