EMINEM’S DECISION TO reference the kidnap of a young woman in his latest album has been the subject of debate since the release of Kamikaze, but the woman at the centre of the case has confirmed she does not feel victimised by the artist’s choice of lyric.
In 2016, Kala Brown was rescued by police in the United States after being kidnapped by serial killer, Todd Kohlhepp.
For two months prior to her rescue, Kala was chained inside a storage container – an event which Eminem references in The Ringer, the album’s first track.
Name-checking the young woman, who also witnessed the death of her boyfriend at the hands of Kohlhepp, the 45-year-old performer raps:
Savage but ain’t thinkin’ ’bout no bank account,
But bitch, I’m off the chain like Kala Brown.
The reference piqued the attention of the press and public, with many questioning whether it was appropriate to make reference to such a harrowing event.
However, representatives for Kala have assured the public that she understands Eminem’s approach to music, and she doesn’t feel personally offended by the reference.
“Thank you for the concerns. We have seen all of the attention regarding Eminem referencing Kala in one of his newly released songs,” a spokesperson confirmed.
At this time, given we fully know and understand Eminem’s style of rap music (it can come off a little unnerving) but she does not want to take offence or feel as if he is attacking her personally. It was a clever line that rhymed and we’d like to leave it at that.
Interestingly, her spokesperson argued that the reference will ensure the events endured by Kala stays fresh in the minds of the public.
Everyone expresses themselves in their own way, and if anything, people will always feel a flash of Kala’s struggle when hearing that line.
