Biggie’s posthumous track sparks a classic “who won?” debate.
In a genre that thrives on lyrical competition, questions like “Who had the best verse?” are part of hip hop’s daily discourse. It happens with “Renegade”, it happens with “Forever”, and yes, the correct answer is Eminem. Now, it happens with “Dead Wrong”, a posthumous Notorious B.I.G. single featuring none other than Marshall.
On a recent episode of the Rap Latte podcast, host Touré asked artist and cultural critic King Green a bold question: “Who do you think won that song?”
Without hesitation, Green replied: “Eminem. Great flow, great verse”. He went on to praise the sheer audacity and technical mastery of Em’s contribution, calling it “one of the greatest things he’s ever done”. The two then broke into quoting Em’s verse, laughing at just how far he pushed the envelope. “Eminem – different level”, Green concluded.
Actually, he is not alone in this opinion. Just last year, Detroit veteran Hush shared a similar opinion.
Bow to a Legend
“Dead Wrong” was released in 1999, two years after Biggie’s death, on the posthumous album “Born Again”. The original track, produced by Easy Mo Bee in 1993, was gritty and violent – dark even by ‘90s standards. Eminem’s verse, added years later, matched Biggie’s sweeping energy but amped it up into a horrorcore whirlpool, touching on everything from devil worship to unfiltered brutality.
In his autobiography “The Way I Am”, Eminem remembered the session clearly: “I rapped on a remix of The Notorious B.I.G. song ‘Dead Wrong’. I remember writing this, literally, in 10 minutes. What Biggie was saying was so up my alley, and the beat was just so crazy”.
Two Styles, One Unforgettable Track
Though recorded years apart, the chemistry is undeniable. Biggie delivers grim tales with calm menace, while Em spirals into madness with his left-field rhymes. While the official video omits Eminem’s verse, it remains a fan favourite. The song even made it on the deluxe edition of “Curtain Call: The Hits”.
In 2024, Rolling Stone named “Dead Wrong” the seventh greatest Eminem song of all time.
Legacy and lyrical warfare
King Green, known for his work with RDGLDGRN and collaborations with Eminem and Royce 5’9 (on “Caterpillar”), and Method Man, knows battle bars when he hears them. And on “Dead Wrong”, he heard a lyrical killshot.
Because when it comes to going bar for bar with a legend, even a posthumous one, Eminem feels like showing up is not enough. He shows out.
