By the time the collaboration came together in 2009, each artist involved already carried enormous weight. Lil Wayne was at the height of his influence. Kanye West had reshaped hip-hop multiple times. Drake was emerging as the most important new voice of his generation. And Eminem, after years away from the spotlight, was returning with something to prove.
But none of them expected what would happen when Eminem delivered his verse.
Because once they heard it, the reaction wasn’t public.
It was personal.
And they later admitted it changed everything.
Drake: “He Went So Crazy I Had To Go Back”
Drake gave the clearest and most direct confirmation in his Tim Westwood interview (2010).
He admitted that after hearing Eminem’s verse, he went back and rewrote his own.
Drake explained:
“I went in, I did my verse. Wayne did his verse. Kanye did his verse. And then Em did his verse. And he went so crazy. I was like, I gotta go back and make sure my verse is strong.”
He didn’t frame it as embarrassment. He framed it as necessity.
He understood immediately that the standard had changed.
In another interview, Drake said Eminem’s verse made everyone more aware of the moment they were part of. It forced them to treat the record with greater seriousness and intention.
It wasn’t pressure from producers.
It was pressure from greatness.
Kanye West: “He’s A Genius”
Kanye West spoke about Eminem’s ability in multiple interviews, including his 2013 interview with Zane Lowe, where he reflected on Eminem’s technical power and presence.
Kanye said:
“Eminem is a genius.”
He explained that Eminem had a rare ability to approach a verse with a level of precision and intensity few artists could match. Producers close to the session confirmed Kanye took the record seriously and refined his contribution after hearing Eminem’s verse.
Kanye didn’t speak about it as weakness.
He spoke about it as respect.
Lil Wayne: “Nobody Wants To Be Last After Eminem”
Lil Wayne didn’t publicly confirm rewriting his verse in the same direct way Drake did, but he acknowledged Eminem’s presence carried unique weight.
In interviews and public comments over the years, Wayne consistently described Eminem as one of the greatest lyricists alive.
He once explained the competitive dynamic clearly:
“When you’re on a song with somebody like Eminem, you know you gotta come with it.”
Wayne understood the moment for what it was.
Not a threat.
A challenge.
Eminem Recorded His Verse Last — And Everyone Felt It
According to producers and studio insiders, Eminem recorded his verse after the others had already completed theirs.
This mattered.
Because it meant his verse didn’t respond to theirs.
Theirs had to respond to his.
That subtle shift changed the psychology of the record.
Drake admitted it openly. Kanye acknowledged it through respect. Wayne responded through presence.
None of them ignored it.
They elevated.
Why That Moment Still Matters
This wasn’t just about one song.
It was about what happens when artists at the highest level are confronted with something undeniable.
Drake didn’t hide from it. He went back and improved.
Kanye didn’t dismiss it. He respected it.
Wayne didn’t resist it. He met it.
And Eminem didn’t announce anything.
He just delivered the verse.
More than a decade later, that moment remains one of the clearest examples of how greatness forces evolution—not through words, but through action.
Because sometimes, the strongest statement isn’t what an artist says afterward.
It’s what the others do next.
