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Bon Iver's Justin Vernon wants to 'kill' controversial Eminem track

Artist said he asked Eminem not to use his vocals on the track after hearing the rapper's diss against Tyler, the Creator

Roisin O'Connor
Music Correspondent
Saturday 01 September 2018 09:06 BST
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Everyone Eminem attacks on surprise new album Kamikaze, from Donald Trump to Tyler the Creator

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Justin Vernon has spoken out after his vocals were used on a controversial track that featured on Eminem's surprise new album Kamikaze.

The singer, who usually performs as Bon Iver, was featured on "Fall", in which Eminem insults fellow rapper Tyler, the Creator.

In the offending verse, Eminem raps: “Tyler create nothing, I see why you called yourself a faggot, bitch/It’s not just ‘cause you lack attention/It’s ‘cause you worship D12’s balls, you’re sac-rilegious/If you’re gonna critique me, you better at least be as good or better."

Many fans questioned why Vernon, who tweets under the user name @blobtower, had collaborated on a song which used a homophobic slur.

Responding to criticism, he said he had not been in the studio for the Eminem track and was "not a fan of the message" it sent out.

“Came from a session with BJ Burton and Mike Will. Not a fan of the message, it’s tired. Asked them to change the track, wouldn’t do it," he wrote.

He then added that he thought Eminem is “one of the best rappers of all time” but called him out for attacking a younger artist. "This is not the time to criticize Youth," he said, "it’s the time to listen. To act. It is certainly not the time for slurs.”

Vernon also revealed that he asked for the song to be changed: “Wish they would have listened when we asked them to change it.”

He added: “I was wrong and we are gonna kill this track.”

Elsewhere on Kamikaze, Eminem takes aim at a number of other figures, including more fellow rappers, US president Donald Trump, and music journalists who wrote negative comments about his last record Revival.

See the full list of disses on the album here.

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