*Eminem had people running and ducking for cover Saturday night (June 9) when he played fake gunshot sounds during his headlining set at the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Tennessee, reports Billboard.
The series of loud blasts rang out during Eminem’s performance of “Kill You,” from his 2000 album, The Marshall Mathers LP. In the wake of last year’s deadly mass shooting at the Route 91 country music festival in Las Vegas, folks weren’t waiting around to see if the shots were real or just sound effects.
But a spokesman for Eminem told Billboard in an email that “contrary to inaccurate reports, Eminem does not use gunshot sound effects during his live show. The effect used by Eminem in his set at Bonnaroo was a pyrotechnic concussion which creates a loud boom. He has used this effect – as have hundreds of other artists – in his live show for over 10 years, including previous U.S. festival dates, without complaint.”
Social media star Andrea Russett was one of many in attendance at the Manchester, Tenn., festival who was traumatized by the sounds during Eminem’s set.
“I hate to be the one to say it, but being someone who suffers from very mild PTSD, it was EXTREMELY irresponsible and distasteful to end songs w the shot gun sound effect,” Russett tweeted. “I have grown up loving eminem and his music but i was extremely triggered to the point of tears.”
She continued, “To hear a gun shot sound effect and see the entire crowd drop to the floor out of instinct is not funny, cute, or amusing. this is the sad reality that we are living. this is not funny or even something to be joked about.”
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@AndreaRussett @sandwahhh @macykatemusic found this on instagram, the way everyone screams and the camera drops is terrifying pic.twitter.com/mZRwdqoWB4
— Sydney (@Sydneyheight1) June 10, 2018
Some fans came to Eminem’s defense, noting that the hip-hop star has used the gunshot sound effects during past performances.
“Eminem has ended Kill You with the gun shot effects for (at least) 6 years now and this is the first time someone ever complains,” one Twitter user pointed out.
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