The Latest Rap Beef Is Between Eminem and 62-Year-Old Melle Mel, Who Have Traded Diss Songs, And It's As Much Of A Bloodbath As You'd Expect
Complex - During an interview with The Art of Dialogue in March, Melle Mel attributed Em's success in the rap game to his skin color. According to Mel, Eminem is a "capable rapper" and "sold more than everybody," but a large part of that due to him being white.
"So now, if Eminem was another n***a like all the rest of us, would he be Top 5 on that list when a n***a that could rhyme just as good as him is 35? That had records and all that? He's 35. He's white," Mel said at the time.
Somewhere Dennis Rodman is smiling...
We're really doing this "Eminem is only regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time because he's white" thing again?
And it's coming from the mouth of, (albeit a legendary pioneer of the rap genre), a 62-year-old man?
'Cmon man.
For those unaware, Melle Mel was one of "The Furious Five" in Grandmaster Flash's "Furious Five". Ever heard of them?
This might jog your memory.
Anyway, he's old as fuck now and should be enjoying his victory lap in peace. Being praised for his groundbreaking work in the early 80s and helping pave the way for artists since. Not being asked questions to stir up controversy and get him embroiled in beefs with one of the greatest (and nastiest) battle rappers to ever live.
His statement obviously came across Marshall's radar, and he responded how he always does, by absolutely fucking eviscerating him in a rap.
Ahead of the release of his forthcoming album DU4LI7Y: REDUX, Shady Records signee Ez Mil taps Eminem for his new single "Realest."
The track is highlighted by a guest feature from Em, who uses the track's closing verse to address Melle Mel's comments from earlier this year.
Back in March, Melle Mel ripped Em's No. 5 placement on Billboard’s recent list of the Top 50 Rappers of All Time, saying the Detroit rapper is only ranked that high because he's white.
“Hip Hop has been good to me, huh/But when they say that I’m only Top 5 ’cause I’m white, why would I be stunned?” Eminem raps. “My skin color’s still working against me/‘Cause second, I should be, to none/Bein’ white being why they put me at five/That’s why they can’t put me at one.”
Later, Em mentions calls out Melle Mel by name while referencing his alleged steroid use.
“Shoutout to Furious Five and Grandmaster Flash, but boy/There’s someone who really is furious/Stay out his path, his wrath avoid/ It’ll be the last to toy with a juice head whose brain is half destroyed, like a meteor hit it/Now with Melle Mel, he lost his ass to ‘roids.”
Hitting below the belt has never been off limits to Eminem. If there's something unsubstantiated, but rumored about you you better believe he's going to hammer it. Like he did here with the steroids quip.
For some God-unknown reason, somebody convinced Melle Mel to dust off the headphones and get in the booth to record a response, "diss"?
And it's embarrassing.
“The Top 5 is cap/ You the piss that’s on the floor in the elevator of rap/ Why you ducking on The Game when you shit on my name?/ Why they put Pee-Wee Herman in the hall of fame?”
Somebody please stop this fight. Nobody asked for it. Nobody wants it. Nobody wants to drag this old man's dead body out of the gutter.
Eminem is one of the top 5 greatest rapper ever. If not top 3. End of story. No debate. He doesn't have anything to prove to anybody. Especially Melle Mel.
If you don't believe me just ask rap expert Nick Castellani. Or read his very good blog on his favorite 5 Em verses ever.
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