Music has a way of crossing borders in unexpected ways, and sometimes, the most unlikely connections are made. That’s exactly what happened when Eminem sampled a forgotten Argentine rock song for his 2020 album Music to Be Murdered By, leaving the late musician Luis Alberto Spinetta’s family in shock.
An Unexpected Call from Shady Records
In 2019, Catarina Spinetta received a phone call she never expected—Eminem wanted to sample one of her father’s songs.
Her father, Luis Alberto Spinetta, was a pioneer of Argentine rock, best known for his band Pescado Rabioso. While his music is legendary in South America, it remains relatively unknown internationally.
So when Shady Records and Sony/ATV Music Publishing contacted Catarina, she could hardly believe it.
🔹 “Eminem wants to sample our dad!” she screamed to her sister.
But there was a catch—the label wouldn’t let her hear the track before approving it. Instead, they offered to play it for her over the phone.
How a 1973 Song Became Part of Eminem’s “Stepdad”
The song in question, “Ámame Peteribí”, was originally released in 1973 on Pescado II, the second album by Pescado Rabioso.
Producer The Alchemist stumbled upon the track while digging through music for Eminem’s album. Instead of the usual hip-hop or Middle Eastern samples, he found something unexpected—a gritty Argentine rock riff.
The sample ended up forming the looped instrumental for “Stepdad”, the 12th track on Music to Be Murdered By.
Hearing Eminem Rap Over Her Dad’s Music
When Catarina first heard the sample over the phone, she was overwhelmed:
🔹 “I got excited! It was crazy to hear [Eminem] rap over Dad’s music. The Pescado riff played the whole way through.”
But before giving final approval, she discussed it with her siblings. Together, they agreed it was an honor to have their father’s music reach a new audience.
🔹 “It makes me very proud that Pescado Rabioso is still getting spins… It’s so rough, so raw. A classic Eminem rap over a rockera track.”
Why Did Eminem Choose This Song?
Even today, it’s unclear why The Alchemist chose a 1973 Argentine rock song for an Eminem album. Catarina suspects that someone—possibly Luis Resto, a Latino producer who worked on The Eminem Show—helped introduce Em’s team to Spinetta’s music.
🔹 “We don’t know how much he knows about Spinetta, but they asked for information about him. Something must have caught their attention.”
Regardless of how it happened, one thing is certain: the Spinetta family continues to receive royalties from Stepdad whenever it’s played, keeping the legacy of Pescado Rabioso alive in the hip-hop world.
A Rock & Hip-Hop Fusion That No One Saw Coming
Eminem’s Music to Be Murdered By may have received mixed reviews, but for fans of Argentine rock, it holds a special place in history.
Who knew that a nearly 50-year-old song from Buenos Aires would end up on a track by one of the biggest rappers of all time? Music truly has no boundaries.
