Eminem Fires Back at Billboard's No. 5 Ranking in Bold New Single 'Tobey'

Eminem has never been one to hold his tongue or place anyone ahead of him in the rap game. The 51-year-old addressed his No. 5 spot on the Greatest Rappers list published by Billboard last year in his new single “Tobey.”

The track, released on Tuesday (July 2), features Big Sean and Babytron and is the second single from his forthcoming album The Death Of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce). Though the Detroit rapper is letting go of his old moniker, he won’t let anyone forget who he believes he outrapped throughout his career. “But this to me, is a mystery/ How rappers I’ve already ripped could be higher up on a list than me/ Yet I sit here on your list that went five, wished it was fine, but just know inside/ To me that sh*t’s hilarious,” he rapped.

The four rappers ahead of the 15-time Grammy winner were 2Pac, Nas, Kendrick Lamar, and JAY-Z in that order. He has collaborated with all of these men, thus it is safe to assume that he believes he should be placed ahead of them.

Eminem also addressed Melle Mel on “Tobey,” who took issue with the fact Slim Shady was ranked so high on the Billboard list and credited it to the fact he was white. “Obviously he’s a capable rapper,” Mel said on The Art Of Dialogue. “If you was talking about sales, he’s sold more than everybody. If you were talking about rhyme style, OK he got a rhyme style. But he’s white. He’s white. So now if Eminem was another nia like all the rest of us, would he be top five on that list when a nia that could rhyme just as good as him is 35?”

The “Lose Yourself” rapper wasn’t trying to hear it. “So when I get dissed though and by a pioneer/ Who was one of the reasons why I’m here/ They tell me I should just let that sh*t go and slide/ Melle Mel shouldn’t get no reply, that man is a legend’/ Bi**h, so am I,” he rapped.

“Tobey” follows “Houdini,” both of which precede The Death Of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce). The album will be available on July 12 and has strong momentum going into it as “Houdini” reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Watch the music video below.