Sitting down with Angie Martinez to promote his latest movie, Top Five, Chris Rock joked about why didn’t include Eminem in his list of favorite rappers.
“The new rule is Top 5’s without mentioning Jay ’cause it’s just boring at this point,” he said, speaking with Angie. “It’s always boring ’cause it’s like, ‘Jay, Jay.'”
“People get angry when you don’t mention Eminem,” he later said. “They really like, ‘Hey! Eminem’s one of the greatest.’ Okay! He’s good. I’m not a big ‘Stan’ guy. I like ‘Stan.’ I loved him on ‘Renegade.’ He’s great on ‘Renegade.’ I like him on a lot of stuff. I like ‘Stan’ but you don’t hear ‘Stan’ at the club, ever. Not any club I wanna be at. ‘It was hot last night and then they played “Stan.”‘ ‘What? Where were you? Did they play “Stan? Was it a remix or something?'”
Speaking about the movie and Jay Z’s role as an Executive Producer, Chris Rock made light of the rapper’s expanding role outside of music.
“Jay Z is an Executive Producer of my movie and black Annie,” he said. “Jay Z’s getting it in. He’s getting it in.”
Asked if the role represented funding from the rapper and Roc Nation founder, Rock said, “No, I wish.”
“He kind of puts his name on there,” he said. “I think it’s easier to clear music when he’s involved. I’m not really sure. I see him as much as you probably. I see him. When do I see Jay? I see him at a game…Jay never hurt anything. Jay hasn’t exhausted his name yet. There’s no Jay Z doughnuts. Or towels. He doesn’t whore his name out too much.”
For additional Eminem coverage, watch the following DX Daily:
so because they don’t play Eminem in the clubs he’s not top 5? When the last time you heard Nas or Rakim in the club?
1994
For Nas it was in the late 90s up until the time of stillmatic, he made a commercial turn for a couple years like 98-2000. owe me something comes to mind but he had a couple others
I guess your from Canada of the West Coast somewhere because Nas gets a lot of spins in the club in NYC, Miami, Boston, and Jersey!
Rakim got played ALL the time in the club when he was on top.
And Nas has tons of records that play in the club.
“Made You Look”
“You Owe Me”
“Got Urself a Gun”
“Street Dreams”
“Hate Me Now”
“You Won’t See Me Tonight”
“If I Ruled the World”
“Hip Hop is Dead”
“I Can”
“Oochie Wally”
“Hero”
Not to mention if you go to a hip hop spot or a show and the DJ’ll play half of Illmatic and the crowd will go nuts. Or “Nas is Like” “The Don” etc..
MC means move the crowd. It’s the most important part of being an MC. Lyricism and radio hits alone won’t do it. So it makes sense that he’d be judged on that criteria.
Chris Rock opened up for Big Daddy Kane, LL, and Rakim doing standup in the 80s. He knows more about hip hop than most.
That has to be the worst reason to ever have been mention. Damn
fuck this ignorant negro
Not everybody has to like Eminem! Fuckouttahere!
what a stupid ignorant opinion , gj chris rock you’re the reason rap music sucks nowadays
First of all why does he have to even explain why Em isn’t in his top 5? Everyone is entitled to whoever they think is the best. Em is one of the best but he isn’t in my top 5 either
Em’s fanbase is full of dipshits like if you say em is shit you get like 500 replies from like 12 year olds don’t believe? fcking heaps of eminem dickriding pages “like if ur a shady soldier” really? like what the fuck dude. I personally like eminem but hate his fanbase but he aint in my top 5 either but he good tho.
every rapper has crazy fans that will defend them to the end. rick ross, lil wayne, nicki minaj, drake, odd future…
People getting uptight about a comedian making a joke about his top 5 rappers……. 21st Century problems.
I agree it was clearly a comedian being a comedian, Chris is great
Eminem fans go to war for him. Especially the racist ones. I’ve had people on Twitter come at my head because I don’t name Eminem in my top 5. Crazy.
stop lying, why would you even be tweeting your top 5 and why would anyone care
I’d never put a white rapper in my top 5 or 10. After all, they’re guests in our rap game. They should stop being culture thieves and stick to their own people and music.
its cause of people like you that racism will never go away. when will people start to understand that we need to stop differentiating between races and realize that we are all the same.
lol but isnt all hip-hop based on sampling/stealing from other musicians, many of which were white? dont even get me started on who created those mpc’s, drum machines, turntables and multitracks
To Panther Love,
To start this off, I am going to thank you for being a racist; that gives me the means to be as racist as I want back (then I can use the childish comeback: “He started it!).
If you wish to have the statement: “they are guests in our rap game”. Then I can have the statement that you shouldn’t be using inventions that were created, thought out and developed by the white race.”
So, how about stop playing the race game: “He’s white, he shouldn’t be liked” because it is pointless, pedantic and just damn right idiotic. Grow up, little boy.
“Our rap game” – the fuck have you contributed with that counts? You’re a shitstain compared to Em.
Das Racist
The ignorance are beyond stupendous, to say what you said. Hiphop/rap is an art that anyone can create, not something thats excluded for darker skinned people. We need to understand we are all related, we are one race, and we dont need see this cycle bs about white people are not deserving because their white. Its so funny how blacks and whites racist are two sides of the same of coin.
ignorance begats ignorance. the most sampled musician in hiphop history is JAMES BROWN. music machines don’t override the sounds of music that originated in africa. and although you may be standing up to racism here, I’m willing to bet you live a life that perpetuates it. you know, your school, community real estate offices, bank, labor force, etc. a grow up lesson for aLL OF YOU
You don’t need to make club songs to be a great rapper. You make songs like My Name Is, The Real Slim Shady, The Way I Am, Without Me, Cleanin’ Out My Closet, Lose Yourself, Superman, Space Bound, Rap God and Guts Over Fear.
MC means move the crowd. It’s the most important part of being an MC. Lyricism and radio hits alone won’t do it. So it makes sense that he’d be judged on that criteria.
Chris Rock opened up for Big Daddy Kane, LL, and Rakim doing standup in the 80s. He knows more about hip hop than most.
That’s pretty funny from a comedic standpoint. Of course you don’t hear “stan” in the club, and you wouldn’t want to either. But thats why Eminem is not in your top 5? That’s only funny because its so stupid. F*ck a club, and the music they play in it. Anyone with a brain knows that Eminem’s skill/ technical ability is greater than any other rapper out there. If you don’t see that, then you’re ignorant. Plain and simple. You don’t have to like his voice, or the sh*t he raps about, but he is the greatest mainstream technical rapper. I’m sure you all agree with me right, otherwise as an Eminem hater, you definately wouldn’t waste your time reading a stupid article about Eminem, and you definately wouldnt care about the comments… (eats popcorn)
applaud this heavily biased & immature opinion. m yquestion is, while you are in solitude, do you hear those Eminem raps when he says he cannot stand the likes of “fans” like you?
are you sure he is the best technically? I bet guys like Black Thought and Pharaohe Monch or even Trech from Naughty by Nature are more technical than Em but Em is one of the best no question, but its all personal preference!!
Thumbs Up
The ignorance are beyond stupendous, to say what you said. Hiphop/rap is an art that anyone can create, not something thats excluded for darker skinned people. We need to understand we are all related, we are one race, and we don’t need see this cycle bs about white people are not deserving because their white. Its so funny how blacks and whites “racist” are two sides of the same of coin.
Chris Rock is brilliant and marketing his latest film. He knows exactly how to capture the most bandwidth. Kudos.
Ems not in his top 5 bc he cant play stan at club lmaoo i thought chris rock was too old for to be that ignorant but sadly that makes up 75% of blak rap fans minds on top artists..no skill u need a bangong beat and hook and ur a top rapper loll
Sadly i findmyself talking to more white ppl about rap bc white ppl know real rap
Your comments makes you look like the ignorant one. If you even look ar Rock’s top 5 all of them are recognize as legends in the game. Most dumbass people like yourself can keep believe the bullshit you do and keep all your discussions with the white man. When they give you that rope, hang yourself.
your comment is more ignorant than anything chris said
my comment is not ignorant its based on facts i talk to many black and white ppl a day and more often then not when i talk 2 black people they mention bullshit rappers as their favorites and diss legends but almost every white person i talk to KNOWS hiphop and will give you real answers..
you can be mad bc im white and giving you the truth that stll doesnt stop the fact its true to me and mostly in america
and im NOT saying eminem HAS to be in your top 5 im saying if your gonna diss of the the greatest emcees/lyricists to ever do it no matter what race you are, give me a better reason than that
why do white people get mad when people tell the truth about Em not being one of the top 5 GOAT. Even Eminem admitted he learned everything he knew from Rakim, Nas,Jay, KRSONE, LL Cool J, etc….
Em knows what’s up.
he knows he isnt in the top 5 of his own list.
NAs is GOAT.
“I like ‘Stan’ but you don’t hear ‘Stan’ at the club, ever. Not any club I wanna be at. ‘It was hot last night and then they played “Stan.”‘ ‘What? Where were you? Did they play “Stan? Was it a remix or something?'””
Dumb nigga, this why rap is so wack, if it’s not a club type song it’s not “hot”. SMH, fuck off you dumb ass
Bro, Chris Rock ain’t the voice of hip-hop and he doesn’t speak for all the fans. If you don’t like club music or their fans then don’t fuck with the music or fans. Just stick to the style you like. Everyone has different tastes my man
Why is anyone surprized, you ask 5 New York niggaz who their top 5 is, and they all say some variant of “Jay, Nas, BIG, Rakim, LL Cool J. Occasionally you will get an Ice Cube, when theyre pretending to be unbiased.
Even when he says he likes some EM songs, he picks a Jay Z song ft Em. lol
whites AND blacks all across the country who are pure hiphop fans agree with what chris said. I’m just not dumb enough to fully engage a bunch of faux fans who aren’t out there in the music/club scene about a decade old concensus.
This nigga retarded
They also play Young Thug in the club…So much for that theory….
man, I thought Chris Rock was smarter than this 5th grader shit…
For his bullshit response relating taking it to the “club” we need Russell Peters to spray his ass with a “non-racist” remark.
anyway, Chis, you’re still my favorite stand up comedian…but you ain’t in the top 5 because you’re not aired on Nickelodeon
hey! I’m a Uk fan living in a little settlement called claremount gardens off the m21 in epsom.
i just wanted to say that I’ve liked eminem ever since 2000. (action bronson’s got ginger though, I have copper hair)
Rap is not a big thing where I live in epsom at the moment.
I definitely would like to bring it into my community because I think it would be interesting.
some people i know love rap but I can’t seem to find a way to get people to respond to my ideas in a positive light.
any suggestions?
Don’t do it. Rap does nothing but degrade the mind and turn women into hookeers
Blacks do nothing but bitch about racism, and 90% of the time there’s no evidence to back up their claim. Yet these hypocritical assholes diss the greatest and most successful hip-hop artist of all time due his color. Em has reached the highest levels in an industry that is hostile towards whites and has proven to be better than all the so-called “inventors” of this music. If America followed this pattern by electing a head of state, not through affirmative action, but on merit we wouldn’t have an incompetent POTUS, and we’d all be better off now.
Eminem being the most successful rapper in no way means he is the greatest rapper. The are plenty of rappers who could of out rap Eminem, past and present. 50 cent and Lil Wayne are some of the most successful rappers in history, are they the best of all time? of course not. It is all media hype and people get conned in to it. Some rappers have the marketing machine behind them to make them look better than they really are.
Of course Eminem can rap and is better than a lot of rappers but i am no way buying into the hype he is the best of all time and never will.
Also Chris Rock is just expressing his opinion which everybody has..
although I think Chris is racist, if you’re going to base rap on what rap is played in a club that would be ZERO! hip hop, or pop, but rap?? and seriously, there really isn’t anyone alive that is better then Em, even most black rappers will tell you that. Jay Z, please… he’s so prolific all his CDs are called “blueprint” 50 is better, than Jay! shit even little Wayne is better… ok, maybe not , but you get my point.
LOL the definition is Jay Z is “sell out” “commercialized” “monetize art” .. Of course he likes “Renegade” and names Jay Z and Kanye in his Top 5 while they are Executive Producers of his Movie .. Damn man .. Thought Chris Rock was one of the Greatest, but this is just embarrassing .. If you name your Top 5 based on what’s “played in the club” you’ve lost credibility already
I guess Jay hasn’t heard the 80% of jays discog that is made up of trash.
*chris
TOP MC EIHT AND CMW TRACKS
1.STREIHT UP MENACE
2. THICKER THAN WATER
3. ALL FOR THE MONEY
4. GROWING UP IN THE HOOD REMIX
5. ONE TIME GAFFLED EM UP GEEAAAAAAAAAAH 8 HYPE AND CMW 4 LIFE
It is what it is. That’s Chris Rock’s opinion & he’s entitle to it. Personally I don’t like 80% of Em’s shit, but I respect him. From time to time I listen in because that whiteboi is impressive on the technical end of rapping especially in his old shit. For example songs like Kill You, Sing for The Moment, & Criminal; verses like this one from I’m Back:
I used to give a – fuck, now I could give a fuck less
What do I think of suc-cess
It sucks, too much press I’m stressed
Too much cess, depressed, too upset
It’s just too much mess, I guess I must just blew up quick (yes)
Grew up quick (no) was raised right
Whatever you say is wrong, whatever I say is right
You think of my name now whenever you say, “Hi”
Became a commodity because I’m W-H-I-
-T-E, cause MTV was so friendly to me
wow. so chris rock’s barometer on how to judge a rapper is how much their music’s getting played in the clubs? he likes jay-z because his music plays in the clubs and dislikes eminem cos it doesn’t play in the clubs? what kinda stupid standard is that to judge hip hop?
this isn’t about eminem, but how you judge a hip hop artist. since when does ‘being played in the club’ makes you a great hip hop artist? so waka flocka is now bettr hip hop artist than mos def? i don’t hear mos def’s shit playing in the club? wow. just wow.
i thought chris rock knew something about hip hop. cos he’s from that era, and he seems to talk about hip hop alot. but i guess he’s just one of those celebrities who don’t really know shit about what hip hop really is about. typical hollywood celebrity bullshit coming out of his mouth.
hes a racist comedian its not that serious
Chris Rock literally gave a pass to white people to say the full n word. So many white boy openly say it and cite him
I respect Eminem as a lyricist, but I only enjoyed two albums by him and those were The Slim Shady LP and the MMLP. I was 13 when MMLP dropped…so 2000 was basically the last year I bought an Eminem album. Still a few good songs here and there on following releases.
Chris Rock is free to pick who is on his top 5 list freedom of Speech. Come on Stan’s u should know that by know seeing as how Em literally says whatever the fuck he wants and yall defend him but i Will say this Chris Rock how are gonna choose who is the best rapper based on club songs smh than u might as well add Young Thug and Drake to your top 5. Stan doesnt get played at the club but its still one of the greatest songs ever written. I have been listening to that song since i was 8 and it still amazes me unlike club songs that get burned in a month. Like tell me any nigga that still bumps “hot nigga” nobody cause that song got burnt. Shit just look at my nigga Immortal Technique Dancing with the Devil is my favorite rap song never heard it in the club once so fuck outta here with that club shit.
As a white person, have you ever wondered why we are the only ones who dick ride Eminem? Literally every white person I know thinks Eminem is the greatest rapper of all time, yet I don’t know any black people who think he’s top 10 material. Maybe we really are biased and just rating him highly because of the way he looks? I don’t think it’s a matter of black people just hating on Eminem, most black people think he’s a good rapper. The difference is they don’t rate him as highly and dick ride him like we tend to do. Eminem even said “If I was black, I would have sold half” Maybe he has a point…I used to get very defensive about this kind of thing, but my eyes are starting to open.
nailed it….
bitter much?
Coming from a black guy. I believe Eminem is one of the greatest ever. I put him at around number 20 of all time. Top 10 no. Top 20 yes. Maybe top 25. But alot of it comes to subject matter, skills, music and wordplay.
So I put Eminem as a similar rapper to Pharoahe monch, big pun and Andre 3000. All similar with there wordplay, skills, etc
But I prefer Pharoahe, pun and Andre 3000 because there music is better but also because I relate to there lyrics. There metaphors and rhyming sounds better because of what they are talking about. Ebonics, slang words are important.
But Eminem is dope.
smh your eyes are opening bc your a dickrider who has 2 second guess his own opinions when against your peers
eminem IS a goat lyrically. that said in life mainly black ppl and white ppl have different lives..some better some worse off in each race. black ppl relate to difference white ppl cant good and bad and vice verse.
eminem spits shit white ppl can more relate too easier than black ppl even tho eminem has raps that EVERYONE can relate too.
its simple black ppl HATE that eminem a white man came in and took it over and thats why most black ppl wont give em his just due
and ps i know MANNNNNNY black ppl that give eminem his respect but dont care for his music much..kinda like me with nas
also that if i was black sold half line..was TWELVE years ago lmao. in 2014 i can name 15 white rappers off the top like its nothing and NONE sell like eminem, except macklemore bc he took the world by storm with original rap music white ppl ate up.
but eminem has the skill 2 back up every sale he has, why dont no other white rappers make it? mgk, miller, iggy azaela who everyone is bitchin about didnt even hit a gold album on a double repackage album smh. rittz?
Record sales has nothing to do with skills so just because he would have sold half doesnt mean hes not great. It doesnt matter if ur rapping about raping your mom and popping pills or being in the hood struggling, rap is a skill related to putting words together in a way that makes sense and tells a story and hes great at BOTH, putting words together and story telling
I can see where you are coming from with this argument, but I think Black Male touched on the key element here: it’s about who you can relate to. That’s why Top 5 list are so subjective and it makes no sense to argue over them. Your true Top 5 is about who you want to listen to the most, repeatedly, regardless of skill level. And that decision is about the music you can relate to. Our Top 5 lists should be different, otherwise it’s boring.
Woahh…. you can’t throw no one in the ring with Pahroahe… that’s disrespect… Eminem don’t even want to be in the ring with Monch… That’s suicide. Let’s stick to the topic.
I cannot stand your comment it literally is giving me the twitches. The fuck u just said? the one thing in the world that is sure to irritate the hell out of me is when mofos start bringing the race card into the equation with regards to Eminem. It doesn’t matter that he’s black or he’s white Em is KING. Anyone that tries to color things up should fuck off. And I hate when white people start claiming Eminem; just cause his skin looks white doesn’t give u any more claims over him than myself with my black skin. Most white people are such sissies. #SMH
Jay Z is the WORST RAPPER EVER. Look up his freestyle on Oprah. He’s a Corporate Pig. These people are total idiots. RAP IS OVER. A bunch of rich people rapping about diamonds and their bank accounts and raping women and smoking weed. Sweet.
Chris Rock is a douchebag. He just made a movie about an actor making movies. How un-creative and self absorbed can you be?
I hate our culture so much. NO ART ANYWHERE.
Then leave.
There is tons of rappers who are better lyrically than jay,but of course its the easy route to name jay the best.Chris Rock only likes the trash party rap shit they play in the clubs.Gumballbeats and assraps and not real rap,but you cant really take a comedian serious anyways.HA!#BADCOMEDIAN#LOTSOFRAPPERSBETTERTHANJAY!
Chris is butthurt cause em didnt use his bad skits on his album.Em is by faaar a better rapper than jay!#FACTS
His reason for not having Eminem in his top 5 is because you don’t hear Em in the club. So Flo Rida >>> Eminem?
Even Eminem doesn’t have himself in the top 5. Em knows his heros are better than him. At least he has given his black hip hop heros their props during his award speeches unlike IGGY POP.
but some of em’s own heroes would put them in their top 5. most people dont include themselves because its corny
the song that eminem mentioned his top 10 was back on the eminem show 12 plus years ago
eminem knows DAMN WELL in this day and age not 1 emcee can out rap him.. maybe make better songs eminem cant rly make a hot meaningful song no more but lyrics..theres EM and then everyone else.
chris rocks don’t mention Eminem because hes white, hes the most underated goat of all time
There is a reasonable argument (still opinion) against him being in the Top 5 but this isn’t it.
as a white fan who has eminem 2nd only after 2pac on my personal list i understand not everyone like eminem or can relate shit i understand NAS as a great and i only listen 2 him ocassionally. but to not have in top 5 bc he doesnt play at the club is CRAZY
ooooohhhhh soooo youngthug and shmurda are on the list bcus they bangin in the club…..but when it comes to who sell the most they are below 5 lol..
I am an old school hip hopper and I would have different categories of rappers, there is different ways to rate them. Spitters, Song writers, Sales, Underground, battler, story teller and so on, so you can’t put them all in one category. I hardly use the term Freestyle anymore, because it is used very inconsistently. I just say spitting bars (any) or Off the Dome. I Think Em is Amazing and on my list he is tied with someone in my top 5, but someone was saying how white people love Em and Black people do not give him credit, you need to take what regular (so called ) people say with a grain of salt. Do some research on what their peers say. Some of the greatest rappers of all time, including Rakim say Em is a beast. His word play is insane and he is very big into the craft. Watch the Art of Rap on Netflix, hosted by Ice T, it is about the craft, not the bling. Best to everyone……..Peace
Eminem ain’t in his top 5 is because you don’t hear Em in the club.The most stupid reason I’ve ever heard!
tell me about it. but if thats how they are then what u need they respect for. their opinions don’t change the facts. i know alotta brilliant people that can barely stand any rappers in the game besides Eminem. Em is not about parties and shit, for me he is not just an artist he inspires me to be a better person. Because his personality is just raw inspiration and the game hasn’t changed him. Eminem is my number 1. Then comes Tupac, and Ice Cube and a handful others that’re genuine not just rapping about the same old hackneyed shit like women and riches.
So Chris Rock why don’t u go freestyle with Eminem and he will show you he don’t even consider you a MC. U are just partial towards black rapper and he is white doesn’t mean he is don’t got skills.
Dr Dre is American and his skin color suggest he has African Heritage. Dr Dr and several others with apparent African Heritage have supported, lead and rapped with Eminem. Eminem has been mentored by peeps with African Heritage.
Many peeps don’t like Eminem as an MC because he is an Actor. Eminem himself has inadvertently exposed himself as an actor, rather than a rapper.
Eminem depended on provoking drama because he has no ability or character or a rapper that is innate. He needs to create drama to then rap off that drama – hence he used family and creates drama by either, building alliances with others to formulate ‘beef’ drama or he calculates disses on willing parties – who also benefit because the drama gives them what Eminem gluttons and lusts – ATTENTION
If you have real meaning (episodic memory) you get real inhibited or elevated biochemical states. You never have to, like Eminem on several occasions has mentioned – learnable study in order to put emotion in something. Actors do that because they are verbally and physically acting out someone else’s character or acts that were staged, rather than naturally occurring.
Thats eminems style. The way he rhymes, his lyricism and the way he delivers is what sets him apart and makes him the greatest.