Eminem has never been one to shy away from controversy. From his provocative lyrics to high-profile feuds, the Detroit rapper has had his fair share of clashes in the music industry. One of his more unexpected targets? Will Smith.
In his 2000 hit The Real Slim Shady, Eminem famously called out the Fresh Prince star with the line:
“Will Smith don’t gotta cuss in his raps to sell records / Well, I do, so fk him and fk you too.”
But why did Eminem take a shot at Smith? The answer goes back to comments Will made about rap music and the use of profanity.
The Root of the Feud
According to DJ Jazzy Jeff, Will Smith once told a young Eminem that he would either become “the biggest flop in hip-hop or the biggest thing we’ve ever seen.” While it wasn’t necessarily an insult, it may have stuck with Eminem as a defining moment early in his career.
Then, in 1999, after winning Best Male Video at the MTV VMAs, Will made a statement that seemed to criticize rappers who use explicit lyrics:
“To all my fans out there, 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 took this as a direct attack on artists like himself, who often use dark themes and explicit lyrics in their music.
Eminem’s Response
Following Will’s speech, Eminem didn’t hold back. In an interview, he responded:
“I used to respect Will Smith. Now he’s dissed the whole genre of rap. He dissed gangsta rap music.”
Eminem argued that rap reflects real-life struggles, and not everyone’s experiences are as positive as Will’s. He sarcastically added:
“If he wants to rap about birds and bees and flowers, then let him… but don’t diss nobody else.”
The Lasting Impact
Eminem’s line in The Real Slim Shady became one of the song’s most memorable moments, highlighting the contrast between clean-cut, family-friendly rap and the raw, unfiltered style that Em built his career on.
Though Will Smith never responded with a diss track, the moment remains a defining part of Eminem’s long list of industry clashes.
Final Thoughts
While this feud was short-lived, it showed how different styles and values in hip-hop can lead to tension—even between two of the biggest names in the game. Whether it was a misunderstanding or a legitimate rap beef, Eminem’s Will Smith diss remains one of his most famous lyrical jabs to this day.
