Eminem’s love for LL Cool J—whom he calls the “first rockstar of rap”—goes much deeper than a longtime admiration for the vet.
In a new clip from Behind the Music on Paramount+, Shady goes into detail on his friendship with LL, confirming longtime fan speculation about a certain piece of jewlery. LL did in fact gift him a chain designed to be similar to the one he wore in his classic “I’m Bad” visual in 1987.
“Since I was a little kid I always wanted a chain,” Em says. “I was recording with Rick Rubin and I was like, ‘Yo, can you ask LL where he got his chains from?’ So he had these made and sent them to me.”
Eminem goes on to share that he was greatly inspired by that video in particular, and LL Cool J’s massive chains, and that LL had the “whole package,” from “the look” to “the swag.”
“I’m like, ‘Yo, I wanted that. That is what made me actually want to rap,’” Em recalls.
Fans have previously speculated that the chain is the same one Shady rocked for his BET freestyle targeting Donald Trump, and LL has actually gifted Em some other memorabilia in the past. Last year, he tossed Em over a “Rock the Bells” varsity jacket.
To learn more about LL and his hold on hip-hop, catch his Behind the Music episode when it’s released on Paramount+ this Thursday, alongside another installment focused on Ricky Martin.
