Eminem says he’s absolutely a guest in hip hop, but here’s also what he said about being called a king in the genre.
Eminem recently released his album Music To Be Murdered By and it brought up a conversation that he further highlighted in a skit called “Perspective” on Royce da 5’9″ new album “The Allegory.” It’s often said that white rappers are guests in hip-hop. Based on Eminem’s incredible talent, legend status, and veteran form, it’s easy to wonder what his thoughts are on the topic.
During the interview, Em was asked about the issue, and he addressed it head-on. “That’s the funny thing,” he replied. “I don’t know if I got a chance to say this yet. But the funny sh*t is, with the whole beef with a certain person… I never said I wasn’t a guest,” he continued. “Like, I’m absolutely a guest. I never said I wasn’t. And I never said I was king of anything, right?”
Eminem went on to explain that he not only never claimed the title, but he also doesn’t even care to. “I had a song called ‘Kings Never Die’ but that was the concept of the song. I’m like, ‘I can’t say I’m the king of Hip Hop,’ so I threw Run-DMC in there, Jam Master Jay… I don’t want to be the king of Hip Hop. Who the f**k is the king of Hip Hop? Is there a king of Hip Hop?”
According to Eminem, it’s also a bit hard to gauge because what you’d expect the criteria to be is often denounced. “People say, ‘Just because you sell the most records doesn’t mean you’re the best. Just because you can rap 40 million syllables doesn’t mean you’re the best.’ Like I care more about rhyming the syllables. You know what I’m saying, I care more about the craft than any of the other stuff.”
Eminem’s work is definitely a reflection of his keen attention to his craft. The prolific rapper is undoubtedly one of the best rappers of all time, and he displays it on every track. Do you think Eminem is a guest in hip-hop?
