Twenty years ago, in the 2002 song “Till I Collapse,” rapper Eminem gave listeners a list of his favorite rappers.
Videos by American Songwriter
I got a list, here’s the order of my list that it’s in / It goes Reggie, Jay-Z, 2Pac and Biggie / Andre from OutKast, Jada, Kurupt, Nas and then me / But in this industry I’m the cause of a lot of envy / So when I’m not put on this list, the shit does not offend me.
Those were his favorite rappers at that time: Jay Z, Biggie, Tupac, Redman, and the rest.
Well, here we have another list. It’s of the five best guest features by Eminem on other artists’ songs. For someone who is known as one of the best rhymers of all time, these are the spots where he proved it.
[RELATED: 7 Songs You Didn’t Know Eminem Wrote for Other Artists]
1. “Dead Wrong,” The Notorious B.I.G.
This collaboration took place posthumously on this 1999 song from the album Born Again. Eminem comes in and destroys the place, bringing in concepts of devil worshiping, human sacrifice, cannibalism, and exorcisms. It’s an unparalleled barrage of words strung together so perfectly that they remain etched in hip-hop history. Perhaps the best part of the whole thing is that you can see the reverence Eminem has for Biggie. The two are likely the most creative rhymers of all time. Em raps, I got a lion in my pocket, I’m lyin’, I got a .9 in my pocket / And baby, I’m just dyin’ to cock him.
2. “Renegade,” Jay Z
For as popular as this song is, there is always at least a tiny cringe aspect to it. The song is, despite how great it is, one that Jay Z gets dinged for in his oeuvre. People crack jokes saying that Eminem outdid him on his own song, a no-no. But what does it really matter? The two are amongst the biggest-grossing rappers of all time—Jay is a reported multi-billionaire at this point. The song came out on Jay-Z’s 2001 album, The Blueprint. It talks about, well, being a cultural renegade in the moment of rap’s ascension. Em offers Since I’m in a position to talk to these kids and they listen / I ain’t no politician, but I’ll kick it with ’em a minute / ‘Cause, see, they call me a menace and if the shoe fits, I’ll wear it / But if it don’t, then y’all will swallow the truth, grin and bear it.
3. “Forgot About Dre” and “What’s the Difference,” Dr. Dre
These two songs are inextricable, both appearing on Dr. Dre’s seminal 1999 album, 2001. If Dre and Em weren’t huge at that point, these two songs put their faces in the rap Hall of Fame’s most acclaimed wing. There are so many quotable lines in both, like, No boats, no snowmobiles, and no skis / Mad at me ’cause I can finally afford to provide my family with groceries.
Nowadays, everybody wanna talk like they got something to say / But nothing comes out when they move their lips / Just a bunch of gibberish. And, Raw dawg, get your arm gnawed off / Drop the sawed-off and beat you with the piece it was sawed off of. Eminem, who wrote many of the lyrics for both songs, shows why he was the top dog of the moment.
4. “Patiently Waiting,” 50 Cent
Eminem helped discover the New York City rapper 50 Cent. So, it mattered when the two appeared on the same song, which they did for 50’s “Patiently Waiting” from his 2003 album, Get Rich or Die Tryin’. Eminem comes in low and slow and then ramp’s his verse up faster and faster until it’s a torrent of language. He’s an artist and his instrument is his machine-gun-like tongue. Em raps, They think they crazy but they ain’t crazy, let’s face it / Shit basically they just playin’ sick / They ain’t shit, they ain’t sayin’ shit, spray ’em Fifty.
[RELATED: 50 Cent and Eminem Working on an ‘8 Mile’ Television Show]
5. Use This Gospel (Remix),” DJ Khaled
The remix of a Kanye West song, the track appeared on the DJ Khaled album, God Did, and features West, Khaled, and Eminem. Em opens the track and is back to his old form. One criticism the rapper often hears these days is that his newer work isn’t as rich as his older stuff. But in this song, he’s at the mountaintop again. Em raps, Today’s the day that I put all of my trust and faith in You, Father / Please let this hate make me stronger ‘fore they turn on me like a zombie.
Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
