CAIRO — Egypt’s antiquities authority closed the largest of the Giza pyramids Friday following rumors that groups would try to hold spiritual ceremonies on the site at 11:11 A.M. on Nov. 11, 2011.

The authority’s head Mustafa Amin said in a statement Friday that the pyramid of Khufu, also known as Cheops, would be closed to visitors until Saturday morning for “necessary maintenance.”

The closure follows a string of unconfirmed reports in local media that unidentified groups would try to hold “Jewish” or “Masonic” rites on the site to take advantage of mysterious powers coming from the pyramid on the rare date.

Amin called all reports of planned ceremonies at the site “completely lacking in truth.”

The complex’s director, Ali al-Asfar, said Friday that an Egyptian company requested permission last month to hold an event called “hug the pyramid,” in which 120 people would join hands around the ancient burial structure.

The authority declined the request a week ago, al-Asfar said, but that did not stop concerned Egyptians from starting internet campaigns to prevent the event from taking place.

“It has been a big cause now on Facebook and Twitter for many people to write about,” al-Asfar said.

The closure was unrelated to the rumors, he said, adding that the pyramid needed maintenance after the large number of visitors during the Muslim Eid al-Adha holiday last week.

The rest of the complex, which includes two other large pyramids, numerous tombs and the Sphinx, remained open Friday, though security appeared to be heavier than usual.

Dozens of police officers and soldiers were posted throughout the complex. Some patrolled on camel-back. One soldier stood next to his machine gun near a souvenir shop selling miniature pyramids.

Speaking by phone from the pyramids after 11:11 had passed, al-Asfar said he’d seen nothing out of the ordinary.

“Everything is normal,” he said. “The only thing different is the closure of the Khufu pyramid.”

Khufu is credited with building the Giza complex’s largest pyramid, now one of Egypt’s main tourist attractions. Khufu founded the 4th Dynasty around 2680 B.C. and ruled Egypt for 23 years.

When I first started creating videos I had no idea they would become as popular as they have today. The nature of my content is to educate people on an alternative look at mainstream issues and it has been attracting a lot of attention. Word of mouth is also getting about and I receive many messages from people telling me how they enjoy watching my videos in their living rooms with family and friends around. My videos are also being shown at many educational events and I have been notified that even teachers in some schools are telling their students to search for my videos online. I have also been invited to various media interviews and even to take part in a TV show. Today, the total number of people who have watched my videos on just my YouTube channel alone stands over 27 million and growing. Indeed, this could not be possible without the help of my viewers.

It’s been quite a few months and I haven’t really shown much activity. I’ve been receiving hundreds of emails asking where I am and if I plan to work on anything else. I can tell you that at the moment I am not working on anything. There is, however, a new series I’d like to work on. This new series which I have in mind will undoubtedly be my most informative series out there by far. When and if I start on it I do not know, maybe in a few months’ time or longer, or never.

The reason for this is because… I’m busy with life.

But be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel for future updates. Subscribe to THELIGHT’s channel as well, this guy makes some interesting videos.

Moving on, in the past few months rumors have spread claiming that I am a Freemason or some sort of agent working for the Illuminati trying to spread disinformation. You guys are correct, I’m a 20 year old 33rd degree Freemason. I have been brainwashing you all this time, and you are all under my control.

I am, of course, kidding.

As ridiculous as these claims are, I can understand why they arise. From what I have gathered, these claims seem to originate because I seem to be using numerology. Their ‘evidence’ is based on, for example, my YouTube join date which is September 11th 2008, and the number of episodes in The Music Industry Exposed series, which is 11 and the length of some of my videos and the dates they are uploaded which equals to 11. Also my online name, ‘FarhanK501′ equals to 666. For example, the first 6 comes from the letter F which is the 6th letter of the alphabet, so if we take F out and just have ‘arhanK’ we are left with 6 letters. If we add 5 + 0 + 1 we have a third 6.

The reason I chose 501 for my name is because the username, ‘FarhanK’ was already taken on YouTube, and 501 is a random generated number which YouTube chose for me. Another thing which bothers some people is my Facebook profile picture because of the one eye symbolism. Just because you see someone with one visible eye doesn’t mean they’re an Illuminati puppet. You’ll find millions of one eye covered photos, mine is just another one of those. I did it to make the photo more interesting. I’ll take a new picture soon anyway.

About my YouTube join date – I didn’t join YouTube on September 11th intentionally. In fact I joined YouTube only to upload gaming videos because I’m a casual gamer. Here’s the proof, check the date I uploaded this video. I have over a hundred gaming videos uploaded to my channel which are set to ‘unlisted’, meaning no one can view them unless they have the link to the videos. This is because I’ve decided to dedicate my channel to spreading knowledge and raising awareness.

From what I can tell, I have ‘woken up’ over a million people and continue to do so as they view my work. So even if I was some sort of disinformation agent, how would that make it bad? Each and every one of you should realise that the best thing one can do is raise awareness and help spread knowledge about the people who rule our planet. This leads people to do some research thus protecting them from the current evils in the world today, such as food/water chemicals, government/corporate conspiracies and media brainwashing to name a few.

I admit that I have been trying to experiment with numerology, even though I don’t know how it works and its significance. Before I explain a few things, I’d like to clarify something. Numerology is not evil. A knife which is used for chopping vegetables is not evil, but it can be used for that. So we cannot accuse the tool of being evil, only the intentions behind how it is used is what can be interpreted as good or evil. And yes, that means the number 666 is not the Devil’s number, it is just a number, and no number is evil. It is the intent behind the use of this number. To say that something that has no conscience is evil is to say God created evil, which is a great sin, as God only creates good. Evil is the result of lack of goodness. In the same way light and dark work. Darkness only exists where there is lack of light, but darkness wasn’t created, light was.

Numerology is real and has a purpose. It is a system which we can extract beneficence from. God has created the universe with a purpose. It is inconsistent with the Godhead that He should bring into being anything merely by way of sport or pastime. God says in the Holy Qu’ran:

We created not the heaven and the earth and all that is between the two in play. If We had wished to find a pastime We would surely have found it in what is with Us, if at all We were to do such a thing. [21:17]

Indeed, to imagine that God does anything without purpose, in effect amounts to a denial of God. All God’s attributes operate in accordance with the requirements of wisdom, as He says:

And We have not created the heavens and the earth and all that is between the two but in accordance with the requirements of wisdom; and the Hour is sure to come. So turn away from them in a comely manner. [15:85]

He created the heavens and the earth in accordance with the requirements of wisdom. He makes the night to cover the day, and He makes the day to cover the night; and He has pressed the sun and the moon into service; each pursues its course until an appointed time. Hearken, it is He alone Who is the Mighty, the Great Forgiver. [39:5]

We have not created the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, but with truth, and for an appointed term; but those who disbelieve turn away from that of which they have been warned. [46:3]

The whole of God’s creation is in harmony. There is no discord, disorder, or incongruity. Everything is adjusted and co-ordinated so as completely to fulfill the purpose for which it was created. Such disorder or maladjustment as may be observed results from misuse or contravention of the laws governing the universe. The purpose of the creation of the universe is to aid man in achieving the object for which he has been created. This is part of the measure of God’s unlimited bounty to man. The universe and the laws that govern it constantly work out under Divine direction the consequences, beneficent or otherwise, of man’s use of God’s bounties. To aid man in the achievement of this purpose, he has been endowed with appropriate faculties and capacities. In addition to man’s inherent capacities, which are best fitted for the achievement of the purpose of his life, God has bestowed upon man dominion over the forces of nature in the sense that the whole of nature is governed by laws; the operation of these laws has as its object the beneficent service of man. These laws are ascertainable, and through their knowledge man can progressively increase his mastery over the forces of nature and extract greater and greater beneficence from them. The universe was subjected to man for the enrichment and consummation of his life. God says in the Holy Qu’ran:

Allah is He Who created the heavens and the earth and caused water to come down from the clouds and brought forth therewith fruit for your sustenance; and He has subjected to you the ships that they may sail through the sea by His command, and the rivers too has He subjected to you. He has also subjected to you the sun and the moon, both pursuing their courses constantly. He has subjected to you the night as well as the day. He gave you all that you wanted of Him. If you try to count the favours of Allah, you will not be able to number them. Verily, man is apt to misuse and abuse the bounties of God. [14:32⎯34]

Man is exhorted to reflect upon, and to draw lessons from all these phenomena. God’s favour in bestowing upon man all that was needed for the fulfilment of the purpose of life and in subjecting to his service the whole of the universe and all its phenomena is repeatedly stressed, because it further proves the existence of the One God, who Sustains all of existence, and brings man closer to his Creator.

The Illuminati are the architect of disorder. The knowledge they have and continue to acquire should be turning them towards God but instead they have become proud and have been deceived by Satan and use this knowledge to serve an evil purpose and keep it to themselves and they are very sincere and strict in serving this evil entity. In Arabic, the word Dajjal (Antichrist) has two connotations: First, it signifies a group which supports falsehood and works with cunning and deceit. Secondly, it is the name of the Satan who is the father of all falsehood and corruption. The Holy Qu’ran specifies they shall be the cause of all kinds of mischief running rampant. Waves of calamities will rise on all sides and will race down from every height. They will possess great material strength and dominion, against which all other powers and states will seem powerless. They will also enjoy supremacy in all kinds of knowledge and sciences and establish new and wonderful industries. They will also be dominant in their policies, projects, and good administration, and will show great resolve in their worldly enterprises. They would make great inventions in the latter days and will try to interfere with God’s creation. Is this not what we are seeing today?

The Holy Prophet Muhammad^sa saw in a vision that the Dajjal was performing the circuit of the Ka‘bah and was doing it stealthily, like a thief, so that he could destroy the Ka‘bah whenever the opportunity offered… Obviously, no one can say that the Dajjal would actually become a Muslim and perform the circuit of the Ka‘bah. Every intelligent person will interpret this revelation as a vision through which the spiritual condition of the Dajjal was revealed to the Holy Prophet^sa, and that this allegory presented itself to him in a vision in which he saw the Dajjal was circuiting the Ka‘bah like an actual person. What it meant was that the Dajjal would be a bitter enemy of Islam and would hover around the Ka‘bah with evil intentions. Thus the interpretation of this vision of the Holy Prophet^sa is that the Dajjal will be preoccupied with trying to violate the sanctity of the Ka‘bah. Meaning that in the latter days a group of people will emerge who will be called Antichrist. This group will be a bitter enemy of Islam, and, in order to completely bring down the structure of Islam, it will go circuiting round the Ka‘bah which symbolises the centre of Islam. The Dajjal will try his utmost to demolish the structure of Islam. No one can even imagine the extent of the damage that Islam has suffered at their hands and how truth and justice have suffered.

Look, just look how hard these people are trying to demolish the edifice of Islam and what large resources they have employed for this purpose. In their endeavours they have exposed their lives to danger, spent their wealth like water and they have carried their human abilities to the limit. They have adopted shameful means and implemented them to undermine righteousness, and they have laid down mines to destroy the truth and honesty. All the finely fabricated details of falsehood and pretence have been strenuously invented to bring ruin to Islam. If people’s minds could not be corrupted by other means, they invented thousands of supposed stories and dialogues to do this. Is there any method of the ruin of truth that they have not invented? Is there any way of misguidance that they have not adopted?

But as God says about those who reject His Signs:

So leave Me, (O Muhammad), alone with those who reject this word of Ours. We shall draw them near to destruction step by step from whence they know not. And I give them respite; for My plan is strong. [68:44⎯45]

I hope that’s cleared up a lot of things.

Many people have been contacting me asking if it is possible for them to donate to me to show their support. I appreciate this but unfortunately I do not accept donations. However, if you do wish to show your appreciation to me, then I’d prefer it if you could donate to a charity instead. There are millions of people who are dying of starvation and other forms of poverty around the world. They need your help, they are your brothers and sisters. Please help them. Also, please do keep me in your prayers.

Lastly, I’d like to thank all who email me such kind words and compliments. I really appreciate it.

May God keep you all in the best of health.

Everyone from Jay-Z to Lady Gaga has been accused of being a member of the Illuminati secret society, thought to be some mysterious group of power players who pull strings to help launch careers. But Jennifer Hudson ain’t having it. The Grammy winner is blasting rumors that she is part of the cult.

“I’m so glad someone brought this Illuminati mess up because only a child of God would address it,” the 29-year-old singer told fans during her Ustream session. “That is the most ignorant thing I have ever heard in my life. And it’s offensive because basically what? The people that are here today don’t deserve to be where they are? What, we didn’t work for it? So I find—and I hate to go there—but I find it’s those that can’t make it that would probably join Illuminati, or whoever that is, to get somewhere.”

And while it’s easy to buy into the Illuminati’s existence, J-Hud explained that anyone who believes the Illuminati myth is being fooled. “Don’t listen to that type of stuff, don’t follow that stuff because those people are only luring you in to become a part of some mess like that, so know that you’re only falling victim,” she warned. “That’s their way of gaining [followers]. I’d advise you to stay away from it. Those who are reading it are falling into it. It could not be more untrue.”

I was recently interviewed by the magazine, Twenty4Seven. You can check out the interview here (right click and Save As or copy link). If you want to find out more information about this issue, visit twenty4sevenmagazine.com. The rest of the interview will be published in next months’ issue.

Stay tuned.

We’d like to thank everyone who has watched this series, whether you believe any of the information or none at all, it’s irrelevant because you still used your personal time to watch this series and that in itself is a great thing which we highly respect. We’d also like to thank those who spread the word about our work, because without you, we wouldn’t have been able to reach out to the great volume of people we have so far and still continue to do so.

Although the Music Industry Exposed series has ended, this does not mean we will not be posting any more videos, whether they be short clips or full length series.

Quite a lot of people email us asking whether it is possible for them to get the entire series on a DVD. Although there aren’t any yet, we do plan on putting this series onto DVD. The episodes will also be edited and improved with maybe some more information (since we aren’t time restricted by YouTube). We’ll keep you updated about this.

Praise be to God.

“Oh snap…MTV (illuminati’s favorite network) back on the attack…why can’t y’all just chill out? Salacious banality @ the speed of light? I think I’ve been very good natured with you. I personally know several employees of your company. You guys know me as well. I’m confused. Where is the true music journalism??? where is Suchin?!! What happened? Where are the honest critiques of cultural expression? For it’s not about being RIGHT it’s about being HOT. Fame over self-awareness and virtue. Hedonism over self respect. Celebrity over cerebral. A destroying force in our culture and society just like rest of the useless vapid spectacles that pour out of our tv’s and radios.

What are we supposed to be learning from you? What is your point? Do you have a point beyond corporate sponsored distraction? Your a materialistic shell of your former self that can only identify with celebrity pageantry and instant gratification. Corporate garbage pushing plastic lifestyles and wasteful, destructive behavior into the brains of the youth of the world. So when your relevance thins in2 a whisper & the stock price collapses and you have 2 come 2 grips with the mess you made. I’ll be here 4 ya. We’ll be here. With hands full of baby powder 2 smack some sense back into your body & a warm shoulder to cry on. We want the REAL MTV back!”

The University of South Carolina has developed a sociology course dedicated to the life, work and rise to fame of pop star Lady Gaga.

Lady Gaga and the Sociology of the Fame is to be taught by Professor Mathieu Deflem, a fan of the singer.

Course documents said students would learn to “engage in sound and substantiated scholarly thinking” on issues related to her fame.

The course, which has its own blog, is due to start in spring 2011.

The Belgian born sociologist, whose research interests also include counter-terrorism, international policing, crime control and internet technology, says he has seen Lady Gaga in concert 30 times.

‘Sociological dimensions’

“We’re going to look at Lady Gaga as a social event,” Prof Deflem told the USC student newspaper, the Daily Gamecock.

“Then I thought ‘Oh, what the hell? – Let’s make the whole freaking course about Lady Gaga and her rise to fame”

“So it’s not the person, and it’s not the music. It’s more this thing out there in society that has 10 million followers on Facebook and six million on Twitter. I mean, that’s a social phenomenon.”

The course description says it aims to “unravel some of the sociologically relevant dimensions of the fame of Lady Gaga with respect to her music, videos, fashion, and other artistic endeavours”.

It will look at business and marketing strategies, the role of old and new media, fans and live concerts, gay culture, religious and political themes, sex and sexuality, and the cities of New York and Hollywood, it says.

Prof Deflem said he initially planned to call the course the Sociology of Fame or the Sociology of Celebrity, and to use Lady Gaga as an example.

“Then I thought, ‘Oh, what the hell? Let’s make the whole freaking course about Lady Gaga and her rise to fame.’

Also a fan of Frank Zappa, Prince, Led Zeppelin, Alice Cooper, Status Quo and Ritchie Blackmore, Prof Deflem says his interest in Lady Gaga began when he first saw her perform on television on 9 January 2009.

“I hope that [prospective students] are at least somewhat fans of Gaga,” he told the student newspaper.

“They don’t have to be hardcore fans. The better fan will not necessarily be the better student. But you have to have some interest in the topic. So if you really don’t like her, you probably shouldn’t take the course.”

Speaking to the BBC, he said the media reaction to the launch of the course has been “simply staggering”, and the academic endeavour has become caught up in the very phenomenon it is exploring.

“The story has gone viral… My work on terrorism got a lot of attention as well, but that is dwarfed by the Gaga course!”, he said.

Kanye West’s latest artistic endeavor, the musically-driven, short film “Runaway,” has been a hot topic among his fans, with #runaway and #askkanye becoming Twitter trending topics after the film’s Saturday night premiere on MTV. Apparently, some viewers felt the project invoked symbolism of the Illuminati, an ancient secret society that has been linked to contemporary conspiracy theories suggesting an elite group of leaders control the world unbeknownst to the general public.

On Sunday (October 24), ‘Ye took to his Twitter page to humorously address rumors that he’s a member of the purported society and worships the devil. Apparently, Yeezy has no clue what the society even is.

“I’ve got question about “the illuminati” … what is it exactly ??? … and why do people think pop stars have a membership???!!! LOL,” he tweeted. “Is illuminati and devil worshipping like the same thing … do they have a social network that celebs can sign up for?”

The MC also joked about which new tech gadgets and social media outlets would work for his so-called satanic lifestyle.

“Question… can you devil worship on the new iphone??? LOL!!!” he typed. “What’s better for devil worshipping Iphone or the Droid… Does lucifer return text… is he or she on Skype? Don’t wanna be sexist.”

‘Ye even took a crack at sparking a devil-friendly trending topic.

“#DoyouthinkLucifer uses in in ear monitors or signature Beats by Dre headphones???!!!” Yeezy wrote.

The MC did say he was cool with legendary hip-hop spinner and producer DJ Clue, who’s known for lacing many of his projects with a chant that sounds similar to Illuminati.

“I am down with Cluemanotti though,” he wrote. “That’s my boy.”

Yeezy joked about claims that he’s down with the devil on Twitter, but he has also recently addressed one of his lyrics that may have riled up fans. In a sit-down with MTV News after the premiere of “Runaway,” broke down the meaning of a rhyme from a freestyle he kicked last year that lit up the blogosphere.

“There’s this line where I say, ‘I sold my soul to the devil, that’s a crappy deal,’ and all these people said, ‘What you mean you sold your soul to the devil?’ But when I say it, I’m saying, when I allow other people’s ideals to interfere with what I know is true to myself, that’s the devil,” West explained. “So, it’s like, people talking mess on the blogs is the devil or …trying to call me names, that’s what the devil is. And me thinking twice about what it is that’s really in my heart because of what people’s reaction would be is me selling my soul to the devil.”

The lyricist maintained that he will no longer let others’ opinions stifle his creative expression.

“You’re on earth for only 80, 90 a hundred years,” he said. “I have to create from my dreams, from the dreams I had as a 5-year-old, and use everything — all the greatest people and all the tools I have around me — and ask as many questions as I can to help facilitate and bring this out. And this [film] is one of the first examples of a dream coming true.”

Yeezy isn’t the only hip-hop star to catch heat about a visual supposedly packed with satanic imagery. Jay-Z and Swizz Beatz batted away rumors, earlier this year, that the slick video for their collabo “On to the Next One” was riddled with demonic references.

Please remember that this is my interpretation of the lyrics and the music video. My interpretation could be right or wrong in some, or even wrong altogether.

The music video starts with the hook playing over the intro lyrics. We’ll focus on the hook further on, but for now let’s take a look at the intro lyrics:

1. Yeah, it’s been a ride
2. I guess I had to go to that place to get to this one
3. Now some of you might still be in that place
4. If you’re trying to get out, just follow me
5. I’ll get you there

“That place” refers to his ‘cage’ and period of drug-addled depression, which inspired his rebirth. Eminem’s drug addiction became strong when his best friend, DeShaun (aka Proof) died. Eminem was still taking drugs, such as sleeping pills well before his friend’s passing. In the last three lines, he is calling out to other celebrities who are going through the same phase as he did not too long ago. It also applies to his fans.

The video shows Eminem living two lives. There is a period of quickly alternating shots showing him in a messy, disorganised basement which presumably represents his home and then him on a rooftop where he stands dangerously close to the edge. This segment represents his new found freedom which is being out from his ‘cage box’ to being free and in power. However, while Eminem is standing close to the edge on the rooftop, he takes another step forward after he sings, “And all those who look down on me I’m tearing down your balcony”. My interpretation of this can be seen in two different ways:

1. He gains more confidence in what he’s saying and shows this by stepping forward.
2. By him stepping forward, it symbolises that his words put him in more danger.

[Verse 1]

1. You can try and read my lyrics off of this paper before I lay ‘em
2. But you won’t take the sting out these words before I say ‘em
3. Cause ain’t no way I’mma let you stop me from causing mayhem
4. When I say I’mma do something I do it, I don’t give a damn
5. What you think, I’m doing this for me, so fuck the world
6. Feed it beans, it’s gassed up, if it thinks it’s stopping me
7. I’mma be what I set out to be, without a doubt, undoubtedly
8. And all those who look down on me I’m tearing down your balcony
9. No if ands or buts don’t try to ask him why or how can he
10. From Infinite down to the last Relapse album he’s still shitting
11. Whether he’s on salary, paid hourly
12. Until he bows out or he shits his bowels out of him
13. Whichever comes first, for better or worse
14. He’s married to the game, like a “fuck you” for Christmas
15. His gift is a curse, forget the earth he’s got the urge
16. To pull his dick from the dirt and fuck the whole universe

The above verse refers to the ‘higher-ups’ who control the music industry. Eminem says they can read the lyrics to the song before it’s released, like they do with every mainstream song, but they won’t be able to take the “sting” out of his words, because the sting is felt when the song is performed and is released to the public. A sting is an injection of a poison via stinger by an animal or plant, so here he is metaphorically implying that this song will sting those higher-ups who try to control him.

He then goes on by saying he won’t let them stop him from causing mayhem and then follows on to say, “When I say I’mma do something I do it, I don’t give a damn what you think, I’m doing this for me”. He doesn’t care about them in regards to what they think, and states he will do and say whatever he wants. The next line then reads, “So fuck the world, feed it beans, it’s gassed up, if it thinks it’s stopping me”. To gas somebody up is to confuse or trick the person, and as many of you already know, beans give people gas. I’m not too sure who Eminem refers to as being tricked, but it could possibly mean the media will feed the public more beans and therefore ‘bloat’ them with lies and fabricated stories about Eminem in the future. He then says, “And all those who look down on me I’m tearing down your balcony”. Again, he is speaking metaphorically, referring to the higher-ups with their “balcony” implying their high level and all-seeing position.

After that he says, “He’s married to the game, like a ‘fuck you’ for Christmas, his gift is a curse”. A “Fuck You” for Christmas is a gift that’s a curse, and this is linked in to the fact that he sometimes thinks of his talent as a curse because of where it where it has gotten him.

[Verse 2]

1. Ok quit playin’ with the scissors and shit, and cut the crap
2. I shouldn’t have to rhyme these words
3. In the rhythm for you to know it’s a rap
4. You said you was king, you lied through your teeth
5. For that fuck your feelings
6. Instead of getting crowned you’re getting capped
7. And to the fans, I’ll never let you down again, I’m back
8. I promise to never go back on that promise, in fact
9. Let’s be honest, that last Relapse CD was “ehhhh”
10. Perhaps I ran them accents into the ground
11. Relax, I ain’t going back to that now
12. All I’m tryna say is get back, click-clack BLAOW
13. Cause I ain’t playin’ around
14. There’s a game called circle and I don’t know how
15. I’m way too up to back down
16. But I think I’m still trying to figure this crap out
17. Thought I had it mapped out but I guess I didn’t
18. This fucking black cloud still follows me around
19. But it’s time to exercise these demons
20. These mother fuckers are doing jumping jacks now

When he sings, “And to the fans, I’ll never let you down again I’m back”, he walks onto a busy road narrowly avoiding collisions with cars and buses symbolising how he won’t let anything stop him or get in his way. It’s also interesting to note that one of the buses has a partially visible advertisement with the words “wake up” shown for a fraction of a second. There are 3 plausible explanations for this:

1. It is a coincidence (which I believe it to be).
2. The advertisement is real and the production crew only noticed this during post-processing of the video and decided to keep the “wake up” part only.
3. The “wake up” advert was intentional and planned.

In the basement which Eminem is living in, a puppet can be seen hanging from a structural beam. The puppet is seen throughout the video several times including some close up shots of it, although it is shown quickly and is not so noticeable. The puppet is most clearly displayed when Eminem sings, “Relax, I ain’t going back to that now”. Keep in mind, this music video is visually symbolising how Eminem went from “that place” to get to “this place”. A place from being caged in with drug abuse and depression to being free and in control of himself. “That place” and all its associated evils are no longer with “this place”. In other words, he is no longer a puppet for the higher-ups to control and abuse.

Eminem then says, “All I’m tryna say is get back, click-clack BLAOW, cause I ain’t playin’ around, there’s a game called circle and I don’t know how, I’m way too up to back down”. The words “click-clack BLAOW” are onomatopoeia for a gun cocking a gun and firing it, so this could be indicating how serious he is and what kind of level he is at. The circle game in the music industry is essentially a circular path the Illuminati take with music artists. They build someone up to become very popular and famous for their own use of manipulating and then when that person finishes or dies, they will just get another artist and do the same again. This will keep happening all the time and there are also multiple instances. Eminem is “Way too up to back down” since the higher you get, the harder it becomes to leave the music industry because you are aware of much more than other artists and have much more influence and thus become a threat. This is when the Illuminati may choose to kill the artist, usually as a sacrifice, after keeping them out of the spotlight for a while to reduce their popularity. This process is very gradual and goes almost unnoticed. Eminem has also mentioned this in a few other songs, such as ‘Say Goodbye to Hollywood’:

1. I never dreamt I’d get to the level that I’m at, this is whack
2. This is more than I ever could’ve asked
3. If I could go back, I never would’ve rapped
4. (continued)
5. I sold my soul to the devil, I’ll never get it back
6. I just wanna leave this game with level head intact

Continuing on, Eminem also says, “But I think I’m still trying to figure this crap out, thought I had it mapped out but I guess I didn’t”, indicating that he has previously attempted to get off of the higher-ups’ radar, metaphorically referring to them as the “Black cloud” – still tracking him and monitoring his every move.

As Eminem continues walking, he looks into a car window and sees a reflection with a distorted image of his face. He looks confused and a little surprised, but he carries on walking and ends up in a hall of mirrors. He is spooked by the distorted reflection of his face in each one, which looks like a painted face, representing the image which the higher-ups created for him, reminding him of his alter ego, Slim Shady, the puppet he once was. Slim Shady is also associated with “that place”.

Although he doesn’t mention the mirrors in the lyrics to ‘Not Afraid’, he does mention them in another one of his songs from the same album named, ‘I’m going through changes’:

I’m hatin’ my reflection, I walk around the house tryin’ to fight mirrors

After that, he says, “But it’s time to exercise these demons, these mother fuckers are doing jumping jacks now”. He is referring to the higher-ups as “demons”. This means that the higher-ups already have or are planning to focus on the demise of his career, hence “jumping jack” also commonly known as star jump, signifying that they are making big moves already.

Eminem finds a way to escape the mirrored room by smashing through it, and whilst doing so the scene switches over to the basement where he simultaneously smashes the brick wall after discovering light bursting through a small hole previously created by throwing a chair at it. This is symbolising that Eminem has found the light, he has broken out of his cage and will no longer be controlled, hence the lyrics which are playing whilst this scene is acted out, “I’m breaking out of this cage”.

We’ll skip the bridge and the last verse since it’s so direct and needs no explaining. Let’s now take a look at the hook.

(Hook)

1. I’m not afraid to take a stand
2. Everybody come take my hand
3. We’ll walk this road together, through the storm
4. Whatever weather, cold or warm
5. Just lettin’ you know that you’re not alone
6. Holla if you feel that you’ve been down the same road

The meaning of the hook is very clear. In the last line Eminem is asking other celebrities, who have “been down the same road”, essentially meaning what he has gone or is going through, to raise their voices and take a stand like him. Hence the line, “Holla if you feel that you’ve been down the same road”. While he sings this, he also puts his hand next to his mouth vertically as if to pass on a message quietly and discretely. This is evident by the bridge lyrics to his song, “Talkin’ 2 Myself”:

So why in the world do I feel so alone
Nobody but me, I’m on my own
Is there anyone out there
Who feels the way I feel
If there is, let me hear just so I know I’m not the only one

Conclusion

The very beginning of the video shows Eminem standing on a rooftop ledge telling us how he got to there from “that place”, which he goes on to show by walking through the streets finding himself in a hall of mirrors, where he’s confronted by distorted images of himself before escaping both the basement and mirrored room only to find himself confronted by a far more dangerous edge. He then jumps off the edge and falls some distance before gaining the ability to fly like Superman and guiding himself back onto the rooftop.

As Eminem said in an interview with Skyrock FM in Paris, the overall concept is “Basically just being in a dark place and trying to get to the light”. The message Eminem is trying to give us is that he isn’t afraid to face his fears, and being in control of himself, making his own choices and decisions, he’s putting his life back together, whatever the circumstances may be.

When one ‘sells his/her soul to the devil’ and stops playing their part for the higher-ups, they are not allowed to keep their fame and live their luxurious lives. However, due to Eminem’s popularity, and the massively increasing awareness people have about what goes on behind the scenes, it’s becoming much harder to keep him out of the spotlight. Keep in mind that the higher-ups kept trying to destroy Michael Jackson’s image for 17 years.