On "Nail In The Coffin," Eminem once famously hit Benzino with the scathing line "nobody wants to hear their grandfather rap." Now, years later, Eminem is finding himself being hit with a similar criticism. This time it's coming courtesy of his old pal Nick Cannon, who found himself on the receiving end of some disrespectful bars from Em, stemming from his opening line on Fat Joe's "Lord Above:"
I know me and Mariah didn't end on a high note
But that other dude's whipped—that pussy got him neutered
Tried to tell him this chick's a nutjob 'fore he got his jewels clipped
Almost got my caboose kicked
Fool, quit, you not gon' do shit
I let her chop my balls off too 'fore I lost to you, Nick
Clever eunuch pun aside, the lines seemed to highlight a brutal truth: Eminem has no interest in letting his beef with Mariah Carey go away quietly. Even after the wounds left off by the "Bagpipes From Bagdhad"/"Obsessed"/"The Warning" trifecta seemed to heal. By now, Nick has already made it clear that he's not feeling Em's recent shots, channeling Chris D'Elia with an unflattering impression of a geriatric Slim. As the day progressed, the Wild N Out host made it clear he wasn't about to let things slide without issuing his own brand of challenge.
Taking to Instagram, Cannon removed his glove and issued a digital slap, all but inviting Eminem to partake in a duel. "Fat Joe album is [Fire]," writes Nick, in an IG post. "Star studded, he even did some charity work and dug @Eminem out his grave I mean cave!! LOL FLAM FLAM! BLAM BLAM! NICK CANNON!! Bring your Ass to @MTVWILDNOUT to Battle like a real legend Grandpa Marshall!!" Perhaps that really is the best matter of settling this - a rap battle, not unlike those seen on 8 Mile. Clearly, these two need to hash something out, and what better way than to air their grievances on a public, yet appropriately low stakes lyrical joust?