The thorough analysis of the legacy of every producer since 1979 cannot omit the contribution from Eminem.
Complex compiled an impressive long read that goes through the most important names in hip hop from Sylvia Robinson to Hit-Boy: The Best Hip-Hop Producer Alive, Every Year Since 1979. Not being able to reduce all hip hop breakthroughs to just one name per year, the magazine also added an “honourable mentions” section with three more names to every year’s pick.
Staffers awarded Dr. Dre with two entries – for 1992 and 1999 and two additional mentions in 1993 and 2000, while Eminem has only got an honourable mention in 2002 section:
Eminem was also building himself up to be more than just your favorite rapper, producing everything from Obie Trice’s “Rap Name” and Nas’ “The Cross” to the bulk of his now-diamond-selling fourth album, The Eminem Show. And, to top it off, the world’s only Rocky-style ode to mom’s spaghetti, “Lose Yourself.”
However, in Dr. Dre’s 1999 section Complex writers acknowledged something that many hip hop commentators fail to do – Eminem’s role in Dre’s rise to success. It is common knowledge that Eminem was catapulted to fame by his collaboration with Dr. Dre, and Marshall has never denied that paying the highest respect to his friend and mentor. However, modern writers often forget to mention that this collaboration was crucially important for Dre as well. Complex did that in their analysis:
1999: Dr. Dre
After the Firm flopped and an Aftermath compilation failed, Dr. Dre seemed left for dead. How could this be? How could the man behind N.W.A, Death Row, The Chronic, and Snoop Dogg fall off this hard? Then, as Dre’s creative juices were dwindling, one of the greatest rappers ever fell into his lap, when a former Interscope intern gave Jimmy Iovine a copy of Eminem’s Slim Shady EP. While Dr. Dre was visiting Iovine’s house, the then-Interscope CEO played it for him. Immediately taken aback, Dre told his former label boss to find the kid rapping on the tape.
Once Dre met Eminem and played him the beat for “My Name Is,” they knew they were right for each other. The white rapper from Detroit who everyone thought was going to be a novelty act lit a fire under Dre, and in turn the good doctor gave the rap world The Slim Shady LP and 2001 in the same year. Dre Day was back; 1999 was the very beginning of his journey to a billion dollars, and signing Eminem gave his label, Aftermath, the star it so desperately needed.
The Slim Shady LP and 2001 sold a combined 10 million albums by the end of 2000. Finally, Dr. Dre had found his new Snoop Dogg in Eminem. The duo would go on to sell millions, establish Em’s Shady Records, and venture into businesses outside of rap, including films, clothing, and headphones.
The list has also acknowledged the contribution that The Alchemist made to the game. Talking about longevity, Alc got his honourable mentions for 2000 and 2020, the year when linked up with Prodigy on “H.N.I.C.” and the year when he was nominated for Grammy.
