Eminem and Mariah Carey had one of the most epic celebrity feuds that resulted in shady lyrics, diss tracks, and denial. It all started over 20 years ago in 2002, and while it was always thought to be because of a failed romance, producer Damion “Damizza” Young says it’s actually because he wanted her to play his mom in 8 Mile.
Eminem released his semi-autobiographical film in 2002, and Kim Basinger played the role of his infamous alcoholic mom, but according to Young, the rapper’s first choice was Mariah.
Young worked on Carey’s “I Still Believe” and was managing her at the time. He revealed that he was the one who introduced her to Eminem. According to him, Em’s team reached out while he was advising Mariah not to take on Glitter. They had another film offer: 8 Mile.
© GettyGiven that Carey is only four years older than him, the “Fantasy” singer, who would have been around 32, was not into it. “Her insecurities kicked in big time,” Young recalled. He said he warned Eminem it would cause problems, but the rapper insisted.
Young eventually let Eminem propose the offer. “If I don’t say something and then it comes another route in the business or something, then I’m the bad guy,” he explained.
Of course, things didn’t stay professional. What followed was a years-long back-and-forth that included Eminem’s jabs at Mariah (and later Nick Cannon), and her now-iconic clapback “Obsessed.”
Eminem has long claimed the two had a romantic relationship in the early 2000s, while the songstress has repeatedly denied it. In 2002, he dropped “Superman,” rapping about a dysfunctional woman many assumed was her. He confirmed it was about her to an extent in his autobiography, The Way I Am.
That same year, Carey released “Clown,” a clear rebuttal: “You should’ve never intimated we were lovers / When you know very well we never even touched each other.”
Things simmered until 2009, when Eminem reignited the feud with “Bagpipes From Baghdad,” mocking both Mariah and her then-husband, Cannon. That led to Mariah’s now-iconic “Obsessed,” where she dressed as a hoodie-wearing stalker in the music video – a parody of Eminem himself.
Eminem clapped back almost immediately with “The Warning,” a brutal diss track filled with personal details and what he claimed were real voicemails from Mariah, including one where a woman’s voice pleads, “Why won’t you see me?” He threatened to release photos and more recordings, just like the title suggested.
Cannon tried to step in, defending Carey and releasing his own diss tracks in 2019 after Eminem name-dropped them again in “Lord Above.” The tracks didn’t quite stick, but they did prolong the saga.
Fast-forward to now: they’ve both moved on, and Carey’s called the feud “all jokes” more than two decades later. But if this story is true, it definitely adds a whole new layer to the petty drama of it all.
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