The 1990s folk-rap/indie-rock star Beck who implanted the hook “I’m a loser, baby” into generations of listeners, shared a funny story of his first encounter with Eminem’s music.
Beck appeared on Matt Wilkinson’s Apple Radio show to celebrate the 25th anniversary of his album “Odelay”. But at some point, the conversation went further back, to the moment when Beck heard Eminem’s music for the first time. The first impression was not favourable because Beck realised that Eminem was ready to air the exact sample Beck’s producers were holding onto for later.
Stereogum quotes this segment of the show:
I went in my first meeting with Jimmy Iovine, and I had Midnite Vultures and I was going to play it for him. He said, “Before we do anything, I just signed this kid. It’s going to be massive. It’s going to change everything. We just got the video. They just sent it to us today. Sit down and watch this.” Me and my manager sat down and we’re looking at each other like, “Ah.” So he puts on the record and the video comes on and it’s like, “Hi, my name is.” And it’s this blonde kid rapping. And the song is funny. And then my jaw’s on the floor, because the loop, the sample is a Wurlitzer keyboard, just like on “Where It’s At.” It’s the sample that the Dust Brothers were saving for me to be the follow-up for “Where It’s At.” It’s the exact sample. “I Got The Blues.” Which we were saving for the follow-up to Midnite Vultures. And then Dr. Dre got to it first and he used it for Eminem’s first single.
It is a clear case of who wanted it worse. While Beck was fine with waiting to use the recognisable sequence written by British singer/songwriter Labi Siffre, Eminem, with his killer instinct, latched on it like a hungry predator he was. In his exclusive lyrics commentary on Genius, Marshall explained:
Dre put on the Labi Siffre record, and I was just like “Hi! My name is!” That beat was talking to me. I was like, “Yo, this is it, this is my shot. If I don’t impress this guy, I’m going back home and I’m fucked.” I knew Dre wasn’t an easy person to please. I made sure that everything he had a beat for, I had a rhyme ready to go, or I came up with a rhyme on the spot.
“My Name Is” was the first thing that came out of my mouth that first day I was at Dre’s house. I don’t know if we released what I did the first day or if I re-did it, but it was basically the same.
And the result has changed the music industry forever.
Watch “My Name Is” (Dirty Version) below:
