In a recent appearance on the It’s Just My Opinion podcast, Rhymefest made a surprising claim about a rap battle with Eminem back in 1998, alleging that the Detroit rapper used the N-word—but delivered it in a way that was so lyrically sharp, it was hard to take offense.
“I battled Eminem in ’98 at this competition called Scribble Jam in Cincinnati,” Rhymefest recalled. “It was the biggest battle in the Midwest and one of the biggest rap battles in the country. A lot of famous rappers, DJs, and breakdancers came out of Scribble Jam.”
Rhymefest then dropped the bombshell: “That was the first time a white guy ever called me a n-gga,” he said, referencing one of Em’s punchlines. “‘I’ll let my razor split you ’til they have to staple stitch you/This n-gga took my facial tissue, turned it to a racial issue.’”
Instead of outrage, Rhymefest admitted he was caught off guard by how effective the line was. “You couldn’t even be mad! I realized something about racism that day—it’s why Family Guy works,” he said. “It’s only good when it’s funny. It’s only non-offensive when it’s dope. Had you said that sh*t and it not been dope, it would’ve been a problem. But you so cold and courageous that you did it and got away with it.”
Still, Rhymefest ended with a final jab. “But when I say I won that battle… he won the war!”