The Storm: Eminem stuns with freestyle attack on Trump

Eminem has set social media alight with “The Storm”, a searing four-minute freestyle attack on Donald Trump recorded for the BET Hip Hop Awards.

In spare, acappella bars, the rapper - real name Marshall Mathers III - accuses the president of hypocrisy, racism and disrespect of military veterans.

Comparing Trump to a “racist grandpa”, Eminem warns that he could drag the US into a “nuclear holocaust” and mocks Trump supporters calling for a wall along the Mexican border.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

He also accuses the president of exploiting the polarising protests to distract from other issues, such as the country’s failure to come to the aid of hurricane-hit Puerto Rico and the question of gun control raised by the recent massacre in Las Vegas.

The intense, emotionally charged verses struck a chord with many on Twitter:

The rapper's word wizardry was out in full force in the four-minute clip, with fans including basketball star Lebron James trading their favourite lines:

He ended the four minute freestyle with a tribute to Colin Kaepernick, the football player who began the standing protests - earning him thanks from the sportsman and activist:

As the savagery of the attack sank in, rap fans pondered whether they could expect an answering diss track from the president, well known for biting back at his critics: