Before 2020 took a plummeting nosedive into chaos and tragedy, it seemed to be kicking off on a high note -- at least within the rap game, as Eminem came through with the surprise album Music To Be Murdered By. Viewed by many as a triumphant victory lap for the legendary emcee, Em's Hitchcock-inspired project proved doubly exciting thanks to a musical reunion with his longtime friend and mentor Dr. Dre. Boasting tracks like "Darkness," "Godzilla," "Marsh," and the Anderson .Paak assisted "Lock It Up," Em's tenth studio album provided something for everybody.

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It's no wonder the album has gone on to become a fan-favorite, and while Em has always been a commercial juggernaut, it's insane to see the numbers he's still running after twenty-years deep. According to the findings of Chartdata, Music To Be Murdered By has officially surpassed over a billion streams on Spotify. Given that's only one of the digital streaming platforms, the statistics are all the more impressive; expect platinum plaque certifications to follow, further decoration for Em's already stacked wall.  

Given that the current cultural climate is rightfully somber, it's difficult to imagine that Em will be releasing any further singles from Music To Be Murdered By anytime soon. Still, many fans have been circling back to a Revival track, "Untouchable," which covers themes of police brutality and systemic racism. Clearly, the people still hold Em's word in high regard, to the point where he remains one of hip-hop's biggest draws. Have you been keeping his latest album on steady rotation?

In case it wasn’t evident from songs like “Yah Yah” and “I Will,” Eminem is well versed in hip-hop history, with boundless respect for his predecessors in the game. On the former track off Music To Be Murdered By, Em dedicated a chunk of his lengthy verse to shout-out some of his formative influences, naming Biggie, Del The Funkee Homosapien, Treach, Kool G Rap, Rakim, King T, Ice-T, LL Cool J among other legendary emcees. It’s no wonder he opted to pay further homage with his recent Music To Be Quarantined By playlist, a concentrated dose of rap classics.

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Created by Slim Shady himself and premiered on Shade 45 this weekend, Eminem’s official playlist has since been revealed in full across the internet. As expected, there are plenty of callbacks to his “Yah Yah” namedrops, and many of the tracks notably derive from his younger days in the thrones of discovering hip-hop music. As the tracks themselves played a major role in his stylistic development, Em took a moment to provide some commentary on their impact, braking down bars like the true craftsman he is. 

Should you be interested in checking out the playlist Em ended up amassing, you can check out a list of songs below. Music To Be Quarantined By features songs by Mobb Deep, The Beastie Boys (who clearly inspired “Berzerk”), 2Pac, NWA, Wu-Tang Clan, Redman and more:

Keep Ya Head Up – 2Pac
Droppin’ Em – LL Cool J
Yoke The Joker – Naughty By Nature
Rock Dis Funky Joint – Poor Righteous Teachers
Lean On Me – Big Daddy Kane 
Last Dayz – Onyx
Streets Of New York – Kool G Rap
The Devil Made Me Do It – Paris
Young Gifted and Black – Big Daddy Kane
Music Man – Masta Ace
Mind Blowin’ – D.O.C
Bring It On – Organized Konfusion
My Melody – Eric B. & Rakim
Top Biiiin’ – Audio Two
Taxing – Special Ed
Check Tha Resume – Grand Puba
93′ Till Infinity – Souls Of Mischief
Live At The Barbeque – Main Source/Nas 
Machine Gun Funk – Biggie
Shook Ones Pt. II – Mobb Deep
No Sleep Till Brooklyn – Beastie Boys
You Gots to Chill – EPMD
Wack M.C.’s – Del The Funky Homosapien
Boom Bashin’ – Masta Ace 
Rhymin’ & Stealin – Beastie Boys 
Baby, You Nasty – DJ Mike Smooth
Gangsta Gangsta – NWA
If I Die 2nite – 2Pac
Sophisticated Bitch – Public Enemy
New York State Of Mind – Nas
Wordz Of Wizdom – 3rd Bass
They Reminisce Over You – Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth
Tougher Than Leather – Run-DMC
Jive Talk – Kool G Rap & Dj Polo
Paper Thin – MC Lyte
Do It Baby – Def Jef, N’Dea Davenport
Bring Da Ruckus – Wu-Tang Clan
Rated “R” – Redman

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Ever since she helped bring Eminem‘s “Love The Way You Lie” into existence, singer-songwriter Skylar Grey has become one of his most trusted collaborators. Since first linking up in 2010, Grey has contributed vocals, and most recently production, on The Marshall Mathers LP 2, Recovery, and Music To Be Murdered By. And while many of Eminem’s fans have come to appreciate Grey’s melodic presence, her history in the music industry actually stretches far beyond her partnership with Slim Shady. 

From coming up alongside underground rappers like Apathy and Styles Of Beyond, to retreating to a remote cabin in the woods in a search for clarity, to presenting the Grammy-nominated skeleton of “I Need A Doctor” to Dr. Dre in a Detroit studio, Skylar Grey has lived through a dynamic and unpredictable career. Now, with her sights set on her fiancee Elliott Taylor’s artistic development, Skylar is gearing up to embark on the next stage. 

A few weeks removed from the release of Eminem’s Music To Be Murdered By, on which she contributed heavily to the powerful “Leaving Heaven,” I had the chance to speak with Skylar on the phone. This conversation has been edited for clarity. 

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HNHH: Hey Skylar, how are you doing?

Skylar Grey: Hey Mitch, I’m great. How are you?

Doing pretty well!

Are you on the East Coast?

I’m in Canada, actually.

Oh shit, dope!

It’s a bit snowy. It’s transitioning from winter to spring right now, so to be honest…it’s not that pleasant. Where are you?

I live in Napa, California. It’s beautiful here, but we have not gotten enough rain this winter. We’ll see how the grapes do. [Laughs]

So, I’ve seen you described as a multi-instrumentalist. I was wondering, what instruments do you play?

I play piano, I play guitar, and I play something called the Lap Dulcimer. It’s one of the only American instruments aside from the harmonica. Those are my three main instruments. I consider the computer an instrument nowadays, cause everything is made in a box in current music. I do that too — for the past couple of years I’ve really been developing my producing skills.

Did you always play music since you were a kid?

I grew up performing with my mom. I started performing when I was six, fell in love with the stage. Music was always a huge passion of mine since I was two years old. I was singing harmony on ‘Happy Birthday’ and stuff — people were like what is going on? I was that kid who was super musical from day one. I went solo from my mom when I was thirteen, fourteen. Started doing my own thing.

When did you pick up the guitar?

Piano was first at six. Dulcimer was second — my mom was a folk musician and she was a very eccentric, eclectic artist as well. She was a celtic harpist. I learned the Dulcimer from her, then I picked up the guitar at eleven or twelve.

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I played a lot of guitar myself — it’s always nice to chat with another guitarist.

Yeah. Here’s the thing though. People describe me as a multi-instrumentalist but I don’t think I’m a virtuoso at any instrument. My forte is songwriting. I use instruments as a tool. It’s not like I’m going to go show off my skills. I’m not going to go shred on the guitar.

That’s totally fair. I mean, there’s a lot that goes into the songwriting process. The imagery, the storytelling. You can be a virtuoso at that — your repertoire of songs speaks for itself at this point. I was going through your credits, and some people might not have a clue how deep your catalog runs.

Thank you.

I think a lot of people reading this will have come to know your music through Eminem. I know you just worked with him on his new album — what can you tell me about making “Leaving Heaven?”

We didn’t work in the same room on it. Sometimes we do, sometimes we don’t. It was actually my fiancee’s idea — Elliott Taylor, who I’m developing as an artist now too — it was his concept. Elliott was in California, I was in New York on a writing trip. We were having a phone conversation, and he was like ‘I came up with this concept I think is really dope called “Leaving Heaven.”’

His concept for the title was really different, but the way I took it was that I’m leaving heaven and I’m going to go fuck shit up. Get revenge or something. I was excited about the idea, flew home, and we started working on it. Developed this track and hook, and I sent it to Marshall because I felt it would fit his vibe and he might dig it. And he did. He did his thing to it and put it on his album.

So many artists have mentioned not knowing whether they’ll actually be on the album till it comes out. Was it like that with you? Did you even know the album was on the way?

I didn’t know one hundred percent when the album was coming out. I did know he really liked the song and he was holding it. I had a feeling. When I got the paperwork — you gotta do a deal when you put a song on an album — that’s when I knew it was actually real and coming out. I had no idea when.

We try to keep a close eye on things, working on the site. But it really surprised me. He really changed the formula. I’ve been an Eminem fan for a while now, since I was a kid basically. He used to never do surprise albums.

It’s cool, I like it.

How did you guys spark such a creative partnership and artistic trust?

We started out with “Love The Way You Lie.” I wasn’t even in the music game. I was taking some time off and I was living in a cabin in the woods in Oregon. Doing some soul searching. Then I realized I needed to give music another go and I reached out to my publisher who helped connect me to a producer named Alex Da Kid. Alex and I met over email. I was still in the cabin in the woods and he was in New York, but he sent me a track and I wrote the hook to “Love The Way You Lie.”

I sent it back, and pretty instantly Eminem cut it. Rihanna got on it, and a month later it was a number one song. I was like well shit! Maybe I should try music again. [Laughs] So I got back into the game, and I credit a lot of my success to Marshall. Cause that was my biggest break to date. It’s the biggest song I’ve ever been a part of. I’m so grateful for that opportunity that came into my life at a moment in time I was very unsure about my career path. I’ve always been very grateful for it.

When I finally met him and started working with him in person it felt very natural. There was good musical chemistry there, so we continued to work together. Since that song came out, it’s been like, ten years now?

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Shit, I guess so. Recovery is ten years old?

I know, I can’t believe it. I’ve been working with him ever since.

Were you familiar with his music before?

I’ve always been an Eminem fan. I discovered him when I was thirteen. “Stan” was my favorite song for a while. It was on repeat. I loved the soft female vocals with the hip-hop. That combo was so cool to me. That became a goal of mine, something I wanted to do in my life. I guess I manifested it.

Look, I gotta ask. This cabin — what drew you to an actual cabin in the woods?

It was out there. My mom had a friend who had this huge property. And she let me live there for free, cause I was broke, in exchange for working at her art gallery in town at her little gallery. I’d go home to this cabin on her property, and it was very remote. You had to walk about a quarter-mile. It was on a sand dune in the woods. I know that sounds weird, but trees do grow on sand dunes.

You couldn’t drive up the sand, so you had to park at the base of the dune and hike up the dune through the woods. It was scary sometimes, coming home at night. Being out in the middle of nowhere, by myself with a flashlight, walking through the woods. And the bathroom was also outside — there was a bathroom but it was a freestanding unit, so if I had to go pee in the middle of the night it was always terrifying.

That’s commitment.

[Laughs]

It must have been a creative haven though.

It was. It took me about two weeks to get over my fears. The first two weeks I was watching my backs. Then I became one with my environment and it wasn’t scary anymore.

It’s like that artist in solitude archetype. I remember hearing that Bon Iver wrote a whole album in a cabin. Went off the grid.

Ever since that experience, it’s very important for me not to live in a big city. I get too mentally jostled in a city. Different opinions pulling me in so many different directions. Being in a more remote location has always been important for my creativity. That’s why after I got back into the music game I moved back to L.A. temporarily, but it started getting to me again. I moved to Utah, and now I live in Napa Valley. We’re out in the boonies. I love it, it’s really helpful. And I have a studio in my house.

With that feeling of being pulled in so many directions at once — I used to buy CDs, and I would look through the liner notes at all the credits. Now I’ve really come to see how many songwriters are contributing to a modern-day hit. Do you feel there’s a lack of intimacy that comes in the songwriting process?

I understand why there’s a ton of writers on a song. It’s not my favorite way to work. But it has happened before where I’ve done something and you know, it was passed off to another group of people and they finished it. It’s just because they want to get the best song for whatever the project is. This person might have said one word that changed the whole thing, and this person might have changed a chord, and it’s like oh my god.

I get why it happens, but at my core, I’m an artist. I’m not a songwriter for other people, even though that’s what I’ve become most successful doing. I’m an artist, and I want to create stuff that I feel. It’s really hard for me to work in an environment with all these different people and opinions and everything mixing in with it. It’s another reason I don’t like to be in LA and do sessions there all the time. That’s not the type of business I want to do. I want to make art that comes out of me, you know?

If you’re working on a demo, do you ever find it hard to part ways with it? Especially if an artist is like I really want this song…

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. I became very comfortable with giving people my songs. It became my comfort zone to know that if somebody puts this song out I’m going to make money. I took my emotions out of it at a certain point. Like, this big artist wants to do a song. Fuck yeah, let’s gets a paycheque, you know?

But I’m taking a big picture look at my career, and I never set out to be a songwriter for other people. It kind of happened and I got comfortable with it. It became my safe place to know I could make a living. It’s not really what I ever aimed to do, so now I’m really pulling back on all of that. I’m not doing sessions for other people or pitching songs. I’m really focusing now on myself, my own music, and my fiancee. Developing my own projects.

That’s really the only thing I’m passionate about at the moment. There are a couple things — we wrote a song for this upcoming Johnny Depp movie called Minamata— and it’s going to be the end title song. I’m not singing it, we just wrote the song for the movie. There are a couple of things, but for the most part I’m just focusing on our projects and creating the art. I want to get out of my comfort zone and be like, I’m going to bet on myself now. Myself and my fiancee, and we’re going to do what we really want to do, which is to be artists. Not just give all my songs away because it’s where I make a living. I have to take more risks than that if I want to get what I want out of life.

For sure. Totally understandable. It’s still cool to see where it takes you. Like, for me, Dr. Dre is one of my favorite musicians ever. You played a pretty big role in “I Need A Doctor.” I’m curious about that song — how did you get on it in the first place?

That was another one I did with Alex Da Kid right after “Love The Way You Lie.” Marshall had asked Alex and I to come to Detroit to work with Dre. Alex and I prepared and brought that hook — we got together a week before and put the hook together. Then we got to Detroit and presented it, and it became what it became.

You presented it to Dre?

Dre and Marshall, yeah.

Were you aware of the whole Detox album? That’s like a hip-hop urban legend at this point.

At the time, we thought that was going to be something. [Laughs] But things change, I get it.

For sure. That must have been a nerve-wracking experience.

It was, because going to Detroit for that trip was also the first time I met Marshall. This was after “Love The Way You Lie” came out and was a big hit, but we hadn’t met yet. I was going to Detroit to be in a room with Marshall and Dre, and it was very intimidating. But they were both really nice, and Dre was super thankful and grateful we were there. He was such a sweetheart. It went very smoothly, obviously, but walking in I was terrified.

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Understandable. I think something people don’t credit Em and Dre enough for is their mixing — they’re nice with the mixing. Top tier. I know you mentioned you were doing a lot of producing yourself, do you enjoy the engineering side?

Yeah. I’m in it deep, all levels. I have produced other songs for other people in the past, but it was always pretty stripped back stuff. It’s only been the past couple of years I started doing my own drum programming. I always tracked and put together my own vocals. Recently the drums have been my new obsession. It’s why it’s been so exciting for me to practice my production skills working on myself, and with my fiance Elliott Taylor. We just released the first song off his project, and it’s called “Held Up.”

Are there challenges in working on music with your fiance?

Not really. You would think there would be but we just have such great chemistry on all levels, it’s just fun. Such a fun adventure. He has really great ideas, really fresh, because he hasn’t been in the game that long. He hasn’t been songwriting for other people that long. We started out, I had some opportunities writing for Aquaman and Celine Dion, we wrote these songs together. Our cuts as songwriters together have been [those two,] Eminem, Train, and this Minimata movie. Pretty good for a first year for him as a songwriter. It’s been so fun developing him as an artist — I’ve never done that before. I’ve written songs for other people, but never sat down and spent a ton of time focusing on what sound I was creating. Artist development. We’re going to shoot a music video soon, I’m excited about that.

Very cool, I’m looking forward to see how that turns out. I wanted to mention how things kinda came full circle in a way. Some people might not know this, but you were connected with some underground hip-hop back when you first started out. Songs with Fort Minor, Apathy–

Yeah! Yeah! Styles Of Beyond!

People who might be familiar with your work with Em might not be aware that you were rolling with some underground artists back in the day.

My first experience working in hip-hop was working on the song “Where’d You Go” with Fort Minor and that was kind of accomplishing what we talked about before. Manifesting that “Stan” vibe, where it’s a soft vocal with hip-hop. I was super excited about that opportunity. It was a really big song, and I got introduced to all these hip-hop cats. It felt like it was where I belong, and it developed into working with Em, years later. Apathy was great, and I did the stuff with Slaughterhouse — that was through Marshall.

Were you in the studio with Slaughterhouse at any point?

I met them in the studio, but I think most of the stuff was sent. Honestly, I live out in the boonies so all of my songwriting cuts happened by sending an email. [Laughs]

Fair. It makes sense — it’s so easy to load up a computer and spend eight hours working on a song. I get it.

Yeah, and sometimes when I’m in the room with other people I feel more pressure and I don’t feel like I can be myself. It’s nice to have my own space to fully flow. I can get it to a place where I’m happy and just send it off. To me it’s a more comfortable way to work because I’m not a super outgoing person.

For sure. Plus shit always sounds really good when it’s blasting from your home studio monitors. That always helps. Before we go I had to mention this — when I was reading about some of your influences I saw you mention Radiohead. Then I saw a clip of you doing a nice cover of “Idioteque.”

Dope! I love Radiohead. I love all different types of music. I think that’s one of those other things that drew me to songwriting for different people. Being able to work in different genres. But Radiohead is right up in the top three favorite artists of all time.

Thom Yorke and Dr. Dre are up there for me — two geniuses.

I feel you.

Thank you for your time, and best of luck with the artist development! 

Don Toliver is one of the most exciting new artists right now. His official debut album Heaven Or Hell has earned rave reviews and as the Houston native continues to gain traction as an artist, he is enjoying the most successful stretch of his career. Preparing to head out on tour with The Weeknd (if the summer ever arrives…), Don Toliver is getting the wheels ready to go but, this year, he’s been working like crazy on just getting his name out there. A lot of hip-hop heads finally took notice when the Cactus Jack Records signee popped up as a featured guest on Eminem‘s surprise album Music To Be Murdered By.

Speaking to Ebro Darden and Apple Music about how that feature came together, Don Toliver explained how he even ended up on Em’s radar.

“That’s one for the OGs,” says Don Toliver about the D.A. Doman produced track “No Regrets” with Marshall Mathers. “I was in the Cactus Jack studio [when I got the call] and I was recording. I think Em was already on tip with what I had going on but who really I think plugged the spot was D.A. Doman. No cap.”

Don didn’t wait to record his chorus for the song. He says that he hopped in the booth right away and had it finished within the hour, ready to be released the next day. 

Watch the interview with Ebro Darden below.

When Eminem came through and dropped off Music To Be Murdered By in January, the legendary rapper connected with Royce Da 5’9″ and newcomer White Gold on the third track “You Gon’ Learn.” Now, as Royce continues his press run promoting The Allegory, he took a moment to explain how the track ultimately landed on Em’s album to begin with. As he tells it, it’s all thanks to White Gold.

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When Royce singles out White Gold, who happened to be rolling with him for the interview, the host praises the singer’s lofty placement. “He’s the reason why Em picked the beat,” explains Royce. “I played it for him and he really loved the hook. He was like ‘who is that on the hook?’ I told him it was my guy, and he was like that’s crazy. I think the hook is what made him like the beat. Then I rapped on it — I had to get on it. I rapped on it, he put his verse on it and did the arrangement, and the rest is history.”

A few weeks back, White Gold spoke about his experience landing a hook on Eminem’s Music To Be Murdered By, a revelation that came as a surprise for the 33-year-old New York songwriter. “It was for Royce initially,” he explained, speaking on the instrumental. “I think it was like six months later, Kino called me. He’s like, “Yeah, bro. Em heard it and was like, ‘Yo, I want the record and I want the dude that’s on there as the hook.’” And that was it. I had to keep the secret for six months or so, man.”

Check out Royce’s interview on Sirius XM, recorded prior to the COVID-19 outbreak that sent masses into states of self-isolation. Are you still listening to Music To Be Murdered By? And if so, where does “You Gon Learn” sit among your favorites?

What an absolutely bonkers week for music releases. While it's exciting for us listeners who get to consume a variety of new tunes, the artists that dropped projects might be feeling a tad competitive. On our radar, we have Lil Uzi Vert's Eternal Atake, Megan Thee Stallion's Suga and Jhene Aiko's Chilombo to consider. 

This week saw two major projects' release dates being announced on short notice, a move that could either be risky or favourable in terms of album sales. Amid a highly-publicized legal dispute with her record label, Megan Thee Stallion revealed on Wednesday (Mar. 4) that her debut album, Suga, would be arriving on Friday. According to Hits Daily Double, Suga is projected to move 35-40k album-equivalent units, which would mark Meg's biggest debut to date.

Eminem has always been a commercial juggernaut dating back to his major-label debut in 1999, but somehow the rapper continues to secure platinum plaques over twenty years later. With his latest album Music To Be Murdered By already having gone gold, it seemed inevitable for breakout single, the Juice WRLD-assisted "Godzilla" to follow-suit. What with the ongoing #GODZILLACHALLENGE and all, which has already elicited responses from Biz Markie, Bizzy Bone, and Twista. 

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This is a new era, and a viral challenge has often proven to be crucial in boosting both sales and longevity. As responses continue to roll in, Chart Data has confirmed that Em and Juice's "Godzilla" is the first record off Music To Be Murdered By to hit that platinum status, clocking in a grand total of one million album-equivalent units. Not bad for a song that has yet to receive a music video, though Em has already confirmed that it's on the way.

At this rate, it won't be long before the RIAA makes the news official, with the next logical step being the album's own platinum ascent. It's crazy to think Slim Shady is still moving units this deep into his career, on a single that found him breaking a Guinness World Record at that. As he once said on "Till I Collapse" all those years ago: "A plaque and platinum status is wack if I'm not the baddest." Given that Em has once again hit a clear stride on Music To Be Murdered By, you've gotta give credit where credit is due. Something tells me this won't be Eminem's final platinum record -- though it might certainly be his fastest. 

Bizzy Bone, who first rose to prominence as part of the legendary crew Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, is easily one of the fastest rappers of all time. For anyone doubting his ability, songs “Thug Luv” and “Notorious Thugs” reveal the dazzling depth of his flow; check them out should you need a refresher course. Alas, it’s been a minute since Bizzy has been chopping at rapid-fire speeds, and in the interim Eminem has come through to seize the crown as the game’s fastest spitter. As it happens, Em’s open invitation to participate in the #Godzilla challenge was exactly the sort of bat signal Bizzy needed.

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In a video uploaded to his Jam TV channel, Bizzy opens by shouting out the “little homie” Eminem. “Anybody down with Dr. Dre, down with Ice Cube, part of the whole Mo Thug family is immediately cousins, brothers, and relatives,” says Bizzy. “I finna take the ‘Godzilla’ challenge, I been getting too many calls.” After indulging in a vegan feast, Bizzy once again shouts out Eminem and proceeds to step into the booth.

Unlike many who have been spitting Em’s climactic verse verbatim, Bizzy switched up the rules and simply aimed to surpass the syllable count. Rather than spitting live, he plays back an acapella verse recorded for the occasion and deadpans the camera while his machine-gun bars rattle off. Off the bat, it doesn’t appear that Bizzy’s speed is enough to match Em’s, but it stands as a valiant effort all the same. Suffice it to say, the Bone Thug legend clearly still has what it takes to chop with the best of them. Check it out for yourself below and sound off — who is capable of hitting higher speeds? Eminem or Bizzy Bone? 

While it’s not uncommon to see Eminem ranked rather highly in matters of lyrical pedigree, those who value the artform know Royce Da 5’9″ isn’t far away. There’s a reason that Bad Meets Evil finds them operating on equal ground, the perfect counterpart to one another; both share a gleeful appreciation of gallows humor, a penchant for wordplay, and the ridiculous ability for seeking and destroying new pockets. Now, with 2020 bringing Eminem’s Music To Be Murdered By and Royce’s The Allegory so wonderfully into our lives, some circles have been debating as to whether Bad has surpassed Evil once and for all.

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Remember that this is hip-hop, and ranking things is simply par for the course. Seeing as both Eminem and Royce are battle-tested scholars of the Detroit rap scene, cutting their teeth in heated lyrical battles and furthering their own craft through healthy competition, it’s a fair question. After all, Em recently told KXNG Crooked that matching Royce is one of his main creative inspirations, high praise from a rapper who has seemingly mastered his domain. On the other side, Royce has been standing proudly beside Em for years, never failing to acknowledge his skill, passion, and ability to outshine even the deadliest emcees. 

If their recent records are any indication, both Bad and Evil alike are operating at a newfound level of confidence. While we patiently wait for a sequel to Hell: The Sequel, it seems like as good a time as any to test the waters. Should you count yourself a fan of Em and Royce’s movement, where do you stand? Insofar as mastery of the craft, which of the two is operating at a higher plane of existence? And remember – most importantly, that this is not meant to pit two friends against each other; it’s simply in the name of good fun and spirited competition.

With that in mind, are you riding for Nickle or Slim? Bad or Evil? The Allegory or Music To Be Murdered By?

Many fans were first introduced to the name White Gold this year, through his appearances on Eminem‘s Music To Be Murdered By and Royce Da 5’9’s The Allegory. For those keeping score, the Bronx songwriter appeared on Eminem’s Bad Meets Evil reunion “You Gon’ Learn” as well as Royce’s “Black Savage” and “Hero. But questions remained as to how a 33-year-old New York vocalist ended up connecting with one of hip-hop’s most respected lyrical duos. Thanks to some groundwork from GENIUS, the inspirational story has begun to unfold. 

As White Gold (real name Bobby Yewah) tells it, his lofty features were ultimately arranged by Royce’s longtime manager Kino. That’s not to say he wasn’t a player before — he apparently scored production placements for Cam’ron, Joe Budden, Kevin Gates, and Pusha — but those came before his rebrand as a vocalist. “I got involved with [Bad Meets Evil] through Royce’s manager Kino,” Gold tells Genius. “He hit me one day, and was like, “Yo, I heard a song that you did. Would you want to work with Royce?” 

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After a few studio sessions with Royce, the pair ended up developing the skeleton of “You Gon Learn.” “It was for Royce initially,” he reveals. “I think it was like six months later, Kino called me. He’s like, “Yeah, bro. Em heard it and was like, ‘Yo, I want the record and I want the dude that’s on there as the hook.’” And that was it. I had to keep the secret for six months or so, man.”

He also breaks down Royce’s “Hero,” explaining that Nickle originally wrote the song as a counterpart to Book Of Ryan highlight “Cocaine.” “He’s like, ‘Yeah, this is basically me making up for the collateral damage that came with ‘Cocaine,'” explains Gold. “He didn’t want his dad to feel like he was putting him down…Now, him going through whatever he has gone through with his sobriety and everything like that, he can see how flawed people are still just that, people.”

Check out the full interview right here. To those of you who discovered the singer-songwriter through Em and Royce’s albums, will you be putting White Gold on your radar?