Many fans believe Will Smith’s acceptance speech at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards sparked his feud with Eminem, but the tension between the two may have started much earlier. Their vastly different artistic styles and public comments led to one of hip-hop’s most talked-about rivalries.
Will Smith vs. Eminem: A Clash of Styles
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Will Smith, also known as The Fresh Prince, made a name for himself with clean, family-friendly rap before transitioning into acting. His hits like Summertime and Miami earned him multiple Grammy Awards, while his career in Hollywood made him a global superstar.
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Eminem, on the other hand, built his career on raw, unfiltered lyrics and controversy. Emerging in the late ‘90s with The Slim Shady LP, he quickly became one of the most influential rappers of all time. His aggressive delivery and personal storytelling in songs like Stan, Lose Yourself, and The Real Slim Shady set him apart.
Their contrasting styles—Smith’s clean-cut, commercial success vs. Eminem’s provocative, no-holds-barred approach—eventually led to their public feud.
How the Feud Started
The rivalry escalated in 1999 at the MTV Video Music Awards, when Will Smith won Best Male Video for “Miami,” beating out Eminem’s My Name Is. In his acceptance speech, Smith said:
“I never killed nobody in none of my records. I never used no profanity in none of my records, and still, I managed to get up here. Peace.”
Eminem saw this as a direct jab and fired back in The Real Slim Shady:
“Will Smith don’t gotta cuss in his raps to sell records; well, I do, so f* him and f*** you too.”**
He continued mocking Smith in the Forgot About Dre music video, where a character sarcastically says:
“Yeah, all I know is I’m upstairs, listening to my Will Smith CD, and I seen all these flames.”
Will Smith’s Response
Will Smith finally addressed Eminem in his 2005 track Mr. Nice Guy, rapping:
“Dissed by Eminem but didn’t bother him… Big Will just get another 20 mill’, walk right past E.”
While subtle, it was clear Smith was shrugging off Eminem’s attacks while flexing his Hollywood success.
The Feud May Have Started Even Earlier
Years later, DJ Jazzy Jeff (Will Smith’s longtime collaborator) revealed that the two artists had actually met before their public feud.
Jazzy Jeff recalled inviting Eminem to a studio session, where Will Smith gave him unexpected feedback:
“Will looked at Eminem and said, ‘You are either gonna be the biggest flop in hip-hop, or you are gonna be the biggest thing we’ve ever seen in hip-hop.’ And Eminem never forgot that.”
It’s possible that Eminem held onto that moment, making their feud more personal than fans originally thought.
Where Do They Stand Today?
Though the feud has cooled down over the years, the tension between Will Smith and Eminem remains one of the most talked-about rivalries in music history. It highlights the contrast between clean-cut rap and raw, uncensored storytelling, proving that hip-hop is as much about personality as it is about talent.
