Eminem's partnership with Dr. Dre has been a long but incredibly fruitful one. The rappers were introduced nearly two decades ago, and have gone on to create some of the biggest hip-hop records in history. Though it would lead to symbiotic relationship, there’s no doubt that the rappers’ initial meeting was much more meaningful to Eminem, as he had yet to become a household name at the time. Plus, he considered Dre as one of his idols.
During a recent interview with LL Cool J, Em spoke about meeting the Aftermath founder while hustling to promote his Slim Shady EP.
“The Slim Shady EP that we pressed up starting actually moving some decent amount of units. You know, it was like a thousand, two thousand,” Em said on LL’s SiriusXM channel Rock the Bells Radio. “We had a guy in Vegas—they had guy that wanted to buy 5,000 of them. So we were like, ‘Oh shit!’ So, we go to Vegas, we start running around putting the shit on consignment at different stores and stuff. I come back to the hotel just from doing that and (producer) Marky Bass was like, ‘Man, we got a call from some doctor. He wants to meet with you.’ So I’m like, ‘Don’t fuck with me. Don’t fuck with me. Do not fuck with me.’”
Em continued: “Because I remember I was in the car with these two chicks right before I went out to Vegas to sell the tapes […] and these two chicks in the car were playing ‘Phone Tap.’ I was like, ‘Yo, if I could just get with Dre, oh my god.’ Literally a week later, we got a meeting with Dre when we go out there. And that was it.”
Shortly after his meeting with Dre, Em ran into another hip-hop heavyweight: LL Cool J.
“And the next thing you know, I’m in Foot Locker with Kirdis Tucker and she’s getting outfits for the ‘Just Don’t Give A Fuck’ video, and I see you (LL Cool J),” Eminem recalled. “I’m like, ‘Yo, he’s in here by himself.’ I was buggin’ the fuck out. You quoted a lyric back to me. You said, ‘Yo, how can I be white/I don’t even exist.’ You quoting that lyric back to me, was like, I think I shit myself.”
Check out other highlights from Eminem’s interview in the YouTube videos below. The 45-year-old rapper also discusses the power of hip-hop, the writing process for “Stan,” and more.
The exclusive interview will kick off LL’s The Influence of Hip Hop program on Rock the Bells Radio. Eminem’s sit-down will air at 3 p.m. Sept. 1 on satellite channel 43.
The monthly show will be hosted LL and deliver classic rap content, such as interviews, music, and retrospectives.
