Another questionable list shows authors’ preferences and Marshall’s undeniable impact.
There is no denying that diss tracks have become an important part of hip hop culture, allowing rappers to settle their beefs and air their grievances by using a sharp pen. So, Complex has kept its 50 Best Hip-Hop Diss Songs of All Time list going for some time. However, after the recent explosive Kendrick Lamar vs Drake diss battle, the magazine has updated the ranking.
Obviously, they could not ignore Eminem’s contribution to a diss library. However, the choice of the tracks and their placement both made fans question the validity of the list. To be fair, Eminem is not the only one whose positioning on the list didn’t look right.
Still, here are three entries granted to Marshall by the Complex staffers in ascending order.
44. Eminem, “Killshot”
Target: Machine Gun Kelly
Producer: IllaDaProducer
Label: Aftermath Entertainment, Interscope Records, Shady Records & Universal Music Group
Best Line: “And for the record, you would suck a dick to fuckin’ be me for a second/ Lick a ballsack to get on my channel/ Give your life to be as solidified”
Eminem versus Machine Gun Kelly was like when Dillion Brooks wanted to challenge LeBron James in the 2023 NBA Playoffs; the young brash player got handled by the seasoned legend. MGK was out of his depth with this one, and Em’s response to his “Rap Devil” was four minutes of the Detroit rapper putting both of their careers in perspective. From “Stan” references to Eminem comparing where he was in his career at 29 to where MGK was at that time, the entire track serves as a lesson to never bring up a Rap God’s name in vain without expecting holy retribution in the form of bars. The delivery isn’t as sharp or ferocious as some of his disses of old, but it still gets the job done against an opponent that never really needed a “Killshot” in the first place.
23. Eminem f/ D12, “Quitter/Hit’ Em Up Freestyle” (2001)
Target: Dilated Peoples, Limp Bizkit, Everlast
Producer: Eminem
Best Line: “Figured you could diss me to jumpstart your career/I’ll punch you in your fucking chest until your heart kicks in gear” (Eminem)
The feud between Eminem and Everlast began after Em supposedly snubbed Everlast backstage at a concert in 1999. The two traded a few disses back and forth, but it wasn’t until Everlast brought Em’s daughter, Hailie Jade Mathers, into the mix on “Whitey Ford’s Revenge” when the beef got serious.
Mocking Everlast’s flop of an album that was Eat at Whitey’s, Em went on to clown Everlast’s career as a singer and leaned heavily on his poor heart condition. On the second half of the track, Eminem remade 2Pac’s “Hit Em Up,” using Pac’s rhyme pattern and cadence to continue the attack on Everlast, before letting D12 get in on the action.
18. Eminem, “The Sauce/Nail in the Coffin” (2002)
Target: Dave Mays, The Source, Benzino
Producer: Eminem
Best Line: “What you know about being bullied over half your life/Oh that’s right/You should know what that’s like/You’re half white”
No stranger to beef with hip-hop magazines, Eminem began feuding with former Source co-owner Raymond “Benzino” Scott when Benzino publicly attacked Eminem’s whiteness, claiming he had an unfair advantage over rappers of color and was bad for the culture. After threats of an Eminem boycott from The Source, and a slew of diss songs from Benzino, Em unleashed the ether-filled “The Sauce” and “Nail in the Coffin” on a Shady mixtape.
Equally venomous, both tracks picked apart Benzino’s failed rap career, age, and the exploiting of Zino’s son for his own financial gain. The Source and Benzino would never be the same, despite spending many years and dollars attempting to kill Marshall’s career.
There is another metric that shows how much Eminem is ingrained in the culture. It is how his name and legacy play in other rappers’ music and diss tracks, as the most emotional and furious form of hip hop.
In this vein, it is important to pay attention to No.31 on the list, Cam’ron, “Dear Stan” (2000). On this track, Cam’ron flipped Eminem’s hit, dissing his former mentee called Stan, who turned against him, and ultimately finishing his career. Another example is that famous line from Nas’s scorching “Ether” (2001) addressed to Jay-Z, which the magazine names the best line on the track: “Eminem murdered you on your own shit”. By the way, they placed “Ether” at No.3, giving Jay-Z the victory with his “Takeover”.
And an honourable mention to 50 Cent, who has two tracks on the list: “Piggy Bank” (2005) at No.50 and “Back Down” (2003) at No. 11.
Read the list in full on the Complex webpage.
