Fall (Eminem song)
{{Short description|2018 single by Eminem}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Fall
| cover =
| alt =
| caption =
| type = single
| artist = Eminem
| album = Kamikaze
| released = September 4, 2018
| recorded = 2018
| genre = Hip hop
| length = {{duration|m=4|s=22}}
| label = * Shady
| writer = * Marshall Mathers
| producer = * Mike Will Made It
- Eminem
| tracks = {{Kamikaze track listing}}
| misc = {{Extra chronology
| artist = Eminem
| type = single
| prev_title = Remind Me" (Italy only)
"Caterpillar
| prev_year = 2018
| title = Fall
| year = 2018
| next_title = Killshot
| next_year = 2018}}
{{External music video|{{YouTube|MfTbHITdhEI|"Fall"}}
}}
}}
"Fall" is a song by American rapper Eminem from his 2018 album Kamikaze. It was sent to Italian and UK contemporary hit radio on September 14, 2018, as the album's first single.{{cite web|url=http://radiodate.it/radio-date/eminem-fall-178270-14-09-2018-radiodate/|title=Fall (Radio Date: 14-9-2018)|access-date=October 7, 2018|language=it}}{{cite web|url=https://www.spin.com/2018/10/eminem-venom-video/|title=Video: Eminem – "Venom"|date=October 5, 2018|access-date=October 7, 2018}}{{cite web | title=Lord Jamar Thinks Eminem's Diss Towards Him on "Fall" Is Wack | website=XXL Mag | date=September 11, 2018 | url=https://www.xxlmag.com/lord-jamar-wack-eminem-fall-diss-response/ | access-date=September 7, 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/eminem_says_his_homophobic_tyler_the_creator_diss_on_fall_went_too_far|title=Eminem Says His Homophobic Tyler, the Creator Diss on 'Fall' Went 'Too Far'|website=Exclaim!}} This song takes shots at rapper Tyler, the Creator.
Content
The song features uncredited vocals by American singer Justin Vernon, who performed the chorus and was credited as one of the co-writers.{{cite web|url=https://www.thefader.com/2018/08/31/eminem-kamikaze-album-credits|work=The Fader|access-date=October 12, 2018|title=Here are the full album credits for Eminem's Kamikaze|author=David Ranshaw|date=August 31, 2018}}
As other tracks from the album, "Fall" criticizes the contemporary hip-hop scene, dissing Joe Budden, DJ Akademiks, and Tyler, the Creator, among others.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/hip-hop/8473735/eminem-kamikaze-album-lyrics-list|magazine=Billboard|author=Mark Elibert|access-date=October 12, 2018|title=The 10 Most Vicious Lyrics on Eminem's 'Kamikaze': Critic's Picks|date=September 10, 2018}}
The slur used to describe Tyler, the Creator, "faggot", generated controversy, with fans writing against Eminem on social media, and some fellow recording artists, including Imagine Dragons' Dan Reynolds and Australian singer Troye Sivan, publicly criticizing his lyrics.{{cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/eminem-fire-using-gay-slur-new-album-kamikaze-154959924.html|publisher=Yahoo! Music|author=Erin Donnelly|title=Eminem under fire for using gay slur on new album 'Kamikaze'|date=August 31, 2018|access-date=October 12, 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/imagine-dragons-dan-reynolds-fires-back-eminem-using-homophobic-language-kamikaze-2373755|work=NME|title=Imagine Dragons' Dan Reynolds fires back at Eminem for using 'homophobic' language on 'Kamikaze'|author=Andrew Trendell|access-date=October 12, 2018|date=September 4, 2018}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/pride/8475502/troye-sivan-eminem-homophobic-slur-interview|magazine=Billboard|title=Troye Sivan Calls Out Eminem's Use of Homophobic Slurs: 'I Don't Think There's Ever Really a Reason'|author=Joshua Bote|date=September 17, 2018|access-date=October 12, 2018}} Justin Vernon distanced himself from the song's message, claiming he was not in the studio while Eminem recorded his vocals, and revealing he asked Eminem's entourage to change it, without any result.{{cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/bon-ivers-justin-vernon-distances-himself-from-eminems-fall-718176/|work=Rolling Stone|title=Bon Iver's Justin Vernon Distances Himself From Eminem's 'Fall'|author=Brendan Klinkenberg|date=August 31, 2018|access-date=October 12, 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.spin.com/2018/08/eminem-bon-iver-justin-vernon-new-song-not-a-fan/|work=Spin|title=Justin Vernon Says He's "Not a Fan of the Message" of His New Eminem Collaboration|author=Winston Cook-Wilson|date=August 31, 2018|access-date=October 12, 2018}}
Interviewed by Sway, Eminem discussed his verses, claiming he knew he went "too far" with calling Tyler a "faggot", and apologized "because in my quest to hurt him, I realize that I was hurting a lot of other people by saying it".{{cite web|url=https://people.com/music/eminem-apologizes-homophopic-slur-kamikaze/|work=People|title=Eminem Apologizes for Using Homophobic Slur in New Song, Says He Went 'Too Far'|date=September 14, 2018|author=Maura Hohman|access-date=October 12, 2018}} Several years later, Tyler, The Creator also apologized to Eminem.{{cite magazine |title=Tyler, the Creator Apologizes to Eminem Over 'Recovery' Album Criticism: 'I Felt So Bad' |magazine=Billboard |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/tyler-the-creator-apology-eminem-recovery-1235752975/ |access-date=14 August 2024}}
Music video
On September 4, 2018, Eminem released a music video for the song, directed by James Larese.{{cite web|url=https://consequence.net/2018/09/eminem-fall-music-video/|work=Consequence of Sound|access-date=October 13, 2018|title=Eminem runs from the specter of his critics in video for Justin Vernon-featuring "Fall": Watch|author=Ben Kaye|date=September 4, 2018}} It was the first video to be released from Kamikaze.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/hip-hop/8473431/eminem-fall-video|magazine=Billboard|access-date=October 12, 2018|title=Eminem Takes Aim at His Critics In 'Fall': Watch|author=Carl Lamarre|date=September 4, 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.thefader.com/2018/09/04/eminem-fall-music-video-tyler-the-creator|author=Jordan Darville|title=Eminem's Fall music video censors homophobic Tyler, The Creator diss|date=September 4, 2018|access-date=October 12, 2018}} The video completely cut out the word "faggot" instead of having it back masked, like in the original song.{{Cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/amp/articles/columns/hip-hop/8473431/eminem-fall-video|title=Eminem Takes Aim at His Critics In 'Fall': Watch|date=September 4, 2018|website=www.billboard.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/eminem-critics-new-video-fall-2374074|title=Watch Eminem take on his critics in new video for controversial song 'Fall'|first=Elizabeth|last=Aubrey|website=NME |date=September 4, 2018}}
Track listing
;Digital download
{{track_listing
| extra_column = Producer(s)
| title1 = Fall
| note1 =
| writer1 = {{hlist|Marshall Mathers|BJ Burton|Luis Resto|Justin Vernon|Michael Williams II}}
| extra1 = {{hlist|Mike Will Made It|Eminem}}
| length1 = {{duration|m=4|s=22}}
}}
Charts
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|award=Platinum|number=2|artist=Eminem|title=Fall|type=single|access-date=June 29, 2024|relyear=2018|certyear=2024}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Brazil|artist=Eminem|title=Fall|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2018|certyear=2024|access-date=June 13, 2024}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|award=Gold|artist=Eminem|title=Fall|type=single|access-date=September 19, 2018|relyear=2018|certyear=2018}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Denmark|type=single|award=Gold|relyear=2018|certyear=2025|artist=Eminem|title=Fall|access-date=March 23, 2025|id=15174}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|award=Platinum|artist=Eminem|title=Fall|type=single|access-date=December 18, 2024|relyear=2018|certyear=2022|source=radioscope}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|award=Gold|relyear=2018|certyear=2023|artist=Eminem|title=Fall|access-date=December 1, 2023|id=15480-438-1}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|award=Platinum|relyear=2018|certyear=2022|artist=Eminem|title=Fall|access-date=March 8, 2022}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|streaming=true|noshipments=true}}
Release history
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |
| Region
! Date ! Format ! Label ! {{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
|---|
| scope="row"| Italy
| rowspan="2"| September 14, 2018 | rowspan="2"| Contemporary hit radio |
| scope="row"| United Kingdom
| Polydor | {{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/playlist |title=BBC – Radio 1 – Playlist |publisher=BBC Radio 1 |date=September 14, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180916015039/http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/playlist|archive-date=September 16, 2018|access-date=September 14, 2018}} |
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Eminem songs}}
{{authority control}}
Category:LGBTQ-related controversies in music
Category:Song recordings produced by BJ Burton
Category:Song recordings produced by Eminem
Category:Song recordings produced by Mike Will Made It
Category:Songs written by BJ Burton
Category:Songs written by Eminem
Category:Songs written by Mike Will Made It