Word to the wise: if you put Eminem on your track, there's a good chance he'll outshine you. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the best verses from the legendary rapper Marshall Mathers, a.k.a. “Eminem”.
Category
🎵
MusicTranscript
00:00Nowadays, everybody wanna talk like they got something to say, but nothing comes out when
00:03they move their lips.
00:04Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the best verses from the
00:10legendary rapper Marshall Mathers, aka Eminem.
00:14His cup just runneth over, oh no.
00:17Number 20, Homicide, Logic.
00:19Maryland rapper Logic has cited Eminem as a major artistic influence, so it had to have
00:25been a huge honor to get the man himself on a track, especially with a verse this good.
00:36On Homicide, Logic refers to himself as Slim Shady with ravies.
00:40It's an impressive performance in its own right, but it's also setting the stage for
00:44the guest of honor.
00:45In the third verse, the real Slim Shady comes charging through with a verse asserting his
00:49continued dominance.
00:56More than 20 years into his career, no one would blame him for resting on his laurels,
01:02but as this verse demonstrates, he's not going to make it easy on anyone, especially
01:07not himself.
01:08Number 19, Five Star Generals, Shabam Shadeed.
01:18Eminem might've seemed an overnight sensation when he first broke, but he put in the work
01:23to reach the heights that he did.
01:24In a verse on this track from East Coast rapper Shabam Shadeed, Em keeps staying brief and
01:29blasphemous.
01:35His embodiment of someone with a screw or two loose still hits a nerve, and he still
01:39leaves us wanting more.
01:41He might've not yet figured out the full power of Slim Shady, but he did show he could
01:45stand out even when he didn't have the lengthiest verse, and this feature truly demonstrates
01:50a legend in the making.
01:57Number 18, Roman's Revenge, Nicki Minaj.
02:04Technically this song is credited to Nicki Minaj and Eminem, but part of us wants to
02:08credit it to Roman Zelanski and Slim Shady.
02:11Minaj and Em performed as their unhinged alter egos in an absolute clash of titans.
02:23With the then newly crowned rap queen coming out the gate swinging, you might think that
02:28even Eminem would seem restrained by comparison.
02:31That is decidedly not the case, as he delivers one of his most furious features.
02:36Both of his verses here are absolutely incredible.
02:40Eminem matches Minaj's energy perfectly while also sounding like the singular artist
02:44that he is.
02:50Number 17, Drop The World, Lil Wayne.
02:53Lil Wayne's venture into rap rock wasn't a particular successful experiment.
02:57However, if there's something worth salvaging from this error, it's this collaboration
03:02with Eminem.
03:08For a propulsive and hypnotic beat, Wheezy and Em passionately speak about all the obstacles
03:13they've overcome.
03:14Eminem spits rapid fire bars about the impact he's had not just on the rap and music worlds,
03:19but also the world as a whole.
03:27It's two icons who have been counted out and dismissed only to prove their haters wrong
03:32time and time again, showing how they reached legendary status in the first place.
03:43Number 16, Use This Gospel Remix, DJ Khaled and Kanye West.
03:54Eminem once famously claimed he had to use profanity to sell records, comparing himself
03:58to the much more wholesome Will Smith.
04:00Turns out, that wasn't entirely true.
04:02On this guest verse on a DJ Khaled remix from a track from Kanye West's gospel album Jesus
04:07Is King, Eminem pulls off the unthinkable, a verse with no swearing.
04:12And this isn't a quick appearance either.
04:20Understanding the assignment, Eminem talks about faith and temptation like he's a veteran
04:23of the pulpit as well as the battle rap circuit, and he doesn't sound like he's trying to
04:28cynically tap into a new market either.
04:30Still, we bet you never imagined Eminem would top the Christian Songs chart, huh?
04:4015.
04:42Busta Rhyme, Missy Elliot
04:46The combined powers of Missy Elliot on the mic and Timbaland on the beats made for some
04:51of the most cutting edge and exciting hip-hop ever made.
04:54And bringing Eminem into the fold, well, that's just making a great thing even better.
05:05On this track from Missy's second album, the appearance of Slim Shady is teased through
05:09a chorus of whispers.
05:11Then, once he arrives, he has our full attention.
05:14The un-PC bravado of classic-era Em fits great with Timbaland's off-kilter-yet-catchy production.
05:21All three of his verses here are impressive in their own way.
05:24Demonstrating why he's been regarded as such a mad genius for so long.
05:3414.
05:35EPMD 2, Nas
05:41Nas and Eminem each brought the art of rap to unforeseen heights early in their careers
05:45and didn't stop there.
05:47Yet somewhat unbelievably, the two never appeared on a track together until 2021.
05:53On this standout from Nas' acclaimed 13th album, King's Deceased 2, Eminem delivers
05:58a mind-blowing feature full of vigor, passion, and Christmas references?
06:07He also finds time to salute the other greats of the genre, including Nasir himself.
06:12Meanwhile, Hit-Boy's crisp trap production provides excellent support to Em's words.
06:17Do we wish we could've gotten this team up sooner?
06:19Absolute.
06:20Was it worth the wait?
06:21For sure!
06:2313.
06:26Welcome to D-Block, The Lox
06:36Eminem is famous for repping his home city of Detroit.
06:39But if you only knew him from this, you might think he was an East Coast legend.
06:50From this tribute to the NYC neighborhood of Yonkers from Jadakiss, Stouse P, and Chic
06:54Looch, Eminem sounds like anything but a tourist.
06:57Detailing a dangerous stretch of city with startling urgency, Em makes you feel like
07:02he's painting a grim portrait right before your eyes.
07:05This verse, along with his equally impressive work on the chorus, marks Eminem as an artist
07:10who does his homework no matter what.
07:1612.
07:19Caterpillar – Royce Da 5'9''
07:20Though Eminem has great chemistry with numerous collaborators, his bond with his Bad Meets
07:25Evil cohort Royce Da 5'9'' is particularly special.
07:34On this track from Royce's 7th album, Eminem sounds like anything but a caterpillar.
07:39Instead, he's more like a hornet full of venom and ready to strike.
07:49With visceral imagery, flow switch-ups, and maximum energy, he sounds like a man on an
07:54absolute mission.
07:56It's no wonder Em and Royce's partnership has lasted so long, as both are technical
08:01wizards on the mic who know how to make each and every line count.
08:0711.
08:10We All Die One Day – Obie Trice
08:19Another excellent Detroit rapper in his orbit, Obie Trice's first album was executive-produced
08:24by Eminem, who also appears on numerous tracks.
08:27The best feature, though, comes on this posse cut also featuring Lloyd Banks and 50 Cent.
08:32Though the title might suggest contemplating one's mortality, Em delivers a verse that's
08:36more murderous than meditative, so you might not want to put it on at the spot.
08:47But if you need a verse from Eminem that'll get you fired up and ready to take on the
08:50world, it's hard to go wrong with this one.
08:5610.
08:58Don't Approach Me – Xzibit
09:05For this declarative track, Em first sets up X with a telling hook.
09:09After Xzibit slays verse one, Mathers jumps in with some razor-sharp words about his celebrity
09:14status and media attention.
09:22But Em doesn't finish there, as he returns for a final verse about the consequences of
09:27confronting fans.
09:28With his second rhyme, Eminem is more explanatory than boastful.
09:32He addresses why he needs to be cautious with overbearing fans, and also what happens if
09:36he lets people get too close.
09:38It's slightly comedic, but also focused on his real-life issues.
09:479.
09:48Dead Wrong – The Notorious B.I.G.
09:56Released after Biggie's untimely death, this guest spot helped ignite Eminem's career.
10:01Lyrically, he initially takes a surrealistic approach, painting a hellish landscape of
10:05devil worship.
10:13But he then offers some clarity by communicating his reality, and what it takes to survive.
10:17For this one, Em unloads with an aggressive flow and finishes off with some descriptive
10:22rhymes about red-themed visuals.
10:24It's a killer verse, and it has all the lyrical bravado of someone that's trying
10:28to make a name for himself in the rap game.
10:338.
10:35Airplanes Part 2 – B.O.B.
10:37Featuring Hayley Williams
10:44In this Grammy-nominated track, Eminem actually sings before he rhymes.
10:49After B.O.B.'s reflective two verses, Em gets nostalgic with examining his own past.
10:54In contrast to Hayley Williams' dreamy chorus, Mathers is a little more blunt, a little more
10:59urgent with his vocals.
11:05With his tone, he captures what it's like to feel young and helpless, both for himself
11:09and for listeners too.
11:11It's all steeped in pretending and wishing for something you can't quite grasp.
11:15By the end, Eminem effectively closes off the track with his unique storytelling abilities.
11:227.
11:25I Need A Doctor – Dr. Dre
11:27With this guest spot, Em shows some tough love for his iconic mentor.
11:38In verse one, Mathers looks inward and explores his own self-doubt.
11:42He follows that up with another train-of-thought rhyme.
11:45Only this time, he's speaking directly to Dr. Dre, offering a heartfelt message of hope
11:50and loyalty.
11:51Overall, I Need A Doctor represents a wake-up call for both artists, with Skylar Grey's
12:01soft hook hypnotically complimenting the two MCs.
12:04For this Eminem guest verse, he pays homage to a legend, who just so happens to be the
12:09man that changed his life too.
12:146.
12:18Yellow Wolf – Yellow Wolf Co-produced by Eminem, this spiritual song
12:21concludes with a memorable and extensive rhyme.
12:24Technically, it's a one-verse spot, but the depth and length showcases Mathers'
12:32lyrical wizardry.
12:33With his staccato flow, Em takes an unorthodox approach, and his tone becomes more assertive
12:38from line to line.
12:44On a personal level, Eminem opens up to his faults and reminds that he's no angel.
12:49But on the professional side, Em reminds that he's one of the legends, an MC that thrives
12:54on his inner strength and ability to handle the pressure, even when life gets most difficult.
13:025.
13:06Smack That – Akon For this international hit, Em constructs
13:09his verse specifically for the club crowd.
13:16With Akon setting the mood for Smack That, Em builds on the sexual concept with some
13:20lyrical foreplay and crisp rhymes.
13:23He brings his usual sense of humor, all the while shouting out the featured artist himself.
13:27It's a sharp guest spot, with Em showing off his wordplay skills.
13:37At the time of release, Akon was still an emerging artist, and the Eminem collaboration
13:41provided some extra commercial appeal, as Smack That went on to earn triple platinum
13:46certification and spent five weeks at the number two spot on the Billboard Hot 100.
13:524.
13:56Forever – Drake, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Eminem Here's a posse cut that concludes
14:01with a bang.
14:02After Drake, Kanye West, and Lil Wayne drop their own verses, Em shuts it down with some
14:07lyrical fire.
14:14On Forever, Eminem immediately references his own flow, which sets the tone for a brilliant
14:19verse that references Macadamia Nuts, Pinocchio, and even Hannibal Lecter.
14:24Forever was recorded for the 2008 documentary More Than A Game, and Em's creative verse
14:29sets him apart from the competition, along with his hard-hitting delivery.
14:39Most importantly, it reminds that he's an elite emcee that can hang with anybody.
14:463.
14:50Renegade – Jay-Z When this track was released, the one and
14:59only Nas famously noted that Eminem murdered Jay-Z on his own track.
15:03While that's up for debate, it's undeniable that Mathers constructs two immaculate verses
15:08about his public persona.
15:15With the first, he takes aim at critics who misrepresent his intentions, communicating
15:20that he's no role model, but rather a lyrical artist.
15:23Next, he follows up Jay-Z again with a more spiritual verse that addresses hypocritical
15:28behavior.
15:29Released in 2001, Renegade showed that Eminem could not only hold his own alongside Jay-Z,
15:35but that he's got the same lyrical depth as well.
15:422.
15:44Patiently Wait – 50 Cent In 2003, 50 Cent made his much-anticipated
15:55debut with Get Rich or Die Tryin'.
15:57Although Patiently Waitin' wasn't released as a single, it does feature Eminem at his
16:01best.
16:02First, Mathers appeared on the bridge, complimenting 50's opening verse.
16:15For his one and only rhyme, Em pays homage to hip-hop legends, even adopting a staccato
16:20flow like the late Tupac Shakur.
16:23It's a timely guest spot, one that acknowledges his future in the rap game, along with the
16:32events of 9-11.
16:34He pays respect to 50 Cent's skills, but it's Eminem that ultimately steals the show.
16:42Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell to get notified
16:47about our latest videos.
16:48You have the option to be notified for occasional videos or all of them.
16:52If you're on your phone, make sure you go into your settings and switch on notifications.
16:571.
16:59Forgot About Dre – Dr. Dre
17:01This single reintroduced a legend and features a legend in the making.
17:05Eminem delivers one of hip-hop's most classic hooks, one that remains relevant even in the
17:10new era of rap.
17:17Then there's this seamless transition into a long-winded verse, a spotlight for Em to
17:21showcase his storytelling abilities.
17:24First, he wisely acknowledges the iconic N.W.A., but then it's the slim, shady show, where
17:30he mixes lyrical comedy and some hard-edge rhymes.
17:40With respect to Eminem's guest spot on Dre's What's The Difference, it's his Forgot
17:44About Dre verse that inspired a world of fans to imitate him, if only out of respect and
17:49admiration for his lyrical flow.
17:53Did we forget about your favorite Eminem feature?
17:59Let us know in the comments down below, and don't forget to like and subscribe for more
18:03WatchMojo videos.