Eminem Breaks Silence

In 2022, Eminem and Lamar both performed at the Super Bowl Halftime Show alongside 50 Cent, Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre and Anderson .Paak

Daniela Avila is an editorial assistant at PEOPLE. She has been working at PEOPLE since 2021. Her work previously appeared on The Poly Post.

People Editorial Guidelines

Eminem a.k.a. Marshall Bruce Mathers III, Kendrick Lamar

Eminem and Kendrick Lamar. Photo: Corbis via Getty; Getty Images for Cash App

Eminem has high praise for Kendrick Lamar.

In conversation with DJ Whoo Kid on the Sirius XM show Shade 45 on Dec. 24, the “Without Me” rapper opened up about his thoughts on the competition at the upcoming 2025 Grammy Awards.

“I mean, it’s very stiff competition,” Eminem, 52, said.

“Kendrick’s gonna sweep that s—,” he added of Lamar. “He’s going to, and he should.”

Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige, 50 Cent, and Snoop Dogg perform during the Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show at SoFi Stadium on February 13, 2022 in Inglewood, California.

Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige, 50 Cent and Snoop Dogg at the 2022 Super Bowl. Gregory Shamus/Getty

At the upcoming Grammys, Eminem — who released The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce) in July — is nominated for best rap album, best rap performance and best music video.

Meanwhile, Lamar earned seven nominations total, including record of the year, song of the year, producer of the year, best rap song, best rap performance and best music video. He released his latest album, GNX, in November, just after nominations were announced.

Eminem and Lamar previously performed together at the Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show in 2022, with Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent and Anderson .Paak.

Eminem Reveals He’s Open to Joint Album with 50 Cent: ‘We Just Gotta Stop Bulls—ting’

At the time, he was asked by SiriusXM’s Sway Calloway if he agreed the “Not Like Us” rapper, 37, was “the most electrifying vocalist of this generation.”

“I absolutely would agree,” Eminem said, per HipHopDX. “Kendrick is at the very top, top tier of lyricists — not just of this generation, but of all time.”

Even before that performance, the Detroit rapper has been a long supporter of Lamar’s talents.

“When I first heard Kendrick’s debut on Aftermath, I couldn’t believe it,” Eminem wrote for Geniusin 2016. “The fact that it was his first real album and he was able to make it into a story which intertwines with the skits like that was genius.”

Eminem performs during the Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show at SoFi Stadium on February 13, 2022 in Inglewood, California.

Eminem. Getty

“That hasn’t really been done that many times, let alone on someone’s first time up. The level of wordplay, deliveries, the beats — it’s just a masterpiece,” he continued.

The two rappers have released one collaboration, “Love Game,” on Eminem’s 2013 album The Marshall Mathers LP 2.

Meanwhile, Lamar previously opened up about the influence Eminem had on his work.

Kendrick Lamar and SZA Announce Massive Co-Headlining 2025 Grand National Tour of U.S. Stadiums — See the Dates!

“The clarity, I got my clarity just studying Eminem when I was a kid. How I got in the studio was all just curiosity. I had a love for the music, but it was curiosity,” Lamar told GQ in 2016. “The day I heard The Marshall Mathers LP, I was just like, ‘How does that work? What is he doing? How is he putting his words together like that? What’s the track under that? An ad-lib? What is that?”‘

He continued, “And then, ‘Why don’t you go in the studio and see? So I do that. Then it became, How’s his words cutting through the beat like that? What is he doing that I’m not doing, now that I’m into it?’ His time is impeccable. When he wants to fall off the beat, it’s impeccable. These are things that, through experience and time, I had to learn.”

Related Posts

Jesse Watters Causes Uproar with “Phony” Comments About Soccer Fans—What Did He Really Mean, and Why Are Fans Furious?

Fox News commentator Jesse Watters branded male soccer fans ‘phony’ in a bizarre rant that baffled many on social media. Watters appeared on The Five on Monday…

EXCLUSIVE: Sandra Smith’s Marriage and Career on the Brink—Can She Navigate the Pressure and Keep It All Together?

Sandra Smith, the celebrated Fox News host, has been a familiar face on television for years. Her charismatic presence on America’s Newsroom and The Five has garnered…

From a young reporter at FOX News to an icon of political journalism! How did Hillary Vaughn prove herself through each impressive step?

Hillary Vaughn: From Young Reporter to Political Journalism Icon at FOX News Hillary Vaughn, one of the prominent reporters at FOX News, has had an impressive journey…

Dana Perino’s $85 Million Net Worth REVEALED—But Her Lavish Spending Habits and Shocking Scam Allegations Are Stirring Major Controversy

Dana Perino, former White House Press Secretary and current Fox News anchor, has amassed an incredible fortune throughout her career, which has made headlines recently due to…

Breaking News: Whoopi Goldberg, Megan Rapinoe, and Taylor Swift Announce They Are Leaving the U.S. – Fans Left Stunned and Confused!

Three of America’s most influential women—Whoopi Goldberg, Megan Rapinoe, and Taylor Swift—have sparked a nationwide conversation about possibly leaving the U.S. in search of more progressive and…

Rachel Maddow’s Public Criticism of MSNBC Executives Backfires—Ratings Dive as She Blames Network Leadership for Viewership Decline

Rachel Maddow’s Criticism of MSNBC Bosses Backfires Spectacularly as Her Ratings Take a Major Hit Rachel Maddow, the prominent host of MSNBC’s flagship evening news program, has…