When you think of Detroit, people normally tie the city to the iconic Motown Records and from a Hip Hop perspective, Eminem. The rapper from 8 Mile Road became a global star, becoming the second highest-selling artist ever and is considered by many as one of the greatest rappers of all time. It would make sense that Detroit natives would look up to the legend, but when it comes down to the hoods in the D that chronicle the streets, they’re not rocking with Slim Shady despite the impressive numbers he’s still putting up on the board.
During a conversation with HipHopDX, Icewear Vezzo, one of the leaders of contemporary Detroit rap, says the iconic rapper doesn’t have a connection to the hood like he once had in the past. Instead, the current crop of Motor City rappers connects more to the underground rap scene than most people think.
“People like me and other rappers like Tee Grizzley, Peezy, Babyface Ray and Snap Dogg grew up on Chedda Boyz, Street Lord’z, Blade Icewood, Rock Bottom, the Lost Boys, the real underground gangster rappers in Detroit. If it wasn’t for them, I literally wouldn’t be rapping,” he tells HipHopDX. “Those guys were rapping about shit, and you were able to see them in the hood passing money out, or giving back.”
Vezzo says on any day you would see these rappers amongst the community and helping out kids that needed role models in their lives. What these artists rapped about was what people like Vezzo saw whenever they were in town and to them, that meant the world.
“We’d see them in our hood pulling up in cars they actually rapped about, being at clubs that they were actually at, wearing jewelry that we actually saw. Like, for us it was like Eminem was out of touch, so he wasn’t anybody we could actually relate to.”
According to Vezzo when asked if the hood still bumps Eminem, the Robbin Season rapper says you’d be lucky if hear even one Eminem song playing.
“I can honestly speak for other rappers like Tee Grizzley, Peezy, Babyface Ray, Snap Dogg and they would all say the exact same thing,” The Drankgod says confidently but without a hint of disrespect.
Tee Grizzley Chalks Up Eminem & Royce Da 5'9 'Beef' To 'A Big Misunderstanding'
“We were never in touch with Eminem,” he explains. “In the hood, in our ghettos and shit, back when he first came out yeah, [Eminem] was like a hero for us,” he explains. “So we expected to see him, to be able to touch him, and we’re like ‘yeah we got somebody that got out from Detroit. This about to go down, he opened the gates up.’ But it didn’t go that way.”
Vezzo makes it clear he’s not saying Eminem doesn’t do anything for the city or the hood. He praises Em and his philanthropic efforts through the Marshall Mathers Foundation while also acknowledging Slim Shady for being an example of someone who takes care of their responsibilities. He just says the hood wanted Eminem to be more available.
“We always wanted Em to play the position that Royce Da 5’9″ played but he doesn’t, so he’s not a hero for us no more,” Vezzo admits. “Royce Da 5’9″ is like the president of the Marshall Mathers Foundation, and he’s from the hood. You’re able to see him, he going to come out. He fucked with niggas and he reached out, he checked on us, he’d pull up to the studio, he’d pull up to the club. We can call and he pulling right up. Royce the real OG man.”
Despite feeling Em isn’t a hero to the streets anymore, Icewear Vezzo says the Detroit legend doesn’t owe them anything. It’s well-documented how the streets treated Eminem before he blew up, and like many rappers who’ve gotten the short end of the stick in their lives, making it out is the number one goal.
As far as Vezzo is concerned, that mission was accomplished in full.
“The whole point is to make it out of these streets, and he did just that,” Vezzo continues. “He doesn’t owe anybody anything. He did what he was supposed to do, which was just taking care of his daughter. He took care of his responsibilities. He was addicted to drugs, he rapped about it and he told us about his life. He got through that shit and he came out clean. He still lives in Detroit at the end of the day too. So he did exactly what he was supposed to do and we have to admire that.”
Check back with HipHopDX for the full interview with Icewear Vezzo coming soon. In the meantime, you can follow him on his Instagram page @icewear_vezzo as he readies his Robbin Season 2 for a July 17 release.
[apple_news_ad type=”standard”]
As if he has to be influenced by Em because their both from Detroit lol. Is it really such a surprise he was influenced by other rappers? The two probably have zero in common.
Em is the the top dawg on the food chain and him coming from dtown means he casts a long shadow on all rappers who come after him so its interesting to see rappers say this type of stuff and he never diss in the article he just keep a hundro with how he grew up. I never listened to him but I fux with Tee Grizz so I might have to check his stuff
I’m sure this no name, clout chasing clown has done more for Detroit and Detroit Hip-hop than em has. LOL. Sarcasm. Someone is hoping to get dissed to be relevant. Obviously. Em, Royce, Dilla And sometimes Danny Brown are the only Detroit MFs that I or anyone I know of, fucks wit.
I purposely excluded little Shauna, A.K.A. Big Sean.
Be influenced by whoever you want but that was some seriously delusional commentary. The man has a net worth of over $200 million and you think he’s going to be sat in a ghetto somewhere with his feet on the dash? Are you high?? And Eminem doesn’t make songs for the ghetto and he’s never claimed to be from that world. I’ve never really understood this relateability argument when it comes to Eminem, as if listening to Jay-Z rap about Picasso paintings and making millions off drug money anything you know about either.
Pac man is the best
I mean no shit, his music isn’t the type shady does. That’s why Em influenced Big Sean, Logic, Joyner, and the like, cause that’s the type of music he does, not hood music.
Esham best and most legendary rapper ever to come out of Detroit ever period. Natas hardest group. House of Krazees 2. Know your legends. I don’t even hear anyone mentioning awesome dre or MC breed out of flint. Dudes today sounding like abuncha clown born yesterdays. Dice also hard as F. Check out Dice dammit.
East Side H oes And Money Yup, him & natas was going gold out the trunk no videos no radio play, top authority had some bangers outta flint we was bumpin it in cleveland but thats a generation before these new cars
What about bo$$…she only put out one album but that shit was hard. It was called “born gangstaz” she don’t rap no more but i still play her CD every now and then.
Yeh sadly they really Were cancelled. On album she was honest bout being from middle class background, the skit joked about her rich parents not liking her cursing etc .. but ppl decided she was fake not real gangsta n cancelled . But yeh I still listen. Sad cuz ion think it was being fake cus she admitted her background ?
Icewear Vezzo been out 10+ years and still ain’t shit and still hasn’t made a hit. The hood don’t even listen to icewear vezzo. Someone who been out this long and ain’t shit, shouldn’t have an opinion
I think they’re trying to boost Royce now for sum reason. Another site posted like five articles within a few days for no real reason recently?
Em is also an introvert so I don’t know if it’s entirely fair to compare him to extroverts.
He didn’t mention doughboyz cashing.
Doughboyz cashout, i mean.
Just because EM made it out of the hood and is globally famous, doesn’t mean you should be expecting him to be back rolling around the hoods of East Detroit in a Bentley handing out cash and food to people lmfao. EM’s never made that hood/trap type of music to begin with. I am actually quite surprised when I do hear an Eminem song being played in a bar or club.
Isn’t the female rapper Kash Doll from the streets of Detroit? She recently stated in an interview that she loves Eminem, that and his music was popping while she was growing up in the hood.
What happen to Dej Loaf from Detroit?
Wtf is this guy? Who gives a crap what he has to say. Stupid looking clown. People just say anything to chase that clout.
“In the hood” is just an excuse for being an unknown irrelevant artist. Good plan burning bridges to stay in the underground scene lol.
How can you even expect em to fw the hood he’s not Street and the ones that are Street and keep fw the hood get clapped for have attempts on they life
The hood killed Proof too.
Another rapper crying he didn’t get the Em stimulus packAge
Glad this is being said !!!! Em is a fucking PLANT…..EM used to run with a crew from NJ called the ” Outsiderz”. This is before EM’s debut of ” HI my Name is ” witch at the time was and still is TRASH !!! Em was beefing with fucking POP SINGERS !!! I never fucked with Em cause i know he took RA & CAGES ” whole crazy white boy Mc style……He is a fraud !!
After killing proof they want him to stick his ass out so that they kill him also fuck the hood he is global
I swear Yt ppl need to stop coming to this site. Yall just come here to hate and live vicariously through this website ???
I think some of these rappers that are hurt because Em wasn’t in the “hood” are hurt because they can’t make it out of the hood. When you’re a global star with the status of an Eminem, you’re just not going to be in the hood like that. Same with the Jay, Dr. Dre, 50, Drake, Lil Wayne etc. Now if any of them go back to their respective hoods to do philanthropic efforts, I take it they would be welcomed and respected by the masses of their hoods.
I love being hated, it’s great, it lets me know that I made it – Eminem ….the reason Em haven’t reached out 2 you is because YOU suck, hatin ass sucka.