Beastie Boys Dis Eminem
Posted by Robert
Rap News Direct Staff
5/7/2004 6:37:50 PM

It’s clear that almost anything can set Eminem’s short fuse ablaze
and cause the rapper to retaliate in his music. Once reserved for
serious feuds in underground hip-hop, Slim Shady has carried the
tradition of on-record dissing with him into the pop world, leaving
artists (most of whom can’t rhyme their reply) confused by severe
insults hurled their way over petty squabbles or small
misunderstandings with the rapper. To date, so many high-profile
artists and celebrities have been dissed by Em that they could get
together and record a “We Are The World”-style benefit song for
themselves. Over the last five years Moby, Christina Aguilera,
Jermaine Dupri, *NSYNC’s Chris Kirkpatrick, Everlast, Britney
Spears, Benzino, Pet Shop Boys, Canibus, Limp Bizkit, Dilated
Peoples, Pamela Lee (twice), P. Diddy, Insane Clown Posse, Norah
Jones, Ja Rule and Christopher Reeve (three times) have all found
themselves on Eminem’s lyrical @#%$ list.

So as Shady nears the end of the recording process of his fourth LP,
one has to wonder — who will he dis next? The Olsen Twins? Big Boi
from Outkast? Christopher Reeve, just for something new? For those
placing bets with their friends, Chart may be able to give you a hot
tip on three potential candidates for Eminem’s next dis campaign:
the Beastie Boys.

We caught up with Beastie Boys last week in New York City. The night
before, they appeared on MTV premiering a clip of their ridiculous
new video for “Ch-Check It Out,” the first single from their long-
anticipated sixth album To The 5 Boroughs, set for release in mid-
June. Later that night, Eminem and his band D12 also performed.
Somewhere during the evening, Em stopped by the Beastie Boys’
dressing room to show respect to the white rappers who paved the way
for him. There was a mix-up, which, for the Beastie Boys, could turn
out to be deadly.

“It was actually funny, `cause there was a little misunderstanding
when he came to the dressing room,” explains the group’s MCA (a.k.a.
Adam Yauch). “Because we’d been joking around, saying that we should
have called our album Still Doin’ It, Huh? and we kept on saying
that. And so, when Eminem came into our dressing room, he was
like, `Yo, what’s up, just wanted to say what’s up to everybody‚’
and we shook his hand and stuff. And then he said to us,
like, `Still doin’ it, man, still doin’ it.’ And we all just burst
out laughing. He kind of looked puzzled and walked out.”

“Nah, I don’t think he… it wasn’t that big of a deal,” says Mike D
(a.k.a. Mike Diamond).

“I wonder if he told his group,” MCA ponders.

“He must have a sense of humour…” Diamond speculates.

Marshall, if you’re reading this, before you go record an album’s
worth of anti-Beastie Boys songs, please know that it was just a
misunderstanding. Nothing more. Beastie Boys respect you. Really.

Says Mike D, “He definitely has his own way — the way he switches
his flows up. Very versatile MC.”