A recent claim by Rhymefest sparked controversy over an old Scribble Jam battle with Eminem — but Rosenberg quickly stepped in with the real story.
Che Smith, better known as Rhymefest, sat down for a deep conversation on the It’s Just My Opinion podcast, sharing personal stories from his remarkable journey — from being homeless with a Grammy to writing the Golden Globe-winning song “Glory” for Selma. He talked about working with Common and Kanye West, finding (and losing) his identity, and everything in between.
But one story in particular set hip hop pages ablaze — and not in a good way.
Rhymefest recalled battling Eminem at Scribble Jam back in 1998 and casually dropped this viral bomb: “Eminem was the first white guy to call me a n*gga!”
Rhymefest framed it as a compliment, praising Eminem’s razor-sharp wit and his ability to push boundaries without crossing into actual offence. He even quoted a line he remembered Em delivering:
“I let my razor split you
Till they have to staple stitch you
This n*gga took my facial tissue
And turned it into a racial issue.”
According to Rhymefest, the fact that Eminem made it sound clever and funny was a lesson in how humour and skill can walk a fine line. He also pointed out that while he may have won the battle that day, Em ultimately won the war.
As hip hop pages rushed to repost the clip — often with a negative spin — Paul Rosenberg, Eminem’s longtime manager, stepped in with some facts. Respectfully but firmly, he corrected the record, posting:
Sadly, this is an inaccurate account. Em said a lot of nasty stuff in battles, but never that. Here’s the actual footage from ’97 Scribble Jam — and those lines weren’t even against Rhymefest.
Rosenberg then shared a link to a Scribble Jam Instagram account that posted archive footage showing exactly what Eminem said:
I’ve got so many ways to diss you
that I’m playful with you.
I’ll let a razor split you
till they have to staple stitch you,
and everybody in this fcking place will miss
you if you try to turn my facial tissue into a fucking racial issue.
Case closed. No racial slur — just Eminem’s trademark lyrical dexterity on full display.
While it is easy for memories to get blurred after nearly 30 years, the footage proves that Eminem did not have to cross that line to win his battles. His “facial tissue” rhyme did not turn into a racial issue then — and it should not now.
Hopefully, the footage showing Eminem’s skill (without false controversy) will get just as much attention as the mistaken memory.
