Social media exploded following Eminem’s appearance on “Saturday Night Live” over the weekend, but maybe not in the way the rapper might have hoped. From Twitter to blogs, people seemed outraged that Em used a backing track during his performance, instantly labeling it “lip-syncing.”
Eminem openly admitted to using a vocal track underneath his live rapping for songs “Berzerk” and “Survival,” but that the live performance aspects are still there, he claims.
The dense layers of vocals and samples on “Berzerk” — the first of his two songs on “SNL” — made for a more confusing viewing experience; there could have been other contributing factors like Em’s microphone levels being too low or a poor sound mix.
Additionally, rappers regularly use backing tracks for live performances to beef up their lyrics, which can get lost in a loud live show.
Eminem is on the trail promoting his new album “The Marshall Mathers LP 2,” out tomorrow (Nov. 5). Stream it here.
What do you think: do you feel betrayed by Eminem’s use of backing vocals? Do you think it’s fair for people to accuse him of lip-syncing?