Melle Mel isn’t doubting Eminem‘s skills on the mic, but he does feel that he wouldn’t be ranked as high as he is if it wasn’t for the color of his skin.
The conversation came up when discussing Billboard‘s recent list of the Top 50 Rappers of All Time – where Eminem landed at No. 5.
Melle Mel, who’s No. 48 on the list, began: “Obviously he’s a capable rapper. If you was talking about sales, he’s sold more than everybody. If you were talking about rhyme style, okay he got a rhyme style. But he’s white. He’s white!
“So now if Eminem was another n-gga like all the rest of us, would he be Top 5 on that list when a n-gga that could rhyme just as good as him is 35? That had records and all that? He’s 35. He’s white.”
He continued: “And anybody could be as mad … They could feel how they wanna feel. If you don’t think that race plays a part in the equation of how great he is — I heard one of the dudes that’s down with him, Royce Da 6’9″ [mislabelling Royce Da 5’9″] or one of those – I heard he’s just as good as Eminem. Why he ain’t as big as Eminem? Because he’s Black! Ain’t none of that shit hard to figure out. Eminem gets a top spot because he’s white.”
Future is who landed at No. 35 on Billboard‘s list, but it’s unclear if Mel was directly referring to him or picked an arbitrary number.
Melle Mel isn’t the only one expressing distaste with the list. TMZ caught up with Ice Cube at the airport shortly after the rankings dropped, who dismissed the list all together.
“Who?” he asked rhetorically when the reporter mentioned Billboard‘s list. “I don’t fuck with Billboard or the editor. Billboard ain’t Hip Hop so their opinion don’t matter. So who gives a fuck?”
Cube added that his Mount Westmore contemporary Too $hort not being included on the list was definitely an undeserved snub. “It’s an irrelevant list,” he continued. “It’s like assholes: everybody got one and they all stink.”
Lil Wayne, who landed at No. 7, wasn’t into the list either. “Man, who the hell is before me?” Wayne questioned when Apple Music’s Zane Lowe asked him his thoughts. “Was the list including ALL Hip Hop, like before and after as well? I can deal with that.”
He added: “I will tell you that I am a muthafuckin’ one. Everybody whose names you named, they also know I’m number one. Go ask ’em. They know what it is.”
Yawn 😴
You know I’m actually starting to get tired of this Eminem white thing. I was never the biggest fan in the early days. But I grew to like him. The boy got skills. He clearly is a student of the game. He is a great rapper. Us as a black community need to grow up and stop with this he’s only this because he’s white thing.
He ain’t lying.
Nah bro, I understand what Mel is saying. No doubt that Em is a nice rapper but to put him in the Top 5 is crazy. Em is dope but to put him ahead of Redman, Buster Rhymes, Nas, Kool G Rap, etc…. it is crazy as hell!
Lmfao. Of every person who referred to Nas as a top 5 rapper bought ONE of his albums, he’d be one of the top selling hiphop artists of all time. I think people just like to call him top 5, because clearly, his name is ALWAYS mentioned… yet he has abysmal numbers for solid albums… because he’s boring.
It ain’t about black and white Eminem got the skills as an artist to be considered as 1 of the greatest MC’s who ever touched the mic and my opinion is that Eminem is the greatest rapper to do it
Everyone has different opinions and I respect yours. In my opinion the only name you mentioned that’s in the same bracket is Nas bit the rest are legendary.
For me it’s a strange list though. My list would be completely different but I suppose that’s what opinions are for. Tupac is a little glossed over but what he contributed to the game. Especially in his positive moments as he had so many layers.
As long as we all love the music and what it stands for it will always be a difference of opinion.
HE WACK. FIRST ALBUM ALL DUMB CORNY JOKE LINES. YALL CHOICE IN LIFE IN MUSIC IN THE CORNY CITIES YALL LIVE IN ALL MAKES SENSE TO WHY EMINEM A WHITE MAN WHOS BASSSIICCCCCCCC AT RYHMING. STUPID WORDS STUPID CONTENT AND INCOHERENT SENTENCES. YALL CORNY AND YALL CITY CORNY TOO
This nerd is from Wisconsin calling people’s city corny. Dude can’t even spell in Enhlish correctly. Nice punctuation. How many felonies are we at, “Craig?” LOL. Someone sounding Hillbilly Hood as fuck. Nerd. Los Angeles on mines. South Central.
TYPING IN CAPS MAKES YOU LOOK REALLY SMART!! Bozo
You didn’t spell English correctly bozo smdh
HIS STEP DAD… BE BEATING HIM WITH A BELT….. HIS STEP DAD……. WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Any other rapper on earth puts that out, they get blacklisted for life.
Eminem is Dre’s little puppet. Why you think Dre’s got a net worth three times higher despite selling three times fewer albums? There’s a man behind Eminem’s circus act, and it’s obviously the man who got paid for it.
Bestselling rapper of all-time has the same net worth as 29-year-old Ariana Grande. Whole bunch of MCs got their message out using Eminem’s skinny lips. He got the fame. They got paid.
Truth be told, Eminem should be the number, the only reason he ain’t number is because he’s white.
Truth be told, Eminem should be the number 1, the only reason he ain’t number 1 is because he’s white.
Let’s do the math, if I was black, I would’ve sold half. I aint have to graduate from Lincoln high school to know that – Eminem. No he shouldn’t be number one, regardless of race, although white people pedastalize him too much.
Black Eminem sells less records. Most of his white fans disappear. His White fans wouldn’t consider him the best commercial rapper alive. Top 5 rapper is subjective. I can’t stand Eminem because the beats are horrible and he sold out hip hop for commercial junk.
Eminem gets the flowers from the greats so what u are all saying as sofa experts is irrelevant! Rakim even said Eminem would be the Mohammed Ali of Rap if he would be black! He may not sell as
Many records but hey he would definitely sell like Nas Jay Z and other rappers. Tupac sold most after he died, same with Biggie;-)!
Doesn’t matter what you say either, you’re a sofa expert also DUMMY! Again, for all you slow motherfuckers… Race played a huge role in Eminem’s popularity. Doesn’t matter who co signed him, his white fan base is what has sustained him throughout his career. Heres Em rhyming about it, “Let’s do the math, if I was black, I would’ve sold half. I aint have to graduate from Lincoln high school to know that.”- Eminem
So why didn’t Yelawolf go diamond mad times? No one mention him as a top lyricist even tho he def is. Might not.be your astetic but he can go.
So why didn’t Yelawolf go diamond mad times? No one mention him as a top lyricist even tho he def is. Might not.be your astetic but he can go.
So why didn’t Yelawolf go diamond mad times? No one mention him as a top lyricist even tho he def is. Might not.be your astetic but he can go.
You not wrong. Yelawolf can go! We got to move past the race and age issue in hip hop. There are other races who love hip hop just like the black community. When you been in the game for years it’s no fluke. When you pay homage it’s no fluke. Give Eminem his flowers, we’ll never see another emcee do it quite like him.
So why didn’t Yelawolf go diamond mad times? No one mention him as a top lyricist even tho he def is. Might not.be your astetic but he can go.
Eminem put more black people on than Melle Man. Enough said.
And that’s why I don’t think Em is a vulture. Unlike Jack Harlow, who’s a talentless Hack, Eminem always gave me the feeling he LOVES Hip Hop and RESPECTS black people.
Melle Mell started a Universe and Eminem found a planet.
If Em would’ve not did his own production and humbled himself enough to take aspects from all those crews he signed or was affected with his catalog might of been crazy.
If Em would’ve not did his own production and humbled himself enough to take aspects from all those crews he signed or was affiliated with his catalog might of been crazy.
So Mellie Mel is a racist now ? To me all these liberals who wont stop talking about race are the real racists.
Eminem, its not just his technical skills as a rapper that made him great. Its his way of conveying emotions,that, a lot of other artists couldn’t within they’re lyrics. And that’s what makes, Eminem, who he is. Not his skin color, but his way of making you feel, exactly, how he is feeling, even if you cant relate
No, he doesn’t, its all skin color. Your idol worship like much of his white fans make him out to be as if he’s some sort of unicorn the way you did.
Lol, nah bro, it’s not. If it was his skin color. Then vanilla ice, beastie boys, mac miller, R.A. the rugged man, Atmosphere,would be in the same conversation. Thanks for Exposing that you’re a racist.
P.s. just because I make a statement about Eminem, it Don’t mean I worship the ground he walk on
Yes bro it is, it’s all his skin color. Clearly your dick worship for Eminem has you in denial. Let’s do the math, if I was black, I would’ve sold half. I aint have to graduate from Lincoln high school to know that – Eminem
Lmao, yet you quote eminem, wow, get his balls out of your mouth, you just set yourself up, sucker ass pussy. P.s. I’m aboriginal.
Aboriginal? No, you’re clearly autistic, slow, ignorant, feminine, and bothered. Quoting him went over your head to prove my point about race, and your vagina started crying when I offended you. I don’t apologize. You’re acting very EMOTIONAL… I can tell your mother must’ve raised you lmao.
I think Eminem is in a weird place, most of the time, unfortunately for him. I think before he met Dre, he was overlooked for being white. After he blew, he was GREAT but he slowly became overrated, mostly by media and white fans. But, after he made Revival, he became HELLA disrespected. Then he recovered a bit when he beat Machine Gun Kelly in their battle.
Personally, I think he’s just outside the Top 10 like JAY Z. They are probably top 12/13. But if you are a Stan, I’ll give you “Top 5”. Cant give him Goat tho. Too many better MCs I can name.
My man that just sounds wrong whether it’s your opinion or not your favourite rappers is putting Eminem in their top 5 but you got a problem
Do you read or do you just skim through it? I said, If you are a fan of said artist, I give you “Top 5” because how an artist can relate to you is subjective. Personally, I can name Nas, Andre 3K, Black ThoughT, MF DOOM and Pac over Eminem. But that’s just my opinion, bruh
So, to you, Eminem is better than Nas, MF DOOM, Lupe Fiasco, Black Thought and Andre 3K? To each his own
Some old ass self-hatin light skin fella still dreaming about Hip-hop from the 80’s. Black folks is ungrateful as fuck. How many times did Slim give this faggit a shout out?
Has Eminem’s little itty bitty feelings been hurt again? Is he gonna release 5 more trash albums crying his old ass 50-year-old botoxed face off?
Eminem is only a top 5 rapper because you are too stupid and too lazy to click two more to discover the depths of hip-hop.
As a straight man who poops transgender, this race thing has got to stop. Stop making excuses. What, is Melle Mel not a Top-5 rapper because he’s not white? No, he’s a top 2,500 rapper because he was mediocre when he did rap, and hasn’t been relevant since 19 tickety 2. Sometimes some rappers are just more skilled than others…
As a straight man who poops transgender, this race thing has got to stop. Stop making excuses. What, is Melle Mel not a Top-5 rapper because he’s not white? No, he’s a top 2,500 rapper because he was mediocre when he did rap, and hasn’t been relevant since 19 tickety 2. Sometimes some rappers are just more skilled than others…
I don’t think ‘Em is a top 5 rapper in my opinion. He may be top 5 most selling rapper but on the flip side does anybody realize that he battled his way up from the underground. A white dude that was nice coming from the underground. He paid his dues as an emcee because he came up the way a normal rapper would do. Winning battles earning his stripes. That’s how you do it when your trying to make a name for yourself as an emcee and he had to be extra with it because he was white. People tend to completely ignore that side of it. I respect what he’s done for the culture. Pulling the race card is getting old.
No it’s not getting old, it’s gonna be a fact that white fans kiss his ass and champion him because of his skin color.
go watch Eminems Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame acceptance speech…..dude literally named so many hiphop rappers and pioneers that came before him and said the award was as much for them as it was for him…..talk about humbleness. This melle mel needs to start dressing and acting his age. Stay riding the 1980s dude. You’ve been irrelevant for the last 3 decades.
go watch Eminems Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame acceptance speech…..dude literally named so many hiphop rappers and pioneers that came before him and said the award was as much for them as it was for him…..talk about humbleness. This melle mel needs to start dressing and acting his age. Stay riding the 1980s dude. You’ve been irrelevant for the last 3 decades.
You do realize this guy is only 11 years older than 50-year-old Eminem right?
The man you’re talking about is a legend. The other man you’re talking about is a 90s pop diva that Dr. Dre made a mint using for his white.
Why is he the only white rapper in that discussion then?
He’s the most skilled. More skilled than 99% of any rapper, any colour. Get over it.
I mean constantly belittling the man’s accomplishments based on his race is, well, racist.
The Message, a song every goofy modern rapper has rapped over at least once in their life in a freestyle or somewhere else.
You’re talking about someone that’s been in the Rock N Roll hall of fame since 2007. Eminem just got there, and even then, we all know it’s because Dre ghostwrote all his goofy shit.
Let’s take race out of the equation and examine Eminem’s discography and honestly decide is he top 5. Slim shady Lp, Marshall mathers lp and Eminem show were all good albums, solid 4-4.5 albums in my books. Following his first 3 albums, Em released, Encore, Relapse, Recovery, Marshall Mathers 2, Revival, Kamakaze and Music to be murdered by. Some of those albums rank as the worst albums in hiphop history especially when you consider the album budget Em has to play with. Just because someone calls you out on your BS doesn’t always make them a hater or race baiter. I think the criticism was harsh but it was truth behind it. There’s a reason why nobody on earth would argue Larry Bird not being a top 5 player. His stats, his chips and the tape backs up his claim. With Em there’s a lot of revisionist history in denying this man hasn’t made a great album since 2002 Eminem show. Side note, I personally think if Em got with right producer like how Nas locked in with HitBoy he could make another great album, with that said I rank Em around 25-30.
🤣🤣! The streams,, the sales, the certificates does not lie. You are reading the haters articles. It is all subjective but you need to look at the impact. Eminem is global phenomenon and just like racist did not like Tiger Woods dominating golf or Serena Williams the tennis game you are the same ignorant person;-)! Always easy to hate people on the top;-)
Black people get extreme jealously watching successful while people get attenion… they’re like woman emotionally, theyjust hate on everything all the time
If the only reason I sold is because I’m white tho why doesn’t every white rapper sell what I sold? Oooooo
The only reason most people even mess with Eminem is because Dr Dre put him out if vanilla ice put him out most folks would not listen to him
If that’s true, why aren’t other white rappers on the list? Simple argument.
Nas, André 3k, Black Thought, 2pac and eminem. My Top 5. Jay Z only top 10 cause he rich
Name 1 Melle Mell song..
There goes that bullshit once again.
Colour.
Melly Mel produced some of the most legendary Hip-Hop music ever. He worked with 2 of my top 5 all day. Still, he’s way off on this. Other than black thought, I can’t think of anyone who can hang, bar for bar, if you have a DJ spin instrumentals and tell am MC to just spit. Not tracks they put out, just rap.
Okay, so is Lil Wayne only considered a top 10 rapper by many because he’s black? Considering I think virtually any hiphop head can agree Eminem far surpassed Wayne in overall talent when comparing their best albums. Eminem was never considered one of the greatest because of skin color, but because he was ALWAYS able to go toe to toe on a track beside other highly regarded legends such as Nas, Jay, Biggie (posthumously), and so on. No one can tell me Em was ever not a main attraction in songs that he was rapping with other legends.
There are better rappers/hip hop artists than Jay, Nas, Biggie and 2pac. Fans with limited knowledge always pick the same ones all the time. Listen to underground hip hop for change it’s alway fire. Let’s get to the Eminem issue. Eminem can rap period but the albums are terrible beat wise. I can’t listen to any album with average beats. Is Eminem a top 5 rapper and not hip hop artist? I guess. It’s subjective. He’s not mind by a long shot.
Let’s be real people his color is a factor whether it’s big or small. I don’t listen to commercial rap anyway including lil Wayne, drake, lil baby or da baby. Underground hip hop is always the best and not commercial rap. My top 5 (hip hop) artists are Jeru tha Damaja, Tical, Ice Cube, Gza and Celph Titled.
he aint lyin melle dont sell so hes not worried about stans black ballin him for speaking truth, em top 75 at best still an accomplishment but nobody bumpin em since stan, certainly not in any clubs, he got them queen stadium hits and trailer parks
The top 10 rappers in the list would put Em in their personal top 5.
Melle Mell only in the list cos he’s one of the originators. THATS IT. He lucky to even be on the list in the first place.
Yet another Jamar sounding clown with all the ‘cos he’s white talk’
He’s literally in the group that was the first hip-hop act to be inducted into the Rock N Roll hall of fame.
Eminem was a pop princess on MTV. But for MTV marketing and Dre’s incredible beats and ghostwriting, Eminem is a Mac Miller.
Smelle Smell is a dinosaur with dementia. His last hit song, Reagan was still President.
Oh please. Eminem is the ONLY white rapper in the top 5. No other white rappers are mentioned.
I’ll admit that his race, in addition to his incredible skill, helped him sell records. But if it was just about race then hundreds of other white rappers would dominate the charts.. but most of them don’t.
Bottom line: Eminem would be nowhere without his incredible skills.
“Eminem would be nowhere without his incredible skills”
He finished second in the rap Olympics. You ever heard of the black man better than him? Of course not.
Cause Dre knew a white boy would sell.
“Eminem would be nowhere without Dr. Dre’s beats and ghostwriting.”
There, I fixed it for you.
Oh please. Eminem is the ONLY white rapper in the top 5. No other white rappers are mentioned.
I’ll admit that his race, in addition to his incredible skill, helped him sell records. But if it was just about race then hundreds of other white rappers would dominate the charts.. but most of them don’t.
Bottom line: Eminem would be nowhere without his incredible skills.
Let’s do the math, if I was black, I would’ve sold half. I aint have to graduate from Lincoln high school to know that – Eminem. Nope all race, white people love kissing Marshal’s ass.
Melle Mel has been bitter towards the new generation of Hip hoppers since 1985. I’m not surprised at all
“Hes the black hockey player” Yayo loyalty knows no limits niggas dont like em because hes white you dont have to be a fan but you cant deny his 1st 3 albums
I am with Mel and to take things further it is the only reason why Eminem sold more records. I don’t like none of his nursery rhymes. Dude should play Dr. Seus character not a rapper. He is the Cat and Hat!!!
Agree and no other comment from me! Mel is spot on but others won’t say it!
As an asian person, I’ll never understand this whole dichotomy between black and white rappers. oh well.
I know 1 guy who is NEVER on anyone’s top 5 list… and that’s Melle Mel 🤡
He’s literally the ringleader of the first hip-hop group inducted into the Rock N Roll hall of fame. He was instrumental in bringing hip-hop to radio. There is no Pop trash like Eminem without this man. He invented the sounds of early hip-hop.
Who the fuck is mellie mel lol
One of the men who literally invented hip-hop in 1978.
He was behind the group that was the first hip-hop act inducted into the Rock N Roll hall of fame: Grandmaster Flash and the Furious 5. This man was the beginning of hip-hop. Everyone else followed.
What he says holds weight with everyone except angsty teenagers. Your comment shows you’re one of those dopes, not any real student of hip-hop. There is no hip-hop but for this man. He is the beginning. Eminem’s goofy MTV act in the 90s dancing on stage like a clown downgraded hip-hop to pop garbage.
I agree with melee Mel! The only reason Eminem got all that recognition is because white media pushed it!
This is correct. His entire catalogue is goofy, even going all the way back to hos magnum opus Lose Yourself.
His assertion that if he was black, he would have sold half… is asinine in itself. If he’d been black, he’d have never sold at all. And but for Dr. Dre’s mopping up using him for $$$ and ghostwriting his stuff, he’d have been Mac Miller.
Case in point: Someone beat Eminem in those rap Olympics. It was a black guy. What’d the guy better than Eminem sell? Nothing. That says everything you need to know.
If you want to know how much Dre had to do with this cornball’s career, look at his net worth compared to Eminem. Eminem is constantly touting record sales as if they’re the indication of talent and legacy. They’re not. Even with all the records he sold, he has the same net worth as 29-year-old Ariana Grande. How is that even possible with that many records sold? That many awards?
It’s real simple. There’s a man behind that curtain, and it’s Dr. Dre. Why do you think Eminem bends over backwards thanking him? It wasn’t just his beats, and we all know that.
If he was black, he wouldn’t have sold at all.