Positive or Negative? Eminem and Rihanna's new song "I Love the Way You Lie"

Ever since Eminem released his new hit song, “I Love the Way You Lie” featuring Rihanna, there has been controversy over the message it is sending about domestic abuse. Debate got even louder when the video was released. I have heard people speak to both sides of the argument. Some feel that the song is awful and glorifies domestic abuse, while others feel that it is a song that embodies what the people in abusive relationships are going through. Both Eminem and Rihanna have dealt with the issue of domestic abuse, Eminem as an abuser and Rihanna as a survivor of abuse. So, this pairing and the song itself seem like it actually might be a personal statement about abuse and be meant to get the conversation going. The video seems to confirm this.




Of course, many people (myself included) have taken a whack at trying to analyze this video and the meaning of the lyrics, but these are all only speculative. To me, it doesn’t really matter what side people take on the video’s intention, as long as they are engaging in conversation about the issue and impact of domestic abuse. Somewhere, someone in an abusive relationship might be touched by the song or outraged by it. Either way, it has sparked discussion about domestic abuse, a conversation that is normally left in the dark. The most important thing to do now is to take something positive from this whole thing, despite what the artist’s intentions were. Megan Fox donated her entire paycheck from the video to a center for battered women and children. So, clearly some good is coming from this song.