Benzino and the Source's plot against Eminem

Some people are ready to do anything to get some publicity. They would walk on the dead if they had to.

Benzino belongs to those kind of people. He doesn’t mind spitting on somebody who was once called a « creme-de-la-creme MC » by his magazine « The Source » in 1998 , when Eminem was an unsigned hype. The fact that Eminem is Caucasian didn’t seem to bother anybody among the Source owners at this time.

In 2002, Benzino decides to attack Eminem in order to advance his career as a rapper. Benzino is not even gifted for rap, but he put his ambitions so high that he decided to battle the best battle M.C. Benzino is so ambitious and so full of himself that he is not even afraid to look ridiculous in front of the whole world. Have you ever watched his video « Rock The Party » ? I have, and it was one of the most annoying moments in my entire life. Is that what he wants to oppose to Eminem ? A boring video and annoying songs with whack lyrics ?
For a second, while listening to Ray Benzino, I even granted Ja Rule some talent…because Benzino is really talentless !

Benzino, né Ray Scott, constantly targetted Eminem for his skin color, calling his friends and D12 members « House Niggas », calling his rap « The Rap Hitler ». Benzino went so far talking about killing Marshall and raping and murdering Hailie (who got her revenge in the « Doe Ray Me » song , though.) Ray Scott’s arguments against Eminem are, most of the time , personal. He dares calling Eminem’s rap « The Rap Hitler », him being « The Rap Malcolm ». If we analyze Benzino’s statements deeper, they are very close to facism. Attacking somebody for his skin color can be viewed as racism, no matter what color you are. Being Black doesn’t allow you to make racist statements, simply because there is no truth in racism.
Benzino’s reference to Malcolm X is well choosen, though. Even if Malcolm X fought against the injustice black people were facing in the USA, he is also known for his racial judgements against white people.
I could understand his hatred of Eminem if he didn’t attack his daughter. His personal attack against the talented M.C is a strategical mistake that makes him look childish in front of the public.
But Benzino can try to raise his voice as loud as he wants, he’s been killed lyrically in the song « Nail In the Coffin ». The best line is certainly the last one :

« Oh, and for those that don’t know, don’t get it twisted yo,
The Source has a white owner’’

What ? The Source has a white owner ? Yeah, and his name is Dave Mays. A sentence that should have shut Benzino down.

What appears to be the most pathetic in this story is « The Source »’s position. « The Source » stated that “the views of Benzino the artist do not necessarily reflect the views of Source Magazine.” Depite their statement, the Source totally supported Benzino in his beliefs and points of view. They totally agreed on the fact “Eminem was bad for hip hop culture. ”
By acting in such an unprofessionnal way, the magazine lost its credibility.

Now they are trying to stunt publicity on a ten years old tape where Eminem was freestyling racist remarks about black women out of rage, because he just had broken up with his black girlfriend. We all know that Eminem expresses his feelings of the moment so often , like he did it in « The Way I Am » when he felt exceeded.
We should also take into account that black rappers have also said demeaning sentences against black women or women in general. I could give a great amount of examples, but I’m going to quote Ice cube in « a Bitch is a Bitch » from NWA’s album « Straight Outta Compton » :

« Yo, you can tell a girl that’s out for the money
(How?) She look good and the bitch walk funny
She ain’t no dummy, she’s rather kunivin’
Yo bitch, fuck when I’m drivin’ (yup)
See a young nigga that’s strivin’
You’re thru’ without a BMW
That’s why a bitch is a bitch
I guess, or even P.M.S.
Here, test the girl that’s kinda snobby (alright)
And I bet you,
Dissin’ niggaz is her hobby
And after she finished the test
Grade her ?? a B I-T-C-H
And watch her get mad
Cause she know it’s true (she know it)
But a nigga like me, I say: “Fuck you”
Do like Ice Cube, slam her ass in a diss (word)
Cause a bitch is a bitch »

Who will believe that a man who hung out with Blacks his whole life, who lived on the black side of Detroit and whose label Shady Records is composed by a black majority, is a racist ? It is laughable. Dr Dre, Eminem’s producer, is a black man, also.
Russell Simmons who organized the hip hop Summit in detroit on June the 4th 2003 (Eminem took part to this event), took Eminem’s defence :

“These lyrics are disgusting, but the oneness of hip-hop culture has transformed many young people in trailer parks around the country away from their parents’ old mindset of white supremacy.
We believe Eminem’s apology is sincere and forthright. He continues not only to be an icon of hip-hop, but also has evolved into a good soldier who gives back money, time and energy to the community, encouraging this generation of youth to reach their highest aspirations.
“We, therefore, must be careful as to how the race card is played to divide people rather than to encourage unity in the struggle for freedom, justice and equality for all.”

Rather than the « culture stealer » Benzino wants Eminem to be, Eminem has been an enrichment for the hip hop community. He has united the poor black and white underclasses. The talented (white) M.C has opened hip hop to a larger audience, which is a good thing.
Benzino has proven to be an old fashioned closed minded person with racist beliefs. Mr Scott and his so called « bible of hip hop » have lost their credibility in the world of hip hop.

Step by step, Benzino is digging his own grave…

To quote Benjamin Chavis, Russell Simmons partner :
« Hip-hop culture transcends race. »