Eminem has stopped rapping about beef. He addressed his feud over the years in his 2023 song “Guilty Conscience 2.” He wanted to close the book on conflict and focus on positivity. However, the universe felt fans needed another Eminem diss, so a song from the vault was leaked online. “Smack You,” a song allegedly recorded by Slim Shady in the mid-2000s, went viral on Monday. The rapper went after Death Row co-founder Suge Knight. It also led him to target Ja Rule, which made sense considering their relationship at the time.
Eminem knows how to deal with diss, and his restraints on Suge Knight were brutal. He implicated Sugar in Tupac’s fatal shooting, a rumor that has gained traction for years. “I hold Suge responsible for the death of two of the greatest rappers to ever grace this star,” Eminem gushed. “If only the late, great Mr. Christopher Wallace could talk. He could tell you personally. I think Sugar is responsible for the death of Ja Rule or anyone else associated with the line.” Throughout the track. There is a lot of slander against Suge. Eminem reworked the chorus to Tupac’s “Against All Odds.” He also vowed to “reveal the truth” “even if it kills him.”
Eminem hints that Suge Knight was involved in Tupac’s death
“Smack You” was promoted as a Suge Knight diss. However, most of Eminem’s bars are for Ja Rule. The two rappers went back and forth during the fracas. Em took over 50 Cent’s beef with Ja and took it ten steps further. We’ve heard how cruel rappers can be to Ja, and “Smack You” is exactly in line with what others have done. In the first verse, Eminem mocks the masculinity of Ja and Owen Gotti. “I owe it to Owen, he’s the cookie monster of rap,” he gushed. “Haley won’t give her Oscar back, they lost it on Ja Rule’s ass. We forgot the Oscar is a statue of a naked man. We told her if she wanted her Oscar back, he Will break her hand.
It was weird hearing Eminem’s diss for the first time twenty years after the fact. The rapper has taken steps to stop feuding with others. He even referenced Ja Rule’s remarks in the aforementioned Guilty Conscience 2 . That said, “Smack You” is an interesting lyrical blast from a rapper who had a lot of grievances to vent at the time.
About the author
Elias Andrews is the music and entertainment writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined HNHH in 2024 as chief night writer, which means he covers new releases every week. In the year since joining, Elias has covered some of the biggest, most tumultuous stories in music. He’s been covering Drake and Kendrick Lamar’s battle on the fly, especially with the release of topics like “Family Matters” and “Meet the Grahams.” He also detailed a list of ongoing allegations and criminal charges against Diddy. Elias’ favorite artists are Andre 3000, MF Doom, pre-808s Kanye West and Tyler, The Creator. He likes L.A. hip-hop, but not L.A. sports teams. The first album he bought was Will Smith’s “Big Willie Style,” which he thinks still sounds great.
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