Even with all the accolades, record sales, and the solidified legacy, Eminem leads off “Higher” stating that he’s still got more to prove. With the competitive nature of Hip Hop emceeing, there’s truth to that. The imagery of Eminem as an MMA fighter in the music video for “Higher” continuously in the gym ever preparing for the next battle or the next contender to overcome is an apt one. Especially when considering Em is the highest selling and one of the most lyrically nimble emcees to ever stand before the world, yet in recent years he’s been dogged by criticism from the younger generation and older heads as being either overrated or acknowledged as skilled but not listenable or top five material; à la Snoop Dogg. One thing is for sure though, Shady still has a lot more in the tank and shouldn’t be underestimated.
The depiction of an emcee as being a fighter is a common one and the visual similarity of the official music video to LL Cool J’s “Mama Said Knock You Out” video isn’t missed. I’d imagine this was Mathers’ way of paying homage to LL instead of a challenge.
The theme fits well enough for the context but my gripe with the video though is the inclusion of the UFC’s Dana White. Eminem famously made a very aggressive anti-Donald Trump stand in his a capella BET Hip Hop Awards Freestyle Cypher in 2017. Dana White is a big Trump supporter who praised and smoke highly of him over the years, so it doesn’t make sense to me that Eminem would include him in any projects. Admittedly this took me aback and his inclusion is the reason the video is absent in this post and won’t be included on this site.
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