Unraveling the Feud Between Will Smith and Eminem
The saga began to take shape at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards when Will Smith secured the Best Male Video award, prevailing over Eminem's breakout hit.
Transcript
00:00 The entertainment industry is rift with unexpected rivalries,
00:04 and the clash between Will Smith and Eminem remains a puzzling but fascinating chapter.
00:09 What began as a seemingly inoffensive awards show movement in 1999
00:14 escalated into a feud that simmered for years, punctuated by wheeljabs and lyrical snipes.
00:20 The MTV VMAs showdown 1999
00:25 The MTV Video Music Awards of 1999 etched the first strokes of this ongoing saga,
00:32 where Smith clinched the Best Male Video Award,
00:35 triumphing over Eminem's breakthrough hit "My Name Is".
00:39 Smith's acceptance speech struck a chord when he highlighted his success
00:44 without resorting to explicit language in his music,
00:47 which Eminem perceived as a slide directed at his own lyricism.
00:53 Eminem's Retaliation 2000
00:56 The subsequent years saw Eminem receiving the coveted award for the Real Slim Shady.
01:01 While the trophy was in his grasp, the rapper couldn't resist subtly jabbing back at Smith.
01:06 During his acceptance speech, he referenced the Independence Day actor,
01:10 insinuating his awareness of the previous year's comment.
01:15 Escalating in the lyrics and visuals
01:18 The tension only escalated from there.
01:21 Eminem chose to immortalize this friction in his music video for "Forget About".
01:27 In a scene where the music pauses, Eminem, portraying a supposedly inabritated character,
01:33 remarks about listening to a Will Smith CD while witnessing flames,
01:38 a slide dig intended to further stoke the feud's flames.
01:42 Not only to shy away, Will Smith also took a swing in his 2005 track "Mr. Nice Guy".
01:49 He referenced the spat with lyrics suggesting resilience in the face of Eminem's diss,
01:54 reaffirming his unbothered stance amidst the controversy.
01:58 Over time, the spat between the two mega stars simmered down,
02:03 but echoes of the clash reverberated through the industry.
02:07 While not overtly public, their intimating nods in songs
02:11 and subtle references in interviews kept the feud alive in the minds of both their fanbases.
02:17 (music)
02:24 (music)
02:28 (dramatic music)