KXNG Crooked and Eminem have always been friends, but it’s abundantly clear Em also respects Crooked as an MC. During a live chat with his fans on Wednesday (May 27), Slim Shady was asked who he thought is the most underrated rapper. His answer? The former Shady Records artist himself.
Upon hearing about the ultimate co-sign, Crooked told HipHopDX he owes Em a bit of gratitude.
“That means a lot coming from a Jedi man,” he said to DX. “I’m grateful for his willingness to speak positive things about me in public because he doesn’t have to. I guess sometimes it takes a master to recognize another one. Thanks for showing me because I know to thank him now.”
Crooked appeared on Em’s Music to Be Murdered By track “I Will” alongside former Slaughterhouse members Joell Ortiz and Royce Da 5’9.
In early February, not long after the album was released, Em sat down for an interview with Crooked during an episode of Crook’s Corner. The rapport they had with each other was obvious and Em opened up about a slew of topics, including his place in Hip Hop.
When asked if he felt he was a “guest,” Em replied, “I never said I wasn’t a guest. I’m absolutely a guest. I never said I wasn’t. I never said I was king of anything, right? I had a song called ‘Kings Never Die’ … that was the concept of the song. I’m like, ‘I can’t say I’m the king of Hip Hop, so I threw Run-DMC in there, Jam Master Jay.'”
Eminem Names His Most Underrated Rapper Of All-Time
He continued, “I don’t want to be the king of Hip Hop. Who the fuck is the king of Hip Hop? Is there a king of Hip Hop? People say, ‘Just because you sell the most records doesn’t mean you’re the best. Even though you can rap 40 million syllables doesn’t mean you’re the best.’ I care more rhyming the syllables. I care more about the craft than any of the other stuff.”
In April, Crooked tweeted his group Family Bvsiness had a new single coming out called “Skip This Ad” produced by Em. The tweet included a release date of May 15, however it has yet to surface.
Real recognize real muthafuckaz!!
Please do some research on KXNG Crooked, for those who are unfamiliar. He a animal wit them bars!
The absolute best hip hop weekly is just insane every year he did it just amazing
An animal.
KXNG Crooked got bars!
Always been friends? You guys do remember that crooked was on death row and dissed the whole aftermath family? ????
He always refused to do that….
Eeeh im quite sure crooked was featured on some diss track towards aftermath, i might be wrong though, gonna look through some old tracks later and find out
Crooked is a solid lyricist but not crazy about his songwriting or albums. Em’s word is not gospel. The most underrated? Black Thought. I’m still surprised that Hot97 freestyle got like 11 million views. He dropped those two Stream of Thought projects that got slept on. He’s definitely top 10 DOA but doesn’t get treated like it
BLack Thoughts in like every true hiphop heads everyone’s top 10
Black Thought is literally on everyone’s top 10. He may be underappreciated but definitley not underrated.
I think he’s one of the worst personally, but Marshall is going for the clickbait yet again.
Jon Connor should have been his answer. Dude is such a raw talent. I like Crook a lot and he is a great lyricist, but like Em he suffers from trying to rhyme ever syllable which then dilutes the message. I’m tired of dudes rhyming just to rhyme. The songs hit your soul harder when there is an even balance of technical bars and a clear and concise message with no extra bullshit or lackluster punch lines.
Man please. Jon did that shit on SOS also and i loved it just as much as when Crook and Em do it. The message is well received with all the wordplay and bars.
Good lyricist but not a great songwriter.
so many kids in here talkin crazy about crooked. crooked is an underground legend. its about time someone famous wasnt scared to acknowledge his existence.
man some of yall are dumb as hell
I can dig it. Gonna go listen to Life Of A Bandana right now.