The Burning Mystery: Unraveling The "Hot Coffee Pot" Expression

That's an awfully hot coffee pot is an iconic opening line from a freestyle rap video by Eminem, directed at Donald Trump. The performance, which lacked any music, went viral for its controversial lyrics, with the opening line in particular being mocked and turned into memes. The line has been interpreted as something hot that you would want to drop on someone, with Eminem alluding to Trump as the target. The original video, uploaded to YouTube in 2017, has garnered over 53 million views, with an alternative version focusing solely on the coffee pot line receiving over 3 million views.

Eminem and Donald Trump

"That's an awfully hot coffee pot" is the iconic opening line of Eminem's controversial freestyle performance video, in which he criticised then-newly elected US President Donald Trump. The performance, which lacked any musical accompaniment, was delivered at the 2017 BET Hip Hop Awards and later uploaded to YouTube. The video has since garnered over 53 million views.

Eminem's freestyle was well-received by Trump critics, with the rapper drawing a line in the sand between himself and his fans who supported the president:

> "Any fan of mine who’s a supporter of his / I’m drawing in the sand a line, you’re either for or against. And if you can’t decide who you like more and you’re split on who you should stand beside, I’ll do it for it for you with this. F— you."

Eminem's willingness to criticise the president and risk losing fans was notable, with the rapper stating:

> "At the end of the day, if I did lose half my fan base, then so be it, because I feel like I stood up for what was right and I’m on the right side of this... I don’t see how somebody could be middle class, busting their a– every single day, paycheck to paycheck, who thinks that that f—— billionaire is gonna help you."

However, Eminem later expressed regret for the freestyle, claiming that he was interviewed by the Secret Service at Trump's request and that the stance may have impacted the size of his fanbase. On his track "The Ringer", Eminem raps:

> "If I could go back, I’d at least reword it / And say I empathize with the people this evil serpent sold the dream to that he’s deserted... That line in the sand, was it even worth it? ‘Cause the way I see people turning is making it seem worthless It’s starting to defeat the purpose I’m watching my fan base shrink to thirds And I was just trying to do the right thing, but word."

Reddit discussion

The line "That's an awfully hot coffee pot" is an iconic opening line from a freestyle rap video by Eminem, directed at Donald Trump. The performance, which lacked any music, went viral and the opening line was widely mocked and turned into memes.

Some people on Reddit have discussed whether the line is meant as a joke or if it is simply a bad rhyme. One user commented that it is "corny" and doesn't make much sense, while another defended it, saying that Eminem built his reputation on saying "ridiculous" things that no one else would say. Another user pointed out that Eminem's early work was known for being "messed up and silly", like a "comical cartoon reality".

The line has clearly divided Eminem fans, with some feeling that it is in line with his style of saying "random" things, and others feeling that it is a poor representation of his abilities. One fan commented that they found the line "corny" and that it is indicative of the "stuff we've been getting from him lately".

The discussion also included a mention of the line's potential meaning, with one user interpreting it as something hot that you would want to "drop on someone". This interpretation is supported by the full line from the rap, which continues, "Should I drop it on Donald Trump? Probably not".

The "That's an awfully hot coffee pot" line and the associated memes have clearly sparked a range of reactions and discussions among Reddit users, ranging from criticism to defence of Eminem's style and intentions.

Meme culture

"That's an awfully hot coffee pot" is an iconic opening line from a freestyle rap video by Eminem. The performance, which lacked any music and featured unusual lyrics even by Eminem's standards, was an explicit expression of his dislike for then-newly-elected US President Donald Trump. The video went viral, and the opening line was soon the subject of many jokes and memes.

A meme is a unit of cultural information spread by imitation. The term was introduced in 1976 by British evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins, who saw memes as the cultural parallel to biological genes. Dawkins theorised that memes, like genes, are in control of their own reproduction.

The process of meme transmission is carried out through verbal, visual, or electronic communication, including books, conversation, television, email, and the internet. Internet memes are a cultural item, such as an idea, behaviour, or style, spread via the internet, often through social media platforms. They can take many forms, such as images, videos, GIFs, and other viral content.

Internet memes are considered an important part of internet culture and have become an area of academic research. They can be used for light entertainment, but they can also be powerful tools for self-expression, connection, social influence, and political subversion. They can be used to market products and services, and they can be used to express political opinions or actively campaign for (or against) a political entity.

Memes are susceptible to parody, intertextuality, and viral patterns, and they can evolve over time. They can "mutate" in their meaning, structure, or both, either by chance or by deliberate means such as parody. Once a meme has been spread to enough people, its continued propagation is inevitable.

Internet memes are often short-lasting fads, and they are usually less conceptually abstract than traditional memes. They are also more diverse and spread more quickly than traditional memes, thanks to the rise of social media platforms.

Two central attributes of internet memes are creative reproduction and intertextuality. Creative reproduction refers to the tendency of a popular meme to become the subject of parody and imitation, which may occur through mimicry or remix. Intertextuality is demonstrated through memes that combine different subjects or aspects of culture, blending the political and cultural aspects of different nations, for example.

Memes can be used to build a collective group identity within online communities, and they can also have broader cultural relevance that can be understood by those outside the subculture.

Secret Service

"That's an awfully hot coffee pot" is the iconic opening line of a freestyle rap performance by Eminem, directed at Donald Trump. The performance, which lacked any music, was broadcast by BET (Black Entertainment Television) in 2017, shortly after Trump's inauguration as President.

The rap was controversial, even by Eminem's standards, and the opening line stood out to viewers as particularly memorable. The performance went viral, and many people began to mock the lyrics, with the "coffee pot" line attracting particular attention. The line was soon made into various internet memes.

On 14 October 2017, three days after the original clip was uploaded to YouTube, an alternative version was uploaded by a user called "donut." This version removed all lyrics except "that's an awfully hot coffee pot," which was also the title of the video. This clip has been viewed over 3 million times.

In 2021, the line became the focus of a new TikTok trend, in which people imitated Eminem's performance in the original video clip.

Pop culture references

The phrase "that's an awfully hot coffee pot" is an opening line from a freestyle rap performed by Eminem during Donald Trump's first year as President. The performance, which was aired on BET, was a protest against Trump and included lines such as "That's an awfully hot coffee pot / Should I drop it on Donald Trump? Probably not". Due to the contrast between this freestyle and his earlier work, the line has been used as a meme to suggest that Eminem is "falling off".

In the years following the freestyle, the line has been referenced and remixed by numerous TikTok creators. For example, on December 31st, 2020, TikTok user nathanlust posted a video in which he approaches a coffee pot, grabs it, and is burned by it, before the scene transitions to Eminem reciting the line. On January 29th, 2021, TikTok user irvingzun uploaded a similar video, but translated the punchline into Spanish. On July 14th, 2022, TikTok user midwestcrisis93 posted a variation in which the original line is edited down to only have Eminem say "That's Coffee".

The line has also been referenced in other online forums such as Reddit and Urban Dictionary. On Reddit, users have discussed their opinions on Eminem's political rap and the contrast between his new and old music. On Urban Dictionary, users have posted alternative definitions of the phrase, such as "something hot that you'd drop on someone".

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