The Seattle rapper Eminem praised for the “very technical shit that he does”
Eminem, when he takes a dislike to someone, can be a vicious character, as the likes of Mariah Carey, Moby and Machine Gun Kelly have learned the hard way. But if, on the other hand, he likes a person, he can actually be surprisingly kind.
In that latter spirit, Em was found to be extremely complimentary about a younger rapper who, despite scoring some massive hits throughout the 2010s, lots of hip-hop people were quick to express skepticism about. The Seattle rapper Macklemore, writer of the chart-topping, Grammy-winning hit ‘Thrift Shop,’ is far from a universally loved figure among rap aficionados.
The subject of Macklemore came up during an interview that Eminem gave to Rolling Stone in 2013, with the interviewer bringing up the rapper and his musical partner Ryan Lewis’ song ‘Same Love.’ That particular track had been released the year beforehand, and, lyrically, it dealt with issues surrounding gay and lesbian rights.
‘Same Love’ was recorded while a referendum campaign to legalise same-sex marriage in Washington State was underway. The track came to be adopted as something of an anthem for those who supported same-sex marriage, with Macklemore himself once explicitly framing his song in opposition to hip-hop’s tendency towards homophobia. The referendum, in the end, proved a success for those fighting for gay marriage rights.
The song’s chart performance in the United States was modest, reaching a height of number 11, but it topped the charts in Australia and New Zealand and it entered the top ten in Canada, Ireland and the UK. It was nominated for a Grammy, and it brought Macklemore & Ryan Lewis a lot of success and broad critical acclaim.
Eminem was aware of Macklemore around this period, too, describing him in the Rolling Stone interview as “really dope.” But while Em was full of praise for his fellow rapper, there was a sense in which the interviewer was trying to get a rise out of him and attempting to guide him towards criticising Macklemore.
The interviewer pointed out that, while Eminem had once found respect as a young white rapper for being “technically amazing,” he wasn’t so sure that “everyone in hip-hop” perceived Macklemore in quite this same way. But Em wasn’t having it, and he stuck up for Macklemore and his technical ability.
“I think there’s very technical shit that he does,” Em insisted. “He’s a really good songwriter, too. Conceptually, the shit he does is pretty fuckin’ incredible.”
Eminem refused to take the bait and was full only of praise for Macklemore, which, naturally, Macklemore himself was delighted with, once he caught wind of it. He was especially happy with the fact Em had stood up for his technical skills, which he argued many people overlooked.
To have “the technician of technical rap,” as he characterised Eminem to Rolling Stone, stand up for him was “super fresh” to Macklemore. Given that Em is “one of the best rappers ever,” Macklemore felt extremely honoured and validated to have his support.