He apologizes for falling off the wagon and vows that he will not go there. He goes off beat when he says “I shouldn’t have to rhyme these words in a rhythm / For you to know it’s a rap.” He purposely goes off beat to say that he doesn’t have to rhyme these words. In the second verse of “Not Afraid,” Eminem not just conveys his empowering message but also shows off a bit. It is as if he is married to the game! Verse 2 This addiction ad talent to music is also his gift and curse. He will still keep on doing what he loves–hip hop. He has a big ‘FU’ to those people because this time he is taking a stand.Įm also mentions his discography from ‘Infinite’ to ‘Relapse’ (the latest at the time) and says that he has zero time for critiques who say smack about them. Em says that there were people who loved seeing him go down the rabbit hole and never see the sunlight again. This is the same attitude that got him addicted to drugs, but in a more positive circumstance such as recovery, it is still the best attitude to have. Next, he goes on to say that it really does not matter what the world thinks about him, he is going to do whatever pleases him.
It isn’t the same motivation to read the same lyrics off a page. Verse 1Įminem starts off the first verse by saying that let him tell these words out loud so that you can hear better. “Not Afraid” won a Grammy Award in 2011 for ‘Best Rap Solo Performance’ and MTV VMAs for ‘Best Male Video’ and ‘Best Hip Hop Video’ for the song’s music video.ĥ4.5K We will be looking forward for his 12-year sobriety token in April 2020. By June 2014, RIAA certified the song 10x Platinum for over 10 million sales in the USA alone. Previously Eminem’s singles “ Lose Yourself” and “Crack A Bottle” have debuted at #1 on Billboard Hot 100. The song also debuted at #1 on Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, a feat that only 16 other songs have accomplished in the chart’s history. The song was an instant hit, selling over 380,000 copies in the first week of release. “Not Afraid” was released as the first single off of Eminem’s seventh studio album ‘Recovery’ on April 29, 2010. Why? Let us take a look at the history, lyrics, and meaning behind this track. Abandoning his usual crazy, whacky, fun and hilarious lyrics, this song spills out Eminem’s vow to stand back up on his own two feet. Dubbed as one of Eminem’s greatest hits, the single “Not Afraid” comes out in a time of self-healing for the Detroit rapper.