Dr. Abdul El-Sayed Taps Eminem Track on Election Day as Common Rallies Detroit Voters
Democratic candidate Dr. Abdul El-Sayed closed out his Michigan U.S. Senate bid with a high-profile cultural push, setting his Election Day video to Eminem's chart-topping anthem 'Not Afraid.' The digital launch followed a live Detroit rally performance from Common and public endorsements from music icons Stevie Wonder and Bruce Springsteen.
Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Dr. Abdul El-Sayed brought music icons into his final push for office, rolling out a closing digital spot scored by Eminem's chart-topping 2010 single 'Not Afraid' on Tuesday morning, according to reporting by Billboard. The video arrived as voters headed to polling locations across the state in a tightly contested election to succeed outgoing Democratic Senator Gary Peters.
In a message accompanying the digital release on social media, El-Sayed urged residents to turn out in full force. 'Michigan. It’s time. It’s up to us to show the country what’s possible,' the candidate wrote on Tuesday morning, adding that 'the world is watching.' The video paired the candidate's closing pitch with the anthemic chorus from Eminem's multi-platinum album Recovery.
Billboard reported that Eminem has not publicly commented on the campaign's use of the record, nor has the Detroit rapper issued an official endorsement in the 2026 midterm race. Citing reporting from The Detroit News, Billboard noted that the El-Sayed campaign did not contact Eminem prior to posting the video clip.
The prominent soundtrack choice aligns with the rap icon's history of civic engagement in his home state. During the 2024 presidential campaign, Eminem made an appearance in Detroit to back Kamala Harris, and his Academy Award-winning anthem 'Lose Yourself' was officially licensed for a Joe Biden campaign commercial in 2020. More recently, Eminem made a guest appearance on a track titled 'Heal My Faith' alongside fellow Detroit musician Kid Rock, where he addressed cross-party unity and stated that his collaboration was about making music with an old friend rather than taking partisan sides.
While Eminem remained publicly neutral, other hip-hop and soul luminaries actively mobilized voters for El-Sayed in the closing hours of the race. Acclaimed rapper and activist Common took the stage in Detroit on Monday night, performing live at a final campaign rally to energize supporters before Election Day, according to campaign video footage cited by Billboard.
Michigan native and Motown legend Stevie Wonder also delivered an explicit endorsement for El-Sayed in a campaign video released on Tuesday. In the visual, Wonder emphasized the stakes facing working communities across the state and urged citizens to cast their ballots for the Democratic slate. 'There is so much on the line this election,' Wonder stated in the video message, calling on residents to back El-Sayed for Senate alongside Jocelyn Benson for governor and down-ballot Democrats.
The push was further bolstered by rock legend Bruce Springsteen, who endorsed El-Sayed on Monday via Instagram. Springsteen characterized the candidate as a defender of democratic principles and constitutional governance.
El-Sayed faces Republican challenger Mike Rogers in the high-stakes battle for Peters' Senate seat. According to Billboard's election evening coverage, the race had not yet been called.