Michigan is one of the worst-hit hotspots of the coronavirus pandemic, with Detroit suffering more fatalities per capita than any major US city except New York. Now, rap superstar Eminem is showing gratitude for healthcare workers in his hometown by donating cups of pasta labelled “Mom’s Spaghetti.”
Marshall Mathers immortalized Detroit in his 2002 semi-autobiographical film 8 Mile and it’s accompanying soundtrack. The standout song from those efforts, the Grammy-winning “Lose Yourself”, includes the iconic rhyme, “There’s vomit on his sweater already/ Mom’s spaghetti.” The line became a fan favorite as well as a meme, and in 2017 Eminem capitalized on that popularity by opening a pop-up pasta restaurant called, yes, Mom’s Spaghetti. He did it again at Coachella the next year, but nothing more was heard from the temporary eatery — until yesterday.
As Uproxx reports, packages labelled “Mom’s Spaghetti” began to appear at Detroit hospitals on Tuesday along with the words, “Thank you frontline caregivers.” Eminem declined to announce his donations with a press release, but pictures of the pasta cups with the Shady Records logo have been posted on social media accounts of the DMC and Henry Ford healthcare networks. Apparently, they were provided by local restaurant group Union Joints, who furnished the Mom’s Spaghetti pop-ups.
“Thank you for providing a special meal for our team members!” the Henry Ford hospitals wrote on Twitter.
Eminem is the latest celebrity to use his resources and platform for pandemic relief. Dolly Parton donated $1 Million to COVID-19 Research. Rihanna pledged $5 million, followed by an additional $4.2 million for victims of domestic violence impacted by the stay-at-home orders. Even Pornhub is pitching in, donating 50,000 surgical masks.
Our #HealthcareHeroes “lost themselves” in the delicious Mom’s Spaghetti donated by Detroit’s very own, @Eminem. Thank you for providing a special meal for our team members! 🍝 pic.twitter.com/HyKXzzyhJ5
— Henry Ford Health System (@HenryFordNews) April 22, 2020
Eminem Donated Spaghetti Cups to DMC Hospital Healthcare Workers in Detroit Tonight pic.twitter.com/aozKJpiLxr
— RileyTaugor 🏴 (@RileyTaugor) April 21, 2020
Thank you Union Joints for the generous donation of meals to support our staff. They served one of their specialties, also a favorite of Eminem, titled “Mom’s Spaghetti.” We offer our heartfelt thanks and are grateful for the support. #DetroitStrong #ACommunityBuiltOnCare pic.twitter.com/17041kJAb4
Advertisement— Detroit Medical Ctr (@DMC_Heals) April 21, 2020