Eminem Accused of Cultural Appropriation Over Old Music Video

Eminem is facing criticism for cultural appropriation after an old music video resurfaced online.

The video in question is from “My Band,” a 2004 song by Eminem and D12. At the end of the video, Eminem is dressed as a matador, while D12 members wear Mariachi-style outfits. In the scene, Eminem sings about how his “salsa” makes pretty girls want to dance—a moment that some now find inappropriate.

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Why the Controversy Now?

For nearly 20 years, this part of the video remained largely unnoticed. However, a similar controversy recently erupted when rapper Tyga released a video for his song “Ay Caramba.” In the video, Tyga wore an outfit that many considered a stereotype of Mexican culture, leading to heavy backlash.

Facing criticism, Tyga publicly apologized to the Mexican community, saying:

“I have a lot of Latin fans who weren’t offended, but some of my Mexican fans in L.A. definitely were.”

This incident led people to question why Eminem hasn’t faced similar backlash for his 2004 video.

Mixed Reactions from Fans

Some fans believe Eminem should be held accountable:

“Why isn’t there outrage over Eminem doing this?”
“Why isn’t anyone demanding an apology from him?”

However, many others—especially those from the Hispanic community—say they don’t find it offensive:

“I loved this scene as a kid! And I’m Puerto Rican.”
“As a Hispanic, we really don’t care enough to cancel someone over this.”

Did People Have a Problem With It Back Then?

When “My Band” was first released, the video didn’t spark any major controversy. In fact, it was even nominated for multiple MTV Video Music Awards, including Video of the Year.

This situation raises a larger discussion about how views on cultural appropriation have changed over the years—and whether past content should be judged by today’s standards.