The Slim Shady hot takes just keep on coming from the rap world, and one artist has a new angle to consider. Kurupt recently expressed that Eminem “got away” with dissing many other artists because he’s white. Moreover, he sat down with The Art of Dialogue and was asked about Melle Mel saying that Em’s only considered top five because of his skin color, comments which he made on the same platform. Furthermore, they related to Billboard and VIBE’s recent list of the top 50 rappers of all time. While the West Coast MC disagreed and said his whiteness doesn’t diminish the sheer skill of his mic and pen, he did state that Mel has a point.
“That’s his opinion. That’s not our opinion,” the “Who Ride Wit Us” rapper remarked. “The way Dr. Dre took Eminem subject matter-wise is one thing; the way Eminem rocked — he’s a battle rapper, so he’s Hip Hop, no matter what color he is. Dr. Dre took him in this way, so that has no bearing on his skill. His skills are renowned.” Still, he acknowledged that Mel is a legend in his own right.
“But that’s Melle Mel’s feel on it,” Kurupt went on. “Melle Mel is an icon of Hip Hop … Remember, he’s the original Hip Hop so Melle Mel speaks from that standpoint. For my generation, hey, Eminem is our monster. His color is irrelevant. He does have a point, Eminem being white. He might have got away with a lot of things, like him talking about all these different artists and s**t, you know what I’m saying? And not having no backlash to where he’s blackballed.
“But not from his skill,” he continued. “[Being] white had nothing to do with his skills. But he might have got away with a lot of things. S**t, we got away with a lot of things once we became successful! Once you’re successful, you can do whatever you f***ing want, and the game accepts it because they make money off of what you’re doing, so they give you that pass.” Marshall Mathers’ acknowledgement of his privilege, as well as his artistic feuds, are well-documented at this point. However, it’s always useful to consider what factors are at play, and to not place complete blame or responsibility on an artist who’s addressed this topic many times. Regardless, let us know your take in the comments and return to HNHH for the latest on Kurupt and Eminem.
