Eminem fans are well aware that the Detroit lyricist started off as a battle rapper, holding it down at The Hip-Hop Shop and developing a reputation as a formidable opponent; he even battled against fellow D12 member Kuniva, a match-up that can still be seen embedded below. And while the Battle Rap artform has changed drastically since Em was cutting his teeth in the ring, that competitive spirit can still be heard within his music to this day. So much so that esteemed Battle Rapper Daylyt has officially implored Slim to return for one last battle, taking to Twitter to make his case.
Eminem battling Kuniva in 1997, Live At The Hip-Hop Shop
"Yo @Eminem," he begins, tagging the rapper directly. "If there was a ever a time for u to come back and battle now would be the time !zero crowd to boo! And this COVID era of battle rap lives lyricism ! Your style fits absolutely perfect for the now ! As a super fan I wold love to see u do one more for Hip-hop!" When asked as to who believes would be a fitting opponent for Shady, Daylyt offered some of of Battle Rap's legendary figures, all of whom would give Eminem a serious run for his money. "Disaster, Loaded lux, Iron soloman, Those are the first who come to mind."
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It should be noted that, phenomenal lyricist though Em may be, Battle Rap would be a tough challenge for him -- especially with the sheer number of talented emcees currently holding it down for that particular side of the culture. But perhaps there's one particular rapper perfectly suited to bring Shady out of retirement. Fellow Detroit emcee Marv Won recently turned in an impressive King Of The Dot performance -- and back in the 8 Mile days, actually battled Eminem as part of the bonus feature extras. By Marv's own admission, Em was left wanting a rematch afterward-- could we see this one manifesting in 2021?
And more importantly -- do you think Eminem could hold his own in a proper battle. Looking at Daylyt's own suggestions, it's hard not to imagine Dizaster chomping at the bit for a shot at Em. For those interested in Battle Rap, sound off with your thoughts on who might be best suited for Eminem's possible debut event.