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Feuds, beef and rap battles can all be used interchangeably, and for some people, the terms are meaningless. Unfortunately, for enthusiasts of the genre, the differences are very real, and a “battle” is very distinct from a mere feud, as some know all too well.

Battle rap has long been part of hip-hop, but it garners far less attention than it used to and, in many ways, doesn’t get the respect it deserves as an art form. From witty one-liners to off-the-dome freestyling, the pressure of a face-to-face battle can be crippling, and the environment is more than intense.

That said, there have only been a few genuinely legendary rap battles, many of which only come to light after they occurred. Still, there is one that changed the face of hip-hop so much that the winner is the highest-selling rap emcee to this day — Otherwize vs Eminem.

Of course, Eminem is a household name, but Otherwize is an integral part of his story and name that gets little attention. However, he was part of one of hip-hop’s most seminal rap battles, the 1997 Rap Olympics.

Many know how Em was found and even more about his life before fame, but few know about the institution that led him to that stage in 1997. It involved many people, and, at the time, those involved had no idea that they were facilitating the rise of hip-hop’s highest-selling emcee ever to touch a microphone. That said, looking at the battle between Eminem and Otherwize is essential.

The 1997 Rap Olympics in Los Angeles was a project entirely created by Wendy Day. In 1992, following the rise of gangsta rap, Day began the Rap Coalition initiative, a company founded to showcase lyrical MCs on the underground with the talent to go mainstream. In a 1997 edition of Billboard magazine, Day expressed her intentions with the Olympics and explained, “Since hip-hop has become a commercial entity, very few artists who stress lyrical skill over making money receive their props.”

She continued, “The Rap Olympics will bring national attention to the importance of lyrics in an industry currently dominated by ‘How many units you sold?’ and ‘Which recycled R&B beat should we use now?'”

The mission was clear, and Day maximised attendance by collaborating with Rap Sheet magazine, which was holding a conference at the same time. As such, she cut a deal. Explaining this in an interview with Medium, Day recalled, “I did a deal with Rap Sheet Magazine. They gave me the space for free to do Rap Olympics during their conference if I organised a standard rap battle for them. So we did the Rap Sheet battle right before Rap Olympics.”

The handpicked team that Wendy Day put together of solo artists comprised Eminem, Thirstin Howl III, JUICE, Kwest tha Madd Lad, and Wordsworth. This five-piece team would face off against five lyricists from LA’s Project Blowed. More specifically, against their members, CVE, Ellay Khule, Aceyalone, P.E.A.C.E. and Otherwize.

Other members of Project Blowed, such as Imperator, Dream Nefra, and Oracle Jayne Doe, competed in the one-on-one battles. However, it was Otherwize who knocked Slim Shady out of the Olympics and who he recreated in his 8 Mile movie.

After beating a slew of Project Blowed’s members, when Eminem came up against Otherwize, it was dog-eat-dog. According to West Coast battle rapper Jizzm High Definition, both had been on form throughout the day, as he told Medium, “From what I remember, Otherwize and Eminem ran through like 12 MCs apiece. They were eating up MCs left and right. You could kinda assume watching the battles that it was gonna end up being Otherwize and Em at the end because they were so heavy.”

He continued, “When they went at it, they both murdered it. At the end of it, Otherwize took the crown. Otherwize won fair and square.” Despite losing, Eminem’s skill caught the attention of an Interscope A&R, and throughout the event, Em had been handing out his Slim Shady EP.

Wendy Day invited Eminem to the Rap Olympics as an artist who had caught her attention. Unlike what many believe, he did not sign up for an open event, and his debut album Infinite had piqued Day’s interest. The 2002 film 8 Mile is a semi-autobiographical recreation of this battle, and it is definitely epic.