It's no secret that Eminem holds LL Cool J in high regard, frequently singing the legendary emcee's praises. Now, in honor of LL's latest milestone -- the 30th anniversary of his fourth album Mama Said Knock You Out -- Eminem hit up Rock The Bells Radio to speak on the album's significance.
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"'Mama Said Knock You Out' was, to me, such an unorthodox hit," praises Em. "It's another way to say that LL has been such an innovator, because for a song like that to be a hit, he was so raw on that song, that something like that could become a hit just changed the whole game. You didn't have to have a singy-pop hook to get on the radio and radio played the fuck out this song. To me, it was not even an attempt to make a hit. It was more like him getting shit off his chest. But the song was so good that you couldn't front on it, and it just became something that was so organic. It gives you chills man."
From there Em introduces Slim Shady to the conversation, his high-pitched cadence sparking waves of nostalgia. "We celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of Mama Said Knock You Out," says Em, once Shady hands him back the reigns. "One of the reasons this album is so significant is because it was LL Cool J's fouth album, and to me it was his fourth classic in a row." He proceeds to name his favorite track from the project, "Eat 'Em Up, L Chill," inviting his maniacal alter ego to fire off a few of the track's noteworthy bars. "Shout to Marley Marl by the way," he continues. "The beat on this fuckin' song is crazy, and the way LL's rhyme schemes complement this beat and vice versa is incredible."