S. Samuel
Former The Source magazine co-owner Benzino has opened up about his past tensions toward Grammy-winning rapper Eminem and why hip-hop fans can expect a lyrical battle come next year.
Comparing himself to a boxer, Zino believes his growth as an emcee will show.
“I’m gonna tell you, I don’t want my legacy left as Benzino lost the battle to Eminem. I’m gonna end up going back at him,” Zino said in an interview. “I’ma tell you right now, and it’s gonna be different this time. I feel like a boxer, I wasn’t really in lyrical shape to battle him then. Now, I feel like I am…Really now, I can consider myself a lyricist. I play with syllables, I use different flows, so now, it’s gonna be differen — It’s gonna be a whole different situation, because I’m going to be going at him with a lyrical mindset. Not just saying things, trying to point out certain things. 2012, you can expect it.” (Baller Status)
Last week, Zino hit up SOHH and said he planned on dropping diss records aimed at Shady Records rapper Royce Da 5’9.
“I could release a couple songs and go at his head — I probably will. But it’s a chess game. When you battlin’ these dudes, every move is a calcuated step. I’m just waitin’ to see what happens. If they send a shot over, you can best believe I got missiles ready.” (SOHH)
The rap veteran also recently told SOHH the media overhyped his issues with Em.
“I never met Eminem personally to have a personal issue beef with him. But all I’m saying is that he’s overrated. If he was black would he sell as many records as he does, would Rolling Stone say he’s the King of Hip Hop and would he be gettin’ all these opportunities? The people that run Hip Hop are trying to push [a certain] perception out there. How come all hell breaks loose when somebody says somethin’ about this kid? Hip Hop’s always been competitive, man. Its not that serious. How come when it comes down to this kid its a problem?” (SOHH Guest Star)
In the early 2000’s, Zino and Em exchanged diss tracks going at one another.
Calling Em a “2003 Vanilla Ice,” Benzino’s slow-tempo “Pull Your Skirt Up” goes after hip-hop’s great white phenom with lyrics like: “Five shades darker, you’d be Canibus/ And no one would care about your complicated rhyme style/ … What you know about pumpin’ on the block ’til you freeze?/ What you know about cutting up rocks, duckin’ [detectives]?/ What you know about facing a grand jury indictment?/ As far as I’m concerned, you’re just industry excitement.” (MTV)
Check out Eminem’s “Nail In The Coffin” below:
