Image Credit: John Shearer/EM/WireImage.com; Bob Charlotte/PR PhotosEminem‘s semi-reclusive reputation means that any time he guests on a younger artist’s track, it feels like a big moment, somewhere between a seal of approval and a passing of the torch. That goes double when the collab in question is with highly buzzy rookie Nicki Minaj. So when an Em-meets-Nicki track called “Roman’s Revenge” hit iTunes just in time for Halloween this weekend, hip-hop heads went nuts.
The track finds both rappers indulging their most foul-mouthed, antisocial alter egos. Nicki comes out roaring against an unnamed “has-been.” She also drops the C-word (in reference to herself) — whoa. After that caustic opener, Eminem gets his turn. Super-sexist threats of degrading violence are pretty played out for Em at this point, but he goes back to that well yet again. Yawn. Whether his slick, tricky flows compensate for the tired subject material is a question I leave up to you.
Next, Nicki returns to that same aging rival from her first verse: “Word, that b—- mad ’cause I took the spot?/Well, b—-, if you ain’t s—ing, then get off the pot.” She doesn’t name any names, but just about everyone is assuming she has Lil Kim in mind. Whoever it is she’s snapping at, her off-the-charts energy in this verse is exactly why her star has risen so dramatically this year.
Eminem tries to up the ante further with his second verse, going right for the gratuitous gay-bashing from line 1: “All you little f—–s can suck it.” Ugh. Really, Marshall? You did “shocking” and “taboo-breaking” so much more intelligently 10 years ago. This kind of phoned-in hatemongering, in character or out, is just boring. It also kinda undermines Minaj’s frequently stated appreciation for her gay fans.
Check out “Roman’s Revenge” after the jump (very NSFW language, obviously) and see what you think. Who “wins” this track, Nicki Minaj or Eminem? Does it make you more or less excited to buy her debut album, Pink Friday, on Nov. 22?
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More on the Music Mix:
Is Nicki Minaj hip-hop’s leading lady? If not her, who?
Eminem’s Recovery: How did this album get so huge?
This writer is o so clueless. Em is a beast. Nicki not so much. Chris Rock said it best. Messed up world, the best rapper is white and the best golfer is black.
Agreed!!! Em is the best. Nicki is….. um yeah her. Clearly the writer is wack
I don’t really mind the lyrics so much, but the song sucks. the beat is no good.
I agree with you about the beat. Their verses are just too hard for the soft beat. And there is no hook. It’s a hard song to like but the way they both spit, it’s hard to hate, too.
hi okay your hype
*W-H-A-C-K* period.
WHY can’t I leave a comment on this?? EW you’re so annoying
God, of course that’s the one that was left.
I had such high hopes… track is weak!!
disappointed in the track, Nicky lyrics are wack & Em doesn’t sound like his usual self here, all his features last year are way better than this
wow, this is bad
that guy can’t write. it’s just a musical Saw 3D.
I’m having a hard time understanding why Nicki Minaj is a big deal – maybe there are tracks on her album I haven’t heard yet, but the songs on the radio don’t really blow my mind.
Listen to ‘Itty Bitty Piggy’.
that’s not the type of material that’s going on her record, though.
I agree. The only song I’ve heard that impressed me so far was her verse on “Monster” but for now, I’m not following the hype.
This song is weak. Eminem has become so unoriginal and tired over the years. What’s up with him doing all of these duets with Rihanna and Nikki Minaj? I remember when Eminem and Moby had their feud a few years ago. In a song directed towards Moby, Eminem asserts that at age 36, Moby was too old to be making music and he urged Moby to retire. Eminem is 38 years old now. Maybe he should think about retiring too.
nicki minaj is a disgrace to hip-hop & music in general. Eminem is already a legend, he just made an awesome comeback and he doesn’t need to prove anything to anyone anymore, and he sure doesn’t need to try in a guess verse for someone like nicky minaj
I liked the song alot. It’s funny how mean both of them are to women…
Ugh so boring already. Eminem has been famous for over ten years. You think he could afford therapy by now. I’m pretty tired of hearing the same lyrics he came out with when I was in sixth grade (1999), now I’m about to graduate college (2010) and it’s the same “my mommy didn’t love, I hate women, gays are bad.” As far as Ms. Minaj is concerned… Foxy Brown was better circa China Doll when Jay-Z was nurturing her career. Well, that’s the past. Rap sucks now.
you obviously don’t know Eminem’s music if you think that’s all he raps about, and you obviously haven’t heard Recovery. Next time have opinions on something you do know about instead of talking out of your ass
one album in an 11 year period doesn’t make for a complex artist. every other album is fart jokes, crying about his mother, dissing gay people, etc.
How about his love for his daughter? His traumatic childhood? His dad abandoning him? How he has helped to improve the balance of black to white famous rappers? He has a lot of great subject matter other than the ones you mentioned.
Nikki is a CONTENDER for 1st place
Em is always sterling
Pretty H O T !!
Don’t be mad, but can someone please tell me what NSFW means? Not safe for????/ Women????? Please help me out here!
nsfw…”not suitable for work”