Eminem is known for his willingness to jab at peers in the industry if he thinks they deserve it.
Even though the legendary American rapper, real name Marshall Mathers, has attempted to distance himself from the 'Slim Shady' persona in recent years, he has still been quick to fire shots at people who he thinks deserve it.
However, you'll be lucky to find someone who's got it as brutally or frequently as Sean 'Diddy' Combs has over the years.
The music producer, who is set to stand trial today (5 May) on charges of sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution, faces life behind bars if found guilty for these crimes.
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Diddy has pleaded not guilty, with his repeated attempts at bail being turned down.
He has allegedly abused his 'power and prestige' according to a 14-page indictment, to provide drugs to sex workers at his infamous 'freak-off' parties.
It was further detailed that Diddy allegedly 'abused, threatened, and coerced women and others around him to fulfil his sexual desires, protect his reputation, and conceal his conduct' since 2008.
So while he may be in court for the next eight to 10 weeks as a jury of 12 determine whether he is guilty or innocent, how much has Eminem said about him in the last 30-or-so-years?
'F**king crazy' - 1996
In a light-hearted jab at Diddy, then known as 'Puff Daddy', and rapper Mase, Em penned: “Original Bad Boy on the case, cover your face. Came in the place blowed, and sprayed Puffy with Mase.”
'Marshall Mathers' - 2000
A year after the success of The Slim Shady LP, Eminem showed that as one of the upcoming artists in the industry, he wasn't afraid of some of the bigger names, such as Diddy.
"You little groupie b****, get off me, go f**k Puffy," he said on the title track of the The Marshall Mathers LP.
'I’m Back' - 2000
Eminem name-dropped Diddy again on the 2000 album, seemingly referencing the fact that Diddy was dating Jennifer Lopez at the time, though this wouldn't stop him from trying his luck with the singer and actress.
"Cause if I ever stuck it to any singer in showbiz. It’d be Jennifer Lopez and Puffy, you know this. I’m sorry, Puff, but I don’t give a f**k."
Going into the 2010s and 2020s though, Eminem seemed to adopt a more serious tone when it came to his disses at the 55-year-old.
'Killshot' - 2018
You may remember Eminem's beef with Machine Gun Kelly back in 2018, which he all but won with this track.
However, he managed to fire a shot at Diddy among the onslaught at MGK, saying: “Kells, the day you put out a hit is the day Diddy admits that he put the hit out that got Pac killed."
However, Em ended the song by saying: "I’m just playing, Diddy, you know I love you."
It may have been him acknowledging that he was joking, as Diddy and the East Coast had a well-documented beef in the 1990s with rappers from the West Coast, including the likes of Tupac and Suge Knight.
'Godzilla' - 2020
In this Music to Be Murdered By track, Mathers raps: “They call me Diddy because I make bands, and I call getting cheese a cakewalk.”
This was in reference to the record executive's MTV reality TV show from the early 2000s, called Making The Band.
In the show, aspiring artists would compete to be the next big group on Diddy's label, though one episode saw the producer ask group members to walk six miles across Brooklyn Bridge to get a slice of cheesecake for him to enjoy.
It's safe to say that this wasn't received well, though Diddy said he wanted to test their resilience.
In true Eminem fashion though, his latest album, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce), seemed to bring up the charges and legal troubles that Diddy was facing.
'Fuel' - 2024
He said: “Notorious B.I.G.’s death was the domino effect of 2Pac’s murder, like facial tissue, whose clock should I clean next? Puff’s?
“Til he’s in police handcuffs, guilty, will he step up?"
Later in the song, he added: “A R-A-P-E-R. Got so many S-As, S-As. Wait, he didn't just spell RAPPER and leave out a P, did he?…”
The 'did he' does sound a bit like 'Diddy', and comes across as less referential after the charges brought to the producer.
'Antichrist' - 2024
This one hit a bit close to home, as he referenced the shocking surveillance footage of Diddy hitting his then-partner Cassie, as well as the SA allegations that were brought against the record executive.
“Next idiot ask me is getting his ass beat worse than Diddy did — But on the real, though, she probably ran out the room with his f**king dildo,” Eminem rapped.
What charges is Diddy facing?
The 55-year-old has been hit with three charges by the Southern District of New York (SDNY) in a 14-page legal indictment.
These are:
- Racketeering conspiracy
- Sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion
- Transportation to engage in prostitution
Both racketeering and sex trafficking carry a maximum sentence of life in prison, with the latter having a mandatory minimum of 15 years.
Will Diddy’s trial be televised?
Diddy's trial will not be televised as he is facing federal criminal charges, which means that the presence of 'electronic media' is banned in the court room, as stated by a 1946 law.
Under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, photographs and broadcasting from the courtroom is prohibited in a federal criminal trial.
Topics: Eminem, Diddy, Music, Celebrity News
Joshua Nair