Timbaland is still in awe of Eminem’s featured verse on a classic Missy Elliot joint that he produced over two decades ago.
On Wednesday (November 8), DJ Whoo Kid shared a snippet from an interview he did with the Virginia native in which the two discuss Slim Shady’s aptitude for clever lyricism. Looking back at the recording session for the recent HOF inductee’s “Busa Rhyme,” which features on her 1999 album Da Real World, the beatmaker recalled how impressed he was with Em.
“When I heard Eminem come in there and spit that verse, I was like, ‘Oh, can’t nobody see this guy,’” he said. “This boy different.”
To make his point, he went on to reference the bars: “Well, I do pop pills, I keep my tube socks filled/ Then pop the same shit that got 2Pac killed.”
The 51-year-old then added: “Those two bars — I couldn’t get past that.”
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Timbaland has always given the Detroit legend his flowers. When he revealed his Hip Hop Mount Rushmore earlier this year, the “Lose Yourself” hitmaker made the final cut.
During an appearance on the I AM ATHLETE podcast in late April, the veteran paid homage to some of the culture’s greatest wordsmiths who’ve impacted his life.
“Slick Rick, Doug E. Fresh, they changed my life,” he began. “I started getting more into it. Rakim who really set the bar high for me. I was like, ‘Oh, this bubblegum rap gotta go.’ Then Big Daddy Kane, you know what I’m saying? Then I was like, for me, like who is this? Then came LL COOL J. I’m goin’ from my DJ career. I’m naming them from that perspective.”
He continued: “And then there was Run-DMC. Run-DMC might’ve been before LL COOL J because Run-DMC had a lot of lyrics and they was poppin’. Now, if you want to talk about lyrics, I’m goin’ by what moved and changed lives. Then after that, then came DJ Premier and Guru. Then Wu-Tang, Method Man. Then came, I can say after that, Fat Joe and Big Pun, for me. But then, OutKast. Then Ludacris.”
Timbo concluded by listing JAY-Z, The Notorious B.I.G, 2Pac, Nas and Eminem as his picks for the fantasy rap memorial.