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Eminem recently turned heads when Bitcoin was referenced on hip hop song “Not Alike,” his recently released song featuring Royce da 5’9” on Spotify. Part of Kamikaze, his 2018 surprise album released on the 31st of August, the song has quickly become a hit on several streaming platforms including Apple Music.
On the Bitcoin line from the song, Royce da 5’9” states “Remember everybody used to bite Nickel, now everybody doing Bitcoin.” This is a direct comparison that shows how the world has moved on from the traditional way of handling finance and encapsulates all that cryptocurrency is currently achieving. It also points to the notion that cryptocurrencies and other distributed ledger technologies are set to usurp fiat currencies as the primary global means of exchange.
In pop culture, Eminem is seen as one of the most influential voices, with 15 Grammy Awards to prove it. More than 700,000 tickets for his 2018 tour were sold out in minutes thanks to his large active fanbase. Naturally, his fanbase consists mainly of Generation Z and millennials who are gradually showing far more enthusiasm for cryptocurrencies than the older generations.
By referencing Bitcoin in his hip hop song, Eminem is contributing to making it more popular among his audience. Following the release of the song, Bitcoin saw a 5% weekly increase. For now, blockchain and digital assets still have a dissociative aura to them, where they are seen as a new phenomenon that people should be cautious of.
Those who already hold virtual currencies are likely to find them more relatable when they hear their favorite rapper mentioning it casually on a song. Even the members of his audience who do not know much about cryptocurrency may be motivated to find out more about it. Combining these factors, this small move by Eminem does a lot for the adoption of cryptocurrency.
Although like most Eminem songs, “Not Alike” contains profanity and violence, it is a major way that cryptocurrencies have made an appearance in pop culture. The line of the song containing Bitcoin shows its growing importance and popularity. It also shows its utility beyond scams and fraudulent get-rich-quick schemes.

Who is Eminem?

Eminem is one of the most highly decorated, yet controversial American rappers. He is also a celebrated record producer and actor. Easily one of the best selling artists of the 21st century, he has accumulated a huge following over the years. He has contributed to pop culture since the 2000s, including coining the term “stan” which is now popular among fans.
He was Born on October 17, 1972, in St. Joseph, Missouri as Marshall Bruce Mathers III and attended Lincoln High School in Warren, Michigan. He had a turbulent childhood and eventually dropped out of school at the age of 17 due to his inability to pass his classes.
Although he performed poorly at school, he always had an affinity for language and studying the dictionary. As a teenage dropout, Eminem identified with the emerging rap scene of the 90s and frequently participated in rap battles. He continued to penetrate the Detroit rap scene, despite being white when rap was a predominantly black genre of music. Soon he became one of the most prominent rappers in Detroit's underground scene. A while later, he was discovered by Dr. Dre, a legendary rapper and former producer of N.W.A at the time.