Tony Yayo has weighed in on 50 Cent’s recent claim that Eminem has had a bigger impact on Hip Hop than JAY-Z, saying he agrees with his G-Unit comrade.
Yayo made the comments while speaking on his love for fellow Queens, New York legends Nas and Large Professor in an interview with VladTV.
The conversation then segued to 50’s thoughts on the long-running Eminem versus JAY-Z debate when it comes to Hip Hop supremacy, with Tony Yayo siding with the former. However, he also acknowledged Hov’s greatness and said he understands why people call him the G.O.A.T.
“I mean, for me, I would say I’d agree ’cause he made the biggest impact on my career,” Yayo said of Slim Shady. “For me, I look at Eminem — I mean, any artist that sells 16 million records, that’s number one.
“But I can see why people put JAY-Z number one ’cause, you know, this guy rhymed with Biggie Smalls, he rhymed with Biggie back and forth, ‘Hard Knock Life,’ filled out arenas. Can’t take no accolades from JAY-Z or Eminem.”
He added: “But I don’t know. When you look at these lists, to me, it’s hard to really figure out who’s number one, who’s this, who’s that. But as long as you’re on the list, I guess it’s all good.”
50 Cent’s original claim was made after former NBA player Jamal Crawford compared Eminem and JAY-Z on Shaquille O’Neal’s The Big Podcast with Shaq, where the three-time Sixth Man of the Year used the pair as a gateway to talk about his favorite basketball stars.
“That’s why my five, the dominance outweighs the number. Like, JAY-Z’s effect on Hip Hop is bigger than any album sales that Eminem will have, you see what I’m saying? That’s just how it goes,” Crawford said to Shaq, who initially disagreed.
50 echoed Shaq’s reluctance in the comments section of Hip Hop Wolf’s Instagram page, which had reshared the clip. “Ha Bullshit,” he wrote along with a sneezing face emoji.
Eminem’s record sales are nothing to play with. Last March, the self-proclaimed Rap God made history by becoming the most-certified artist in the history of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
The program announced that Em had accumulated a total of 227.5 million sales in his career, comprised of 166 million single certifications and 61.5 million album certifications.
He is also one of only seven artists in any genre or era with three or more diamond albums thanks to The Marshall Mathers LP (2000), The Eminem Show (2002) and Curtain Call: The Hits (2004).
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JAY-Z’s catalog is no slouch either. His blockbuster third album Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life and Watch The Throne collaboration with Kanye West are both 5x platinum, while Vol. 3… Life and Times of S. Carter, The Blueprint 2 and The Black Album are all triple platinum.
Hov currently leads all rappers when it comes to the most No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 with 14, a streak that dates back to his aforementioned third LP and was kept alive with his most recent solo offering, 2017’s 4:44. Only The Beatles have more No. 1 albums with 19.
50 Cent and Eminem have firmly stood by each other over the years. Prior to their historic Super Bowl LVI halftime show alongside Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar and Mary J. Blige last February, Em allegedly told JAY-Z — who helped organize the performance as a consultant for the NFL — that he wouldn’t do the show unless 50 was involved.
The Power mogul also announced earlier this year that he’s working on an 8 Mile TV series to help further Eminem’s already illustrious “legacy,” although details at the moment remain scarce.
“I’m gonna bring, 8 Mile to television,” 50 said in a radio interview, confirming that Em is aware of his plans.
“We in motion,” he added after being asked what stage of production the show is in. “It’s gonna be big. I’m working. I ain’t got no duds. I’m batting 100 … I think it should be there for [Eminem’s] legacy because it’s important to me that they understand it.”
