EMINEM COULD HAVE BENEFITTED FROM LEGAL ADVICE

After I finished a legal coaching call with a new client, who is a father in the middle of a family law case and a Parenting Assessment, I reflected on the advice that I gave him.

I told him to be calm, honest, polite, to not get upset, to not curse, to be child-centric, to not criticize the mother and, of course, to not post on social media about his family law problems.

After that call ended, I then turned on the radio to listen to music.

I heard Eminem sing “Hailie’s Song”.

For those that do not know, this is the song that Eminem wrote in 2002 about his daughter Hailie, who was 6 years old at the time.

After I heard this song, it occurred to me that Eminem could have benefitted from some legal advice.

Here’s what I heard:

“Sometimes I think there’s nothin’ to live for. I almost break down and cry, sometimes I think I’m crazy. I’m crazy, oh so crazy! Why am I here? Am I just wasting my time?

But then I see my baby, suddenly I’m not crazy. It all makes sense when I look into her eyes.

Cause sometimes it feels like the world’s on my shoulders. Everyone’s leaning on me.

Cause sometimes it feels like the world’s almost over.

But then she comes back to me.

My baby girl keeps getting older.

I watch her grow up with pride.

I’m a pistol-packing drug addict who bags on his momma.

Now look, I love my daughter more than life in itself.

But I got a wife that’s determined to make my life a living hell.

But I handle it well, given the circumstances I’m dealt.

So here’s what I’m facing: 3 felonies, 6 years of probation.

I’ve went to jail for this woman.

Man, I should have seen it coming, why did I stick my p-n-s up in?

I would have ripped the prenup up if I had seen what she was f-ck-ng.

But f-ck it, it’s over, there’s no more reason to cry no more.

I got my baby, baby, the only lady that I adore: Hailie

It’s like the greatest gift you can get. The weight has been lifted.”

Eminem may have earned millions of dollars selling “Hailie’s Song”, but I query how well it went in his family law case and Parenting Assessment.

Not that Eminem asked me, but I would have advised him against going public with “Hailie’s Song” while he was negotiating a Parenting Plan for her.

If you are curious about another Eminem song that I would not have recommended him making public, feel free to listen to “My Dad’s Gone Crazy”.

Link: https://genius.com/Eminem-my-dads-gone-crazy-lyrics

Link: https://genius.com/Eminem-hailies-song-lyrics

Editorial Note: Originally published in 2024, this post reflects on the risks of self-expression during parenting disputes—especially when emotions run high and public statements can backfire.

Steve Benmor, B.Sc., LL.B., LL.M. (Family Law), C.S., Cert.F.Med., C.Arb., FDRP PC, is the founder and principal lawyer of Benmor Family Law Group, a boutique matrimonial law firm in downtown Toronto. He is a Certified Specialist in Family Law, a Certified Specialist in Parenting Coordination and was admitted as a Fellow to the prestigious International Academy of Family Lawyers. Steve is regularly retained as a Divorce Mediator/Arbitrator and Parenting Coordinator. Steve uses his 30 years of in-depth knowledge of family law, court-room experience and expert problem-solving skills in Divorce Mediation/Arbitration to help spouses reach fair, fast and cooperative divorce settlements without the financial losses, emotional costs and lengthy delays from divorce court.