Image via Complex Original
You can front like Eminem is a shock jock stuck in a rapper's body—sometimes it seems that way—but he is truly an MC. Em is a lyricist's lyricist, a rapper's rapper. Yesterday he amazed the game again with a freestyle off the top of the dome. It was fitting that it was on Sway's Sirius XM show because it was on his syndicated L.A. radio show 18 years ago where Eminem was exposed to millions of listeners. The thing that's so impressive about Em is that he comes up with most of his shocking lyrics on the spot. There aren't many rappers who can do what he does let alone match his consistency of wrecking mics. With that being said, we look back at some of Slim Shady's best freestyle over the years. Everything from the 1997 Rap Olympics showing that got him signed to the Shady Cypher from last year. Check Eminem's 10 best freestyles.
Rap Olympics (1997)
Em didn't win the Rap Olympics that year, but somehow Dr. Dre got his hands on videos of a really good white rapper, and the rest is history.
Solo Vibes Radio (1997)
In 1997, Em started to really make a name for himself. Back in those days, the college radio circuit was the way to go for "struggle rappers." Here you'll find what was once a very rare Slim Shady freestyle alongside battle rapper A.L. (All Lyrics) at New York's Baruch College. It's amazing that Em still kicks ridiculous rhymes as he did nearly 20 years ago.
The Wake Up Show (1997)
This is one of the his more famous radio freestyles. The raps are offensive, violent, and hilarious. The "met a retarded kid name Greg with a wooden leg" and "I'm doing drive-bys in tinted Corvettes on Vietnam war vets" are two of my all-time favorite Em lines. Many a rapper made their names on Sway & Tech's The Wake Up Show, and Slim Shady was no different.
The Stretch Armstrong & Bobbito Show (1998)
Just like The Wake Up Show, Stretch and Bob helped put the spotlight on so many legendary MCs early in their careers. Em and Royce Da 5'9” go off for 12 minutes! This is what happens when bad meets evil.
MTV Freestyle With Proof (1999)
Proof (RIP) and Slim go back like Cadillacs with four flats. Their chemistry was so organic. Just look at the smiles on their faces as they go off top like a couple true MCs. Both were funny as hell and made their names battling in the streets of Detroit.
BET Rap City the Basement Freestyle (1999)
This one is short and sweet. Slim only needed 40 seconds to set the booth on fire, and completely took D12's thunder.
Tim Westwood (2009)
Slim and Kon Artis (producer name Mr. Porter) went in for eight minutes, bro. This is from 2009, a decade and some change since Em came on the scene. Incredible.
Shady 2.0 (2011)
Em decided to introduce Shady Records' newest signees in Slaughterhouse and Yelawolf, and rap alongside them. If you talk the talk, you gotta walk the walk. Spoiler: Em washed 'em.
BET Cypher (2013)
Not many can stand side-by-side with the likes of Mos Def and Black Thought. Em is in that handful of lyricists. This is like a Rawkus Records cypher in 1998.
Shady Cypher (2014)
Only thing wrong with this cypher is that there are no beats. Still, each veteran rapper impresses. Em is really the freestyle king when it comes to major label rappers.