Eminem defends Kid Rock collaboration as friendship, not politics
Eminem says his new song with Kid Rock is about friendship, not politics. The Detroit rapper appears on “Heal My Faith,” a track from Kid Rock’s faith-based album Halfway 2 Jesus, released on Friday, Oct. 17. “Not about choosing sides, just choosing to make music with my old friend,” Eminem wrote in a social media post addressing the collaboration, as reported by Billboard.
He posted the message hours after the album arrived, according to Rolling Stone. He closed it with three words: “Praying for all of us.” In his defence of the track, Eminem also points listeners to his verse, where he raps, “He is my brother, not my political enemy.”
Eminem and Kid Rock have been friends for roughly four decades. Their working history goes back to “F— Off,” Eminem’s appearance on Kid Rock’s 1998 album Devil Without a Cause. Kid Rock later appeared in the video for Eminem’s 2013 single “Berzerk.”
The pairing has drawn attention because the two have taken different public political paths. Eminem endorsed Kamala Harris at a Detroit rally in 2024. Kid Rock said he did not want to pull his collaborator into his own political world. “I really didn’t want to drag him into my political world,” he said.
He said the pair discuss politics “a little bit, not a ton.” Both have said they hope the new track sets a useful example for friends who hold different political beliefs, as noted by Complex.
Kid Rock described Halfway 2 Jesus as “about forgiveness and second chances.” The album is presented as a faith-based project, a record built around belief, repair and return. It arrived as a full album on Oct. 17, with “Heal My Faith” listed among its tracks.
Eminem was first announced for a different album cut, “7 Sins.” That plan changed and the collaboration was kept to a single song. Lil Wayne took the “7 Sins” slot initially linked to Eminem.
What makes this stand out is how plainly both artists frame it. For fans, this means no joint campaign and no public debate about who votes for whom. Just two long-time collaborators saying a shared song does not have to mean shared politics.
