"The Ringer" is a song by American rapper Eminem from his album Kamikaze (2018).[3][4] The album’s opener, it was not released as a single but debuted in the top 10 in Australia, Canada, Finland, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK, and the US. [5]

"The Ringer"
Song by Eminem
from the album Kamikaze
ReleasedAugust 31, 2018
Recorded2018
GenreHip hop
Length5:37[1]
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Kamikaze track listing

Contents edit

In the song, Eminem attacks the contemporary hip hop scene, mainly artists who perform mumble rap. A few rappers he calls out on the track are Lil Yachty, Lil Pump, Lil Xan, Machine Gun Kelly, Vince Staples, NF and Iggy Azalea. He also attacks the critics who gave his previous album, Revival, negative reviews. Finally, he sends shots at U.S. president Donald Trump, similar to the presidential critiques on Revival, calling Trump "Agent Orange" and referencing Eminem's freestyle rap "The Storm"[6] from the 2017 BET Awards.[7]

Secret Service interview edit

On the song, Eminem references the U.S. Secret Service visiting him in response to lyrics on Revival perceived to be threatening towards Trump. BuzzFeed filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the Secret Service to find out if this was true. In October 2019, the agency revealed to BuzzFeed that, in response to an email from a TMZ employee pressing the Secret Service to investigate Eminem for his "threatening lyrics" about Ivanka Trump (on "Framed"), they had conducted a background check and arranged an interview, in which the interviewers read the verse out loud to Eminem—and he rapped along. The agency subsequently decided against referring the case to a federal prosecutor.[8]

Personnel edit

Charts edit

Chart (2018) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[9] 5
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[10] 14
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[11] 5
Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[12] 4
Denmark (Tracklisten)[13] 10
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[14] 8
France (SNEP)[15] 36
Germany (Official German Charts)[16] 21
Greece Digital International Singles (IFPI)[17] 3
Hungary (Stream Top 40)[18] 4
Ireland (IRMA)[19] 6
Italy (FIMI)[20] 19
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[21] 16
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[22] 2
Norway (VG-lista)[23] 5
Portugal (AFP)[24] 5
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[25] 3
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[26] 8
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[27] 3
UK Singles (OCC)[28] 4
US Billboard Hot 100[29] 8
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[30] 7

Certifications edit

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[31] Gold 35,000
Canada (Music Canada)[32] Platinum 80,000
Portugal (AFP)[33] Gold 5,000
United Kingdom (BPI)[34] Silver 200,000
United States (RIAA)[35] Platinum 1,000,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References edit

  1. ^ "The Ringer - Eminem on Spotify". Spotify. August 31, 2018. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  2. ^ Kamikaze (liner notes). Eminem. Shady Records. 2018.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  3. ^ Hughes, William (August 31, 2018). "Eminem Drops a Surprise Album, Raps About Venom". The A.V. Club. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  4. ^ Park, Andrea (September 1, 2018). "Eminem Drops Surprise Album "Kamikaze". CBS News.
  5. ^ Nyren, Erin (August 30, 2018). "Eminem Drops New Album Kamikaze". Variety. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  6. ^ Victor, Daniel (August 31, 2018). "Eminem Addresses Trump Rap in Surprise Album Kamikaze". The New York Times. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  7. ^ Livsey, Anna (October 11, 2017). "Eminem Unleashes Freestyle Rap Attack on 'Kamikaze, Racist, Orange' Trump". The Guardian. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  8. ^ Leopold, Jason (October 24, 2019). "TMZ Emailed The Secret Service About Eminem's Trump Lyrics. Agents Then Investigated The Rapper". BuzzFeed News. Retrieved October 25, 2019.
  9. ^ "Eminem – The Ringer". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  10. ^ "Eminem – The Ringer" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  11. ^ "Eminem Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  12. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – SINGLES DIGITAL – TOP 100 and insert 201836 into search. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
  13. ^ "Track Top-40 Uge 36, 2018". Hitlisten. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  14. ^ "Eminem: The Ringer" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  15. ^ "Top Singles (téléchargement + streaming) – Semaine du 07 Septembre 2018" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  16. ^ "Eminem – The Ringer" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  17. ^ "Official IFPI Charts – Digital Singles Chart (International) – Week: 36/2018". IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on September 17, 2018. Retrieved September 17, 2018.
  18. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Stream Top 40 slágerlista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved September 15, 2018.
  19. ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Eminem". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  20. ^ "Eminem – The Ringer". Top Digital Download. Retrieved October 14, 2018.
  21. ^ "Eminem – The Ringer" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  22. ^ "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. September 17, 2018. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  23. ^ "Eminem – The Ringer". VG-lista. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  24. ^ "Eminem – The Ringer". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  25. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select SINGLES DIGITAL - TOP 100 and insert 201836 into search. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
  26. ^ "Sverigetopplistan – Sveriges Officiella Topplista". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  27. ^ "Eminem – The Ringer". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  28. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  29. ^ Trust, Gary (September 10, 2018). "Drake's 'In My Feelings' Leads Hot 100 For Ninth Week". Billboard. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  30. ^ "Eminem Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  31. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2018 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved December 19, 2018.
  32. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Eminem – The Ringer". Music Canada. Retrieved September 19, 2018.
  33. ^ "Portuguese single certifications – Eminem – The Ringer" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
  34. ^ "British single certifications – Eminem – The Ringer". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
  35. ^ "American single certifications – Eminem – The Ringer". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved March 31, 2022.