Eminem’s influence on hip-hop stretches far beyond the songs he performs himself. Over the years, his role as a songwriter, producer, and creative architect behind the scenes has quietly expanded his legacy. A recent video by Canadian digital media outlet WatchMojo, titled “Top 20 Songs You Didn’t Know Were Written by Eminem,” shines a spotlight on just how far that influence reaches.
The idea may sound surprising at first. But this isn’t a story about ghostwriting or hidden credits. Every track mentioned carries official writing or production credits for Marshall Mathers, making his contributions completely transparent. In many cases, Eminem wrote verses, helped craft hooks, or shaped the production itself. While dedicated fans have long known about these collaborations, casual listeners may not realize how many major records bear his fingerprints.
Much of the list is tied to Eminem’s work building the Shady Records roster. Artists such as 50 Cent, Obie Trice, Lloyd Banks, Stat Quo, and Yelawolf all benefited from Marshall’s hands-on involvement as their label boss. Rather than simply signing talent and stepping aside, he often helped craft the songs that introduced them to the world.
Obie Trice’s debut album Cheers is one of the clearest examples. The project debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard charts and carried strong creative involvement from Eminem. He co-wrote and produced the album’s lead single “Got Some Teeth,” a track that landed in the Top 10 in several countries and helped establish Obie as one of Shady Records’ early breakout artists.
Stat Quo’s story shows the other side of the process. Eminem had written a potential debut single for him, but the track reportedly failed to connect with the rapper. The disagreement ultimately contributed to the project never materializing, highlighting how even powerful creative partnerships can falter.
Beyond artists on his own label, Eminem’s songwriting credits extend to some of hip-hop’s most respected figures. Dr. Dre is perhaps the most obvious collaborator. Eminem helped write several Dre records, most famously “Forgot About Dre,” a track that remains one of the defining songs of Dre’s later career.
His involvement didn’t stop there. Eminem’s writing credit on Dre’s feature led to his name appearing on Ice Cube’s “Hello,” while he also produced and co-wrote Nas’s “The Cross” from the 2002 album God’s Son. These collaborations demonstrated that Eminem’s pen could travel well beyond the Shady Records circle.
At the top of WatchMojo’s ranking sits a track tied to two of hip-hop’s most iconic figures. “Runnin’ (Dying to Live),” the posthumous collaboration between Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G., takes the number one spot. The song appeared in the 2003 documentary Tupac: Resurrection, with Eminem working alongside producer Easy Mo Bee—remarkably the only producer to have collaborated with both Pac and Biggie during their lifetimes.
Eminem’s involvement with Tupac’s music went even deeper. He served as executive producer for the Tupac: Resurrection soundtrack and contributed to additional songs such as “Ghost” and “One Day at a Time.” With the blessing of Tupac’s mother, Afeni Shakur, Eminem later produced Pac’s ninth studio album, Loyal to the Game, further cementing his role in shaping the late rapper’s posthumous releases.
Even so, WatchMojo’s list only scratches the surface of Eminem’s songwriting footprint. It leaves out notable work he contributed to artists such as Xzibit, Trick-Trick, D12, Ca$his, and Slaughterhouse, among others.
Still, the collection offers a fascinating reminder that Eminem’s cultural impact extends far beyond his own chart-topping hits. Whether guiding artists on his label, crafting verses for hip-hop legends, or helping shape major collaborative records, his pen has quietly shaped a surprising number of influential songs across the genre.
