Estonia’s Eurovision 2025 entry comes with a heavy dose of rap, controversy, and a nod to Eminem as Tommy Cash takes centre stage.

Tommy Cash has always been a wildcard, and now, he’s bringing his eccentric style to Eurovision 2025. The Estonian rapper won the national selection with his viral track “Espresso Macchiato”, securing a landslide 83% of the vote and leaving 16 competitors in the dust.

Born Thomas Tammemets in Tallinn, Tommy Cash has Ukrainian, Russian, and Estonian roots and a lifelong love for hip hop. He grew up in a modest one-room apartment, where he spent hours listening to Eminem tapes and typing out his own rap lyrics on an old typewriter — using a made-up English language.

His first music video, “Guez Whoz Bak” (an apparent Eminem reference), dropped in 2013 and won “Demo of the Year” in the country. Now, over a decade later, he has set to take his bold persona to Basel, Switzerland, where the Eurovision grand final will take place on May 17, 2025.

While his song is meant to unite people like coffee does, some actual Italians are not feeling the love, protesting the track for reinforcing stereotypes about their country. However, controversy has never slowed Tommy Cash down before — just like his rap idol, Eminem, he thrives on pushing boundaries.