Watch a New Zealand court listen to “Lose Yourself” in polite, awkward silence
Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” is one of the most recognizable rap songs to come out of the ’00s, both for Em’s sharp, winding verses and a thrumming beat that still manages to inspire listeners to shadowbox in the mirror. Naturally, it’s the kind of song people would want to use to underscore a commercial, film trailer, or, say, a 2014 political campaign ad, as was the case with New Zealand’s National Party.
Eminem and his team are suing the governing party for infringing on the song’s copyright by using a track that’s strikingly similar. In defense, lawyers say the track is not Eminem, but “Eminem-esque,” which is the name of the track they pulled from a stock music library. Eminem’s lawyers say “Lose Yourself” is “iconic” and “without a doubt the jewel in the crown of Eminem’s musical work.” Take that, Dido.