Dr. Dre could not care less about rap GOAT debates because his pick is always going to be Eminem. The mega producer has had a hand in making hits with undeniable greats like Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg, and his former group mates from N.W.A, but choosing “Slim Shady” as the most lethal lyrical assassin is an easy pick for the producer.
“His imagination is off the charts, and I don’t think anyone would disagree with that. I think he’s the best emcee ever,” said Dre in the latest episode of the “This Life of Mine with James Corden” show on SiriusXM. “Point blank, period. Of course, there are going to be arguments about that because he’s a white guy. I don’t think anyone that is rapping can touch Eminem on that microphone,” added the celebrated icon, whose bond with the Detroit native dates back to the 90s, when he helped launch the artist’s career.
Someone else who holds Eminem in high regard is 50 Cent. In 2023, the Get Rich or Die Tryin’ rapper said that his longtime industry friend has had an immeasurable impact on Hip Hop. “[Eminem] played across top 40 crossover radio, and it’s a different energy. When that audience captures the art form and becomes attracted to it, they buy other people’s art from that art form. That’s where the sales [are] coming from. No Eminem? No Bentley, no Ferrari, no Lamborghinis,” he said. The TV mogul further noted, “Em, I put him next to my grandmother, and I’ma tell you why. He was always a place where I could go and just talk to him and know that he has my best interest at heart.”
Each of the men has without a doubt left their mark in music with their scores of record sales, chart-topping tracks, and the trends they launched. But, in 2022, they made entertainment history alongside Mary J. Blige, Snoop and Kendrick Lamar when their Super Bowl halftime show earned them each an Emmy for Outstanding Variety Special — a first ever for the game day performance. Of the artists, Eminem is the closest to achieving EGOT status, a feat that only requires him to win a Tony to join the small circle of entertainers that have done so.