Eminem lands on hot waters for using gunshot sound effects during his headlining set at Bonnaroo Music Festival 2018 on Saturday, June 9.
The rapper was performing the track "Kill You" from his 2000 album The Marshall Mathers LP when the loud blast resounded throughout the venue.
Eminem Criticized For Gunshot-Like Sound Effect
In a viral video posted on Twitter, fans can be seen singing along to the track. However, many screamed and ducked after the sound effect, which sounded like a gunshot, echoed from the speakers.
#EMINEM #Bonnaroo GUNSHOT pic.twitter.com/WgIeIH3Ipd — EMINEM_TOUR_UPDATES (@Eminemreviv1) June 10, 2018
The video was cut after the explosion, but many were upset by the addition of the sound effect. Several attendees reported on social media that the audience were terrified, fearing that a mass shooter was in the vicinity.
In a now-deleted tweet, social media star Andrea Russett slammed the rapper for using the sound effect and reported that some people even dropped to the floor for cover.
"I hate to be the one to say it, but being someone who suffers from very mild PTSD, it was EXTREMELY irresponsible and distasteful to end songs [with] the shotgun sound effect," she wrote. "I have grown up loving Eminem and his music but I was extremely triggered to the point of tears."
Many echoed her statement and criticized the rapper for using gunshot sound effects during his set. Apparently, about 3-4 banging sounds were heard scattered throughout the performance.
when eminem let off the gunshot sound effect at his bonnaroo set last night, the whole place went silent because we all thought it was real....im hella disappointed in slim shady now smh — jenna whalin (@jen_MCR15) June 10, 2018
coming from a performing stand point, i get the effect of sound effects on stage, but there's a certain point that cross's the line. i'm one of eminem's number 1 fans but to hear 3 gun shots coming straight from his set had me scared af. not gonna lie. especially in this world... — M (@macykatemusic) June 10, 2018
Just me or is it super inappropriate for Eminem to keep making gunshot sound effects? Like we were legitimately AFRAID for our friends in the pit till we realized it was fake. TOO REAL. NOT OKAY. #bonnaroo @Eminem @bonnaroo — Tiffany Delias (@tiffanygraciela) June 10, 2018
While the sounds of gunshots heard at the event were not real, it is understandable that festival-goers are on edge. Last year, an attacker killed 58 people and wounded more during the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas.
Less than a year after Vegas and @Eminem thinks it's a good idea to blast gun shot sfx onstage at a music festival? Bad call on this headliner @bonnaroo. What happened to Radiate Positivity? — Brad King (@BradKing32) June 10, 2018
Muse and The Killers also headlined the 2018 Bonnaroo Music Festival.
Fans Defend Eminem
In a statement to Billboard, a spokesperson for the Grammy-winning artist explained that they do not use gunshot sound effects for live shows. "[C]ontrary to inaccurate reports, Eminem does not use gunshot sound effects during his live show," they said in a statement.
"The effect used by Eminem in his set at Bonnaroo was a pyrotechnic concussion which creates a loud boom."
They also argued that Eminem and a number of other performers have been using the sound effect for years now. However, this is the first time that they have received a complaint. Loyal fans of the 48-year-old have also taken to Twitter to defend the world-renowned rapper. They revealed that Eminem has been using the sound effect on recordings and during live performances since 2000.
The Kill you outro Gunshot has been part of The Eminem live shows since 2001. Why all of a sudden is Tennessee getting all cut up about it? The millions of people who have seen Em do it haven't had a problem. You don't deserve Eminem ffs. — Mainly Eminem (@MainlyEminem) June 10, 2018
But haven't Eminem's songs always had gunshot sounds in them? — KayPotato (@Kay_Potato1) June 10, 2018
Eminem was trending on twitter because some pussies couldn't handle the gunshot sound effects on his show last night. Eminem basically is trending for being EMINEM and I love it — Shady Times (@SlimShadyTime21) June 10, 2018
Some pointed out that the "Stan" rapper also used the same sound effect when he performed a headlining set at this year's Governors Ball in New York City.
Eminem performing kill you at Governors Ball 2018 NYC You can hear the same sound at the end you idiots Watch some Eminem performance before going to one pic.twitter.com/koCMykLNpo — BIG Hawat (@eliohawat) June 10, 2018
Not for nothing this isn't the first festival Eminem has performed this year. No one cared/complained about the gunshot sound effects until little miss princess andrea russett and her friend did. LMAO — babye (@gen_natt) June 10, 2018
Eminem will perform next at the Firefly Music Festival in Dover, Delaware on Saturday, June 16.
