It never gets old. People keep debating against whom Eminem can go on Verzuz. Billboard called for open polls to choose the most popular pairing.
The latest circuit of the drama was provoked by recent Dr. Dre’s post. “Marshall Mathers vs Who??!!” the Good Doctor asked, and the answers still keep pouring in.
However, all names can be narrowed down to a very tight circle of worthy opponents. As a matter of fact, only three names received substantial support from the public on the Billboard poll.
Billboard asked the readers: “Who Should Face Off Against Eminem in a Rap Battle?” The choice of options was not very well balanced, though. One can choose between Busta Rhymes, whose name Swizz Beatz brought up answering Dre’s rhetoric question, Jay-Z, who recently said that he would not be interested because there was no match for him in the game, and Kendrick Lamar, who is sharing the stage with Marshall in two weeks at the Super Bowl Halftime show. Three solid options. Then the Billboard staffers suggested T.I., who had been throwing himself in the ring for over a year now and MGK, who did not even have to go into the battle with Em to get obliterated in one of the most iconic disses in history. Nicki Minaj and Missy Elliott looked on this list like contributions to diversity rather than sparring partners for Em.
The vote count shows that the magazine readers share this line of thinking. Only 1.44% of voters supported Missy Elliott. It does not reflect her incredible contribution to the culture or rapping ability but shows that Em does not match her style and catalogue well. T.I. amassed 2.45% of votes, indicating that the public is not eager to see him battling Eminem. Nicki Minaj faired at 7.3%, slightly behind MGK’s 8.55%. Busta Rhymes (13.94%) has fewer votes than unspecified Other (14.89%). Kendrick Lamar drew more public attention. 15.43% of voters wanted to see him butting heads with Eminem.
However, the indisputable leader of this poll is Jay-Z. 36% of voters would like him to showcase his skills on Verzuz together with Marshall.
The poll is still open, so the numbers can change. However, it seems like the distribution of the vote aligns with common sense, and it is unlikely that the final results will be significantly different.
