Benzino Wants To Squash Longstanding Beef With Eminem—Again
Benzino is apparently ready to end his feud with Eminem. In a surprising turn of events, Benzino has publicly extended an olive branch to his longtime adversary following the news that Eminem is set to become a grandfather.
After Hailie Jade, Eminem’s daughter, recently announced her pregnancy, Benzino took to social media to congratulate his former foe, marking a potential thaw in their decades-long feud.
“Somebody found out that they’re going to be a grandfather,” Benzino began. “And the irony is that even though he said nobody wants to hear their grandpa rap, I still want to send a congratulations out to Eminem and his daughter Hailie on the news that she’s about to give birth and he’s about to be a granddad.”
For years, the two rappers were at each other’s throats, exchanging diss tracks and harsh words both on and off the mic. The feud originated in the early 2000s, when Benzino, then a co-owner of The Source magazine, criticized Eminem’s success and even accused the rapper of appropriating Black culture. This led to a bitter war of words that played out through scathing diss tracks, including Eminem’s brutal response with “The Sauce” and “Nail in the Coffin.” Benzino fired back with “Pull Your Skirt Up” and “Die Another Day,” but the beef only cemented Eminem’s place in the rap hierarchy, while Benzino’s criticism backfired.
Despite their tumultuous past, Benzino expressed a desire for peace in order for them to be able to “enjoy” life as they continue to grow older.
“I think this is a good time, man, to put this behind us and let’s try to enjoy life and try to make some type of statement,” he said. “I truly want to congratulate him and his daughter and him on being a grandfather. I’m not one yet. I’m sure that day will come, and I’ll be proud just like he is.”
The timing of Benzino’s gesture is especially noteworthy given the rekindling of their rivalry earlier this year. In a shocking resurgence of their old beef, both rappers took shots at each other through a series of diss tracks, reviving a feud that many thought had long since died down. Eminem, known for his unrelenting lyrical attacks, didn’t hold back, while Benzino also dropped verses aimed at the Detroit rapper via diss tracks such as his “Rap Elvis” single. Though the situation escalated briefly, it seems Benzino is now hoping to finally bury the hatchet.
Whether Eminem will respond to Benzino’s congratulatory message remains to be seen, but it’s clear that the former Source editor is ready to move forward.
Hear Benzino’s address to Eminem in full above.