Does Eminem's new single make domestic violence sexy?

On Eminem’s new single, “Love the Way You Lie,” the rapper once again takes on the subject of abusive relationships. Somewhat telling, the song features Rihanna, last year’s face of domestic violence.

The video highlights a violent and troublesome relationship between characters played by Megan Fox and Dominic Monaghan. Many are claiming that the song and video romanticize domestic violence. Truth is, though, I just don’t see it. Other than the characters in this particular vignette being terribly attractive themselves, there’s not much in the song or video that makes a dysfunctional and violent relationship look good or romantic.

It is, though, an honest portrayal. It isn’t sterilized into a “very special episode” of some early ’90s sitcom and doesn’t try to serve as some kind moral lesson. The song mostly comes off as cathartic, not agenda-driven. The woman, far from playing the doe-like victim, both engages in the dysfunctional aspects of the relationship and comes back, which is a far-too-common occurrence. That doesn’t make an aggressor less blame-worthy: it just happens. In the end, there’s no consequence and there’s no closure: probably the truest part of a common story that never ends until it is too late.

Of course, this kind of criticism is common in any kind of honest portrayal of anything controversial. As long as popular music has been around, people have said that rock music glamorized promiscuous sex and, somewhat more recently, that rap music glorified street crime. Any type of “art” that merely describes and doesn’t advance an agenda is always suspect.

In the end, the song is damned catchy, and it is probably going to be another huge hit for Eminem (it might be already—I’m not as plugged into pop radio as I could be). But, dear God, is that verse-chorus transition jarring. And the beat is so chaotic and schizophrenic that it sounds like the producer is some kid who couldn’t really decide which of his favorite beats he was going to use. Maybe it was meant to be that way.

So, what do you think?