Eminem signals Biden support as campaign releases ‘Lose Yourself’ election ad

Eminem, an artist who's long been guarded about licensing his music, has a career first: He has provided a song — his signature song — to a political candidate.

The Detroit rapper’s “Lose Yourself” is the soundtrack to a new spot from the Joe Biden presidential campaign, a 45-second get-out-the-vote push that arrives just ahead of Election Day. Released online early Monday, the ad, titled "One Opportunity," features black-and-white footage from locales across the U.S., including Detroit and a recent Biden visit to the Michigan State Fairgrounds.

The ad is interspersed with the message “VOTE” amid the familiar urgent beat of “Lose Yourself” and Eminem’s motivational lyrics: “If you had one shot or one opportunity …”

The rapper certainly hasn’t been shy about politics through his career, whether bashing then-President George W. Bush via the 2004 song “Mosh” or famously bashing President Donald Trump on freestyles and album tracks.

But the Biden ad marks the first time the 48-year-old star has licensed one of his songs to a political candidate — and indeed, one of the rare instances Eminem has granted a clearance for any type of outside use.

Among major artists, Eminem consistently has been among the most licensing-shy, limiting the use of his music even in an era of lucrative film, television and advertising revenue. The best-known licensing of “Lose Yourself” came in 2011, when the “8 Mile” movie hit was deployed in Chrysler’s “Imported from Detroit” campaign, which premiered during the Super Bowl.