"Fack" is a song by American rapper Eminem, released in 2005 on his greatest hits album Curtain Call: The Hits as one of the three new songs recorded for the album.[1] The song, along with the album's intro, is omitted from the clean version of the album.[2] Throughout the song, Eminem imitates the voice of Cartman from South Park. In 2021, the song went viral on TikTok, due to many feeling shocked upon hearing the song's lyrics.[3][4][5]
| "Fack" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Eminem | |
| from the album Curtain Call: The Hits | |
| Released | December 6, 2005 |
| Recorded | 2005 |
| Genre | |
| Length | 3:25 |
| Label | |
| Songwriter(s) | |
| Producer(s) | |
Background
editIn 2016 at Lollapalooza in Brazil, Eminem performed the song in concert for the first time, much to the audience's surprise.[6] It has been performed another two times since.[7]
In a 2020 interview with Detroit Free Press, Eminem jokingly claimed that "Fack" is "the best song he's ever written".[8] The same year, he joked again, posting on social media that he was working on a followup to the song.[9]
In 2024, in a short film titled Slim Shady vs. Marshall Mathers: The Face-Off, Marshall Mathers sits down and has a conversation with his alias, Slim Shady. The two argue over who wrote the song—each pushing the blame on the other for writing what Slim calls "one of the worst songs ever." It is also revealed that the song's title was originally intended to be "Richard Gere" but was changed due to the likelihood of them being sued.[10]
Reception
editAllMusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine called the song "wildly weird", and wrote that it "finds Eminem spending the entire track fighting off an orgasm; it seems tired, a little too close to vulgar Weird Al territory, and it doesn't help that his Jenna Jameson reference seems a little old".[11]
Spence D. of IGN thought that "Fack" was "rather annoying", but considered it to have some of the best production Eminem has ever done. He also said, "Too bad his potty humored cartoon rant seems a bit played out and just a little over-the-top in that forced, trying-too-hard-to-be-campy way. This is a case where the beat would have been better served under different circumstances."[12]
HotNewHipHop however considered the song to have become a cult classic, and wrote, "The way it's somehow too good to fall into the so-bad-it's-good category. The playful, circus-like instrumental that only Slim Shady could conjure. The idea that at one time or another, Dr. Dre was subjected to a 'Fack' listening session."[13]
Certifications
edit| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[14] | Gold | 35,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[15] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA)[16] | Gold | 500,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
edit- ^ Krol, Charlotte (8 October 2020). "Eminem's 'Curtain Call: The Hits' rejoins Billboard chart 15 years after its release". NME. Archived from the original on 27 May 2024. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
- ^ Coffey-Behrens, Kelly (2023-10-25). "Eminem Fans Are Saucy: Singer Drops THIS Instead Of New Album!". The Blast. Archived from the original on 2024-05-27. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
- ^ Farry, Wayne (23 March 2021). "Eminem's 'Fack' has gone viral and people are just realising how messed up the lyrics are". Joe.Co.UK. Archived from the original on 27 May 2024. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
- ^ Hardiman, Jess (20 March 2021). "Teenagers Are Only Just Discovering How Messed Up Eminem's 'Fack' Lyrics Are". Lad Bible. Archived from the original on 27 May 2024. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
- ^ "Eminem's "FACK" becomes new trend on TikTok". South Pawer. 13 March 2021. Archived from the original on 27 May 2024. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
- ^ Reiff, Corbin (13 March 2016). "Eminem Performed "Fack" Live for the First Time and the Crowd Completely Lost It". Complex. Archived from the original on 27 May 2024. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
- ^ "Fack performed by Eminem". Setlist.FM. Archived from the original on 27 May 2024. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
- ^ McCollum, Brian (27 May 2020). "Eminem talks football, quarantine, hip-hop favorites and 'The Marshall Mathers LP'". FreeP. Archived from the original on 27 May 2024. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
- ^ Aleia, Woods (28 May 2020). "Eminem Says He Is Working on New Song "Fack 2″". XXL Mag. Archived from the original on 27 May 2024. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
- ^ "Eminem References Taylor Swift, Drake, Paul Rudd & More in His 'Face-Off' Against Slim Shady". Billboard.
- ^ Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "Curtain Call: The Hits Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine [-]". All Music. Archived from the original on 16 December 2011. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
- ^ D., Spence (22 December 2005). "Eminem - Curtain Call". IGN. Archived from the original on 2012-04-25. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
- ^ Findlay, Mitch (9 November 2020). "Eminem's "FACK" Has Somehow Become A Cult Classic". Hot New Hip Hop. Archived from the original on 27 May 2024. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
- ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2024 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
- ^ "British single certifications – Eminem – Fack". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
- ^ "American single certifications – Eminem – Fack". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved November 10, 2022.