The rap game has seen its fair share of feuds over the years, but few have captured the public’s attention quite like the beef between Eminem and Machine Gun Kelly. Their lyrical back-and-forth quickly became legendary, leaving fans wondering – why did two of hip hop’s biggest stars end up at each other’s throats? The origins of their beef go back nearly a decade and involve some inflammatory tweets, shady lyrics, and diss tracks galore.
The Spark That Lit the Fuse
In 2012, a young MGK made waves when he tweeted that Eminem’s then teenage daughter Hailie was “hot as f**k.” Understandably, any father would take issue with a grown man publicly thirsting after their underage daughter. However, Em initially stayed silent on the matter. That didn’t stop MGK from firing more shots though, later suggesting that Eminem had used his influence to blacklist MGK from Shade 45 radio because of the tweet about his daughter.
Eminem finally addressed the controversial tweet directly in his 2018 track “Not Alike” with the lines: “But next time you don’t gotta use Tech N9ne if you wanna come at me with a sub-machine gun/And I’m talking to you but you already know who the f**k you are, Kelly.” And so began one of the biggest hip hop beefs of the decade.
MGK Throws Gasoline on the Fire with “Rap Devil”
Never one to back down from a challenge MGK responded to Em’s call out by dropping “Rap Devil,” a scathing diss track filled with personal attacks and accusations of Eminem being out of touch and afraid of newer rappers. The title itself was a jab playing off Em’s track “Rap God.”
MGK proudly proclaimed, “F**k Rap God, I’m the Rap Devil” and mocked Eminem as a 46-year-old still yelling into the mic in his basement studio. The fiery lyrics and aggressive delivery let Eminem know that MGK would not be intimidated.
Eminem Annihilates MGK with “Killshot”
Eminem clapped back swiftly and ferociously with his own diss track, “Killshot.” The response was measured and ruthless, picking apart MGK’s rap skills, career, man bun, and more. Em even brought up the tweet about Hailie again, addressing MGK sardonically with the line “Here’s that autograph for your daughter, I wrote it on a Starter cap”
The track was pure lyrical carnage, with Eminem’s trademark complex rhyme schemes and verbal dexterity on full display. MGK was thoroughly ethered in just under 3 minutes. “Killshot” would go on to break YouTube records, undermine MGK’s rap credibility, and stand as the unanimous knockout punch in the battle.
But Was The Beef Real or Just Promo?
In the aftermath, some fans questioned whether the beef was genuine or just a publicity stunt orchestrated by the rappers’ shared record label. Both Em and MGK stood to gain from the feud – MGK earned new name recognition while Eminem drew attention to his surprise Kamikaze album.
Skeptics pointed to the convenient timing of MGK’s “Rap Devil” release just before Eminem dropped Kamikaze. Plus, MGK later showed up wearing a “Killshot” t-shirt at a concert, fueling suspicions that there was no real animosity.
The Beef Lives On in Later Tracks
Though “Killshot” seemed to decisively end the clash, both rappers continued referencing the feud in later songs. On Music To Be Murdered By, Eminem boasted about finishing off MGK and called him a “devil worshipper.”
Meanwhile MGK has complained about Eminem’s unwillingness to talk and resolve the feud man to man. Clearly some lingering hard feelings remain, at least on MGK’s end.
Why the Beef Has Captivated Fans
At its core, the Eminem/MGK beef represents a classic dynamic – the young, hungry underdog versus the seasoned veteran firmly entrenched on the throne. It’s a tale as old as hip hop itself. Fans watched eagerly to see if the newcomer could really compete with one of the greatest rappers ever at the top of his game.
For better or worse, diss tracks also bring out incredible lyricism as each tries to one-up the other. Like it or not, beef breeds battle-ready bars and pushes skills to the limit. Few moments in rap rival the exhilaration of hearing two elite mic masters at each other’s throats.
Beyond just the music, beef adds drama and narrative to the typically abstract lyrical content of rap. The personal nature makes it feel closer, more tangible. Fans eat up the gossip and takedowns of other artists. Some beefs fizzle fast, but Eminem and MGK’s had the perfect balance of celebrity status, lyrical prowess, and sensationalized drama to achieve legendary staying power.
Looking Back at a Feud for the Ages
Though the origins of their issues may have been petty, once sparked, the powder keg of tension between Eminem and Machine Gun Kelly created one of hip hop’s most memorable and masterful rap beefs. Their back-and-forth propelled both rappers into headlines and amplified their profiles tremendously.
MGK earned his rap battle stripes going head-to-head with one of the greatest. Meanwhile Em asserted his claim to the throne once more, swatting away the young pretender. Modern rap fans were treated to a clash for the ages, proving that savagery mixed with elite skills makes for timeless entertainment. Their beef won’t be settled anytime soon in the hearts of hip hop heads.
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And perhaps one of the most famous (or infamous?) artists that will throw down his proverbial glove is rapper Eminem. He feuds to defend his family, to sharpen his craft, and, sometimes, just because the wind blew the wrong direction that day. So, here we’re going to dive into just one of Eminem’s famous feuds—the one with fellow rapper Machine Gun Kelly.
How it all got started
To set the scene for this musical feud, we have to go back a decade. In 2012, MGK tweeted about Eminem’s daughter, Hailie Mathers, and it wasn’t exactly what the father of a teenage girl likes to see on the world wide web. “[O]k so I just saw a picture of Eminem’s daughter,” the original MGK tweet begins, “and I have to say, she is hot as fuck.”
(Reader’s note: Eminem has always been open about his relationship with his daughter Hailie, and has rapped about her in several of his songs. “Hailie’s Song” is just one example.)
Regardless of the rest of MGK’s tweet (“in the most respectful way possible cuz Em is king”), the message was sent and received. Eminem was on alert. https://twitter.com/LordTreeSap/status/1036728828922654720?s=20&t=ji4ryt5Y-k7e4I529q9p8Q
But without even saying anything—yet—the threat of Eminem’s clapback loomed in the music industry. And a few years later, MGK claimed in a radio interview that some critics wouldn’t review his work because his comment about Hailie was seemingly out of line.
Now, this is where things really start to heat up: the diss tracks.
After some frustrations over the fallout of the 2012 tweet, MGK was featured on Tech N9ne’s 2018 song “No Reason.” In the second verse, MGK shades Eminem with a reference to the latter’s hit song “Rap God.”
I pop cherries and popstars, you popsicles is not hard Popped in on the top charts out the cop car To remind y’all you just rap, you’re not Gods And I don’t care who got bars
After this song was released, Eminem returns the diss on his song “Not Alike” off of his highly-anticipated album Kamikaze. Read below for a snippet of Eminem’s reply in “Not Alike.”
He wants to keep up his tough demeanour So he does a feature, decides to team up with N9na (Yeah) But next time you don’t gotta use Tech N9ne If you wanna come at me with a sub, Machine Gun And I’m talkin’ to you But you already know who the fuck you are, Kelly I don’t use sublim’s and sure as fuck don’t sneak-diss But keep commenting on my daughter Hailie I keep on telling motherfuckers But, just in case you forgot really and need Ja memories jarred like strawberry or pineapple apricot jelly I respond rarely, but this time Shady ’bout to sound off
MGK then responds to that with his own diss track this time. Listen to “Rap Devil” here.
Ayy, somebody grab him some clippers (zzzzt) His fuckin’ beard is weird Tough talk from a rapper payin’ millions for security a year “I think my dad’s gone crazy, ” yeah, Hailie, you right Dad’s always mad cooped up in the studio, yellin’ at the mic You’re sober and bored, huh? (I know) About to be 46 years old, dog Talkin’ ’bout “I’ma call up Trick Trick” Man, you sound like a bitch, bitch Man up and handle your shit (ugh) Mad about somethin’ I said in 2012 Took you six years and a surprise album just to come with a diss
How Eminem Destroyed MGK’s Career
FAQ
What happened between Eminem and MGK?
Em and MGK first started butting heads in 2012, when the latter — who was 22 at the time — referred to the former’s then-16-year-old daughter Hallie as “hot as f–k” on Twitter, which is now called X.
Who has Eminem dissed the most?
- Michael Jackson (Singer) – 39 times²
- Eminem’s Father – 38 times²
- Ja Rule (Rapper) – 33 times²
- George Bush (Former U.S. President) – 29 times²
What did MGK say in No Reason?
Fast forward all the way to this year, where MGK featured on a Tech N9ne song, ‘No Reason. ‘ MGK’s verse included the bar, “Popped in on the top charts out the cop car/To remind y’all you just rap, you’re not God.” Em fans felt this was aimed at their Rap God, which coincidentally (not) the name of Em’s 2013 track.