Eminem has hit back at critics who have taken him to task over the sound effects used in his recent festival set, telling them they “shouldn’t be here” if they have issues with such sounds.

Earlier this month, Eminem performed at the Bonnaroo music festival in Manchester in the US state of Tennessee, where his set received some negative feedback. Performing the track ‘Kill You’ near the beginning of his set, a loud sound – similar to a gunshot – was heard, causing a number of audience members to react with shock and fear.

Considering that this set came only months after 58 people were killed in a shooting at a music festival in Las Vegas (the same shooting NOFX generated controversy by joking about just last month), it’s easy to see how people could jump to this conclusion.

@AndreaRussett @sandwahhh @macykatemusic found this on instagram, the way everyone screams and the camera drops is terrifying pic.twitter.com/mZRwdqoWB4

— sydney (@Sydneyheight1) June 10, 2018

Eminem’s manager Paul Rosenberg hit back at claims that these sounds were actually gunshots, noting that it was a sound heard by the use of stage pyrotechnics.

“Contrary to inaccurate reports, Eminem does not use gunshot sound effects during his live show,” Rosenberg wrote on Instagram. “The effect used by Eminem in his set at Bonnaroo was a pyrotechnic concussion which creates a loud boom.”

“He has used this effect — as have hundreds other artists — in his live show for over 10 years, including previous US festival dates in 2018 without complaint.”

Contrary to inaccurate reports, @Eminem does not use gunshot sound effects during his live show. The effect used by Eminem in his set at @bonnaroo was a pyrotechnic concussion which creates a loud boom. He has used this effect — as have hundreds other artists — in his live show for over 10 years, including previous US festival dates in 2018 without complaint.

A post shared by Paul Rosenberg (@rosenberg) on Jun 10, 2018 at 4:12pm PDT

However, performing at the US Firefly festival on Saturday night, it appears that Eminem has again been met with controversy, addressing the furore over the sounds heard in his set with a seemingly passive-aggressive notice at the show.

As Paul Rosenberg shared on Instagram, a message appeared on screens during Eminem’s Firefly set, explaining to those in attendance that, “If you are easily frightened by loud noises or offended by explicit lyrics you shouldn’t be here.”

Firefly.

A post shared by Paul Rosenberg (@rosenberg) on Jun 16, 2018 at 8:22pm PDT

As one would expect, Rosenberg’s Instagram post has been flooded with a mixture of fans either supporting or opposing the sentiment shared at Firefly festival. While many find the choice of wording offensive, the other half seem to be summing it up by quoting Eminem’s infamous lyric, “I find you offensive for finding me offensive.”

No further comment has been made by Eminem, Paul Rosenberg, or festival organisers about the artist’s controversial set, or his decision to warn fans at his recent performance.

Check out Eminem’s ‘One Shot Two Shot’:

The article was originally published on Tone Deaf