New Year, Same 20-Year-Old Rap Beef

1.4.21

Benzino

As we have finally reached a new year, the year of 2021, many have vowed to let the past go, and only be better from here on out. However, there are some people that seem to have a difficult time in doing so, especially when they are looking to find a place in current popularity. Benzino has been poking and poking for the past two months, and it seems like he has finally woken his good old friends, Eminem and Royce Da 5’9, from a beef that started back in 2002.

Benzino is most widely known today for his appearances on Love and Hip-Hop on VH1. Those people are usually trying to get make it big in the industry, but their personalities are more entertaining than their music. While his music career is not relevant today, he was also known for his leadership role at The Source, hip-hop magazine. This is somewhat where the rap beef between Benzino and Eminem stem from. Benzino would never give Eminem “Five Mics” on his album rating system (like five stars), and Eminem began to take notice.

Eminem did call out the fact that he was not feeling The Source magazine’s ratings, and questioned if it was the music or something else that had Benzino upset. Allegedly, he also denied interviews with Benzino, but went on to do other features with different competitor sources, like XXL. With the idea that there is some uneasy tension between the two, Benzino went out to create an entire diss track about Eminem. From there on out, they went head-to-head, diss track for diss track, and their issues have yet to be resolved.

Over the past few years, Benzino has done interviews explaining why he did not like Eminem. Quite frankly, it seemed very much that he did not like a white man getting so much credibility in hip-hop, and therefore changing the culture and the way hip-hop was viewed, as whole. Although, it seems like he is taking this message, and attempting to use it as fuel to support his own music and adventures, as he looks to use Eminem, or his team, to get some new relevance in the hip-hop industry.

Earlier this year, Eminem released a new album, Music to be Murdered By, including a Deluxe version that dropped a few weeks back. A re-sparkle to this feud began when Benzino called “Stans” the “goofiest” fanbase of all time. Obviously, Eminem is not one to go back and forth with anyone on social media. However, his right-hand Royce Da 5’9 certainly is, and this is where the feud picks up.

Benzino directs his Tweeting directly to Royce, calling him “slave boy” suggesting that he is a slave to Eminem. To this, Royce clapped back with the ultimate diss, mentioning Benzino’s daughter. Benzino is no stranger to calling out people’s children, which he did to Eminem’s daughter, Hailie, which is what got Eminem so deeply involved to this never-ending feud. Royce told Benzino he should be a better father to his daughter, because she is acting out on Instagram. His daughter, is Coi Leray, a female rapper well known for her messy break-up with Trippie Redd. There are now rumors that she may be dating Blueface, but there were also recent rumors about him dating Mulatto, so no one can be too sure.

Royce and Benzino have been posting back and forth, obscene GIFs and Memes to taunt each other. One of the videos Royce shared appeared to be a new track from Benzino. Many people laughed in the comments, as it kind of resembled Usher’s My Boo video crying in the rain, singing to the sky. But it all makes sense, when Benzino challenges Royce to a Verzuz battle. He says that he is positive his catalog is better than Royce’s, and that Royce does not get any music play at the clubs in Detroit.

Tons of people made comments to this catalog claim. Rihanna shook her head in the comments, and Joyner Lucas chimed in to say that Benzino had slid into his DMs asking for a Verzuz battle not too long prior to this engagement. Benzino then went off on Joyner, saying that both of their catalogs were trash, and that he would put hands on them.

Since then, Benzino has been going off on his Twitter account, with obscene and foul remarks towards both artists. It does appear that this feud was sparked purposely, with the intent that Benzino would make his way back to relevancy in the hip-hop space.

While Gucci Mane and Jeezy just reportedly ended their decade long feud with a Verzuz battle, many are still concerned about how it went down. For now, I think we leave this group out of it. Of course, Royce and Joyner have publicly already declined.