Eminem will turn 40 years old this October. One of the best rappers in the world, is a slim figured White guy who hails from Detroit, Michigan. Marshall Mathers is the founder of Shady Records, the home of gangster rapper 50 Cent, Alabama native Yelawolf and hip-hop collective Slaughterhouse.
Eminem comes from the cloth of the good Dr. Dre, the world famous producer credited to making him, 50 Cent, Snoop Dogg and many others very rich. Anything with Dr. Dre's blessing is classic. Eminem's influences help push rap music more mainstream so rappers like Ludacris, Nelly, Kanye West, Flo Rida, Waka Flocka Flame, Future, Lil' Wayne and Drake could succeed in an industry that creates sharks.
Hailed as one of the best, there were some who questioned his standings as the world's most recognized White rapper.
| Rapper Benzino apologized to Eminem after decade long feud. Is this real? Apparently so! |
Whatever you decide on calling him, he has been a mark in hip-hop. The self acclaimed Made Man, Almighty RSO, and road dog for the Hangmen 3, Raymond “Benzino” Scott has been a name that been around for awhile. The rapper and entrepreneur of the hip-hop magazine, The Source, has been no stranger to the speculation stemming from his alleged alterations with his group Made Men, to his on air beef with rappers Eminem, 50 Cent and Dr. Dre.
The rapper's motives of threatening people from exposing any dirt about his life, have came under heavy scrutiny. Benzino has been a warrior in a “state of hip-hop emergency” and is not ready to put the mic down and walk away.
We'll revisit my previous article of 2004. The climax of the feud between Eminem and Benzino.
I was a subscriber of The Source Magazine. I was greatly upset over the magazine's turmoils under the leadership of Dave Mays and Benzino. The company was blowing money fast. They've filed for bankruptcy after this feud. My magazine subscription was in limbo. Millions of readers dumped The Source and picked up the XXL Magazine. And today, the XXL Magazine reigns as the top selling rap magazine. Even in tough times, the magazine is still thriving as well as Vibe and Ozone.
My personal opinion is that hip-hop deserves a chance!
Hell, I gave rappers like Jay-Z, DMX, Ludacris, 50 Cent, Eve and Nelly props. I paid respect to the pioneers of hip-hop, from Eric B and Rakim, Snoop Dogg, Tupac Shakur, Biggie Smalls, to even the Cold Crush Brothers, but there’s no way I can support a rapper that seems make a name for his self in a magazine that over hypes his lackluster talent.
Benzino, 49 was born in Latham, Massachusetts and resides in either New York or Miami. Formerly known as the Ray Dog of Almighty RSO (Rock Shit Out) and the lead vocals to the group Made Men, the Boston brawler, has edged his name in hip-hop as either the “savior of hip-hop” or the “worst rapper since Vanilla Ice”.
| Eminem |
The Source gave a unknown rapper such as Benzino a place with rap moguls Sean “Puffy” Combs, Steve Stoute and Lyor Cohn. When Benzino's group Made Men debut album was released, The Source was giving it heavy promotion despite concerns among staff.
The reviewers and editors of the Source, gave the group a mid size rating and Benzino was highly upset.
Benzino asked the editor and long time friend, founder, Dave Mays, to give the album Classic Limited Edition, better promotion or top notch ratings.
Mays agree to Benzino’s request and changed the rating to top-notch behind the staff. With the album being changed to top-notch ratings the staff of The Source warned Mays if he changes their credibility, they walked.
Mays refused their request and told them to leave. So that’s what they did. Even with the change the Made Men didn’t do so well with their album. Heavy cameos such as Master P, The LOX and Montell Jordan couldn't save this album.
Benzino’s group didn’t pave the way for hip-hop. So they disbanded and Benzino tries to strike it out on his own.
The debut solo album, The Benzino Project and The Benzino Remix Project were both released by Universal-Motown. The debut album managed to sell over 78,000 copies and the "Remix" album didn't chart major sales. Even providing the single “Bootee” with producer Teddy Riley, having G-Dep, Fabolous, Snoop Dogg, Scarface and among others featured on it couldn't save this album.
Benzino had disappointed Motown so much, they released the rapper from his contract.
Despite the album flops Benzino still supported the album by releasing the single “Shine Like My Son” featuring his own son, upcoming rapper Ray Ray (known as Cool Breeze Ray), and featured spots from Master P, Jadakiss and their families. Benzino lost the battle. So Benzino fumes up with Motown having their ads removed from The Source.
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| The legendary Dr. Dre helped proteges Eminem and 50 Cent produce their successful albums. |
With a hook up with Queen Latifah and Shakim on Flavor Unit, Benzino got him a deal distribution with Elektra Entertainment.
With the release of his album Redemption he teams up with Bad Boy head producer Mario “Yellow Man” Winans to produce his tracks. Releasing the first single “Rock The Party” it seemed like Benzino had at least manage to catch the attention of the clubs with a fresh up start to a up and coming career. But the ever looming slum of failure has seemed to haunt Benzino.
| Rapper Benzino and Dave Mays (far right). Dave Mays is a Harvard educated business executive and hip-hop journalist. He co-founded The Source Magazine with Jonathon Schecter and James Bernard. |
In November 2002, getting a chance at exposing Eminem for what he is and what his purpose is, he attacks Shady and Aftermath Records. Benzino exposes Eminem's legal troubles and the looming signing of 50 Cent to the labels. Benzino claims that Eminem’s album sales hurt the upcoming hip-hop acts.
What drove Eminem into the battle was the threats Benzino had made to his family and claims of Eminem being a racist (calling him a Rap Hitler or David Duke). During an interview with Angie Martinez, Eminem airs out the beef with Benzino and released two devastating disses toward Benzino.
The first single The Sauce exposes the fact of artists who feud with Benzino would be shut out of the magazine. Eminem exposes The Source sharing ties with Benzino.
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| Hip-Hop Weekly. A gossip magazine covering hip-hop. Benzino was feuding with Fat Joe. Benzino claims he slept with the rapper's wife. |
The diss goes hard at Benzino, his son Ray Ray, Dave Mays, Kim Osorio, and The Source itself.
So with that Benzino, attacks back stating that this “cracka” is dying to say “nigga” and he is willing to settle this with violence. Benzino states that Eminem and Shady Records will have no place in The Source.
In the February 2003 issue featuring Ja Rule, The Source gave people a free poster showing a virtual unknown holding the head of the world’s most popular rapper.
That’s right, it’s Benzino in cartoon form showing him holding Eminem by the head and spine, warning Eminem to watch what he says or he will face a untimely demise.
The Source takes shots at Elliott Wilson, former Source editor now founder of The XXL, in reference to the XXL issue of 50 Cent, Eminem, and Dr. Dre. On top of that The Source had drawn a muscle man crushing a midget light skinned man with the XXS logo on the bottom of the jersey, with the words “Respect The Architect or Get Broken”.
In fact, the issue had a five page interview with Benzino, heavily promotion for his now defunct nightclub South Beach Club ZNO, and of course for those who bought his album, those would receive a free 6 month subscription to The Source.
Canibus, an underground rapper (Eminem’s nemesis) and the writer Harry Allen, also were featured in the magazine addressing the issues of white emceeing, The Eminem Show and what hip hop is now directing itself into.
Lastly in the Last Word, the Boston Celtics jersey and ice banded Benzino was crushing M & M milk chocolate candies, while a white candy stands in the background watching.
Dr. Dre, Aftermath, Interscope pulled their ads and promotions away from The Source. 50 Cent takes jabs at Benzino by attacking his lackluster career and selling copies less than his first album.
Unfortunate for Benzino the disrespect doesn’t stop there! The world’s leading magazine, The Rolling Stone, Vibe, Murder Dog, and XXL (the rival magazines) stated that Eminem, Dr. Dre and 50 Cent are welcome to their magazines.
Benzino was rated in the top 20 in the Maxim Blender’s notably worst entertainers in the world, a group from Petition Online asked for a boycott for The Source to have Benzino be removed from The Source. The marketing strategy for The Source is out! Benzino is part of The Source. In order to keep his name from being tarnished the magazine denied the allegations stemming from his shady dealings while being at The Source. Although current issues had less Benzino, he is eventually showing up somewhere; whether in the Fat Tape (high rotation singles), Coast 2 Coast, and ads for clothing and jewelry.
After the release of 50 Cent's album, Eminem has stated that the beef was done. Eminem declared that Benzino is too wack to respond too. Benzino swears he will not back down to Eminem and continues to keep taking shots at him. Even through the Source magazine, naming 50 Cent on of the top 115 artists of hip-hop, stating that his album Get Rich or Die Tryin’ will outsell The Eminem Show. Even taking blows at Eminem by drawing him as Elvis and Tarzan. The Source also featured a comic called Past Imperfect, taking shots not only at Eminem, but rappers (whom are white) Bubba Sparxxx and Haystak. Benzino had a hand in creating the comic and editorials addressing white MCs.
The Source carried its high profile feud with 50 Cent by releasing an attack article. The article exposes the life and the hype of 50 Cent, his bosses Eminem and Dr. Dre, and the label head, Jimmy Iovine. The issue also takes a jab at rapper, Nas (post XXL issue where he was setting ablaze to The Source and XXL magazines). In the first pages of the Source, Benzino and Mays retaliate towards the XXL and Vibe Magazine attacks from 50 Cent, Eminem, Nas and Dr. Dre by setting ablaze the competitors and stating that their friendship and business relations will remain the same.
The magazine released portions of a freestyle Eminem done when he was young. In this song, he disses a Black woman whom he used to date. The rapper demanded the magazine to cease publishing of his song.
Benzino refused and aired out the entire song in full. Eminem's publishing company sued The Source and won a hefty amount.
In 2005, Benzino and Dave Mays were let go after Black Enterprises took over the struggling magazine.
Benzino and Mays both went on to create another hip-hop magazine called Hip-Hop Weekly. The Weekly is a gossip rag that covers issues such as the hip-hop feuds and controversy in politics. Benzino and Mays continue to make themselves relevant in these tough times.
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Benzino realized that he's getting older and the music people are listening to isn't his! He promotes himself as the gangsta rapper who hailed from the "mean streets" of Boston. The American hip-hop listener likes catchy beats and easy to remember hooks. Nothing about the complex struggle in the streets. No tales of hustling to eat and running from the police.
What Benzino failed to do in his feud with Eminem is actually know who he's dealing with.
At the time of this feud, Benzino and his partner Dave Mays were in charge of the hip-hop magazine, The Source. In January 2003, the rapper released multiple disses going after Eminem, his group D12 and 50 Cent. Benzino teamed up with 50 Cent's rival Ja Rule to go after Eminem.
Eminem went to the microphone and literally destroyed Benzino's career and credibility as a fair journalist.
It took over 10 years. Benzino finally admits that he lost the rap feud and Eminem deserves respect. He apologizes to Eminem during an interview with Sway Calloway of MTV and Shade45.
Eminem appears on Aftermath Entertainment. He is affiliated with Shady Records.
Dr. Dre appears on Aftermath Entertainment.
50 Cent appears on Shady/Aftermath/Interscope. He is affiliated with G-Unit Records.
Benzino is an independent recording artist.
Ja Rule appears on Fontana Records.
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