The Source Digs Up Tape Of Eminem Using Racial Slurs

11.18.2003 9:07 PM EST

http://www.mtv.com/news/a...lines=true

NEW YORK — Eminem found himself on the defensive Tuesday (November 18) after The Source magazine owners Ray Benzino and Dave Mays held a press conference to play a recording of the MC delivering racial slurs.

On the first of two tracks purportedly recorded in 1993, an audibly young Slim Shady raps, "All the girls I like to bone have big butts/ No they don't, 'cause I don't like that n--- sh--/ I'm just here to make a bigger hit."
The second track featured Eminem rapping about a black girlfriend he broke up with. "Blacks and whites, they sometimes mix/ But black girls only want your money, 'cause they're dumb chicks," he rhymes. Later in the freestyle Em raps, "Never date a black girl, because blacks only want your money/ And that sh-- ain't funny."

The first track was only a few lines long, but the second track went on for several minutes with Em — seemingly rhyming off the top of his head — repeatedly saying he did not like black girls and that they were only out to get money. Both tracks sounded amateurish.

"Don't make this right now a double standard," Benzino said at the press conference. "We gotta treat this the same way you treat Mike Tyson, like you treat Kobe Bryant, like you treat R. Kelly, like you treat O.J. Simpson."
Eminem responded by insisting he isn't racist and explaining that the recording was made when he was young, foolish and angry.

"Ray Benzino, Dave Mays and The Source have had a vendetta against me, Shady Records and our artists for a long time," Eminem said in a statement. "The tape they played today was something I made out of anger, stupidity and frustration when I was a teenager. I'd just broken up with my girlfriend, who was African-American, and I reacted like the angry, stupid kid I was. I hope people will take it for the foolishness that it was, not for what somebody is trying to make it into today."

Eminem, 50 Cent and the rest of the Shady/Aftermath team have had a long-running feud with The Source, fueled by Benzino's accusations that the media operate on a double standard when it comes to the multiplatinum white MC and that an artist of color could never get away with saying some of the things Em says in his music (see "Benzino Ignites Beef By Calling Eminem '2003 Vanilla Ice'").
After their comments, Benzino and Mays refused to entertain questions about the tape and its origins. They did say they plan to include a CD of the Eminem recordings in February's issue, and they promised another press conference concerning Eminem will be held in the future, when they'll answer questions and have civic leaders and members of the hip-hop community on hand.

—Shaheem Reid

why do folks have the tendency/audacity to dredge up years-old stuff in order to tarnish the image of someone they don't like?

i don't care for eminem at all, but the shit they tried to pull on 'im is just kid stuff. total pettiness.

"Eminem responded by insisting he isn't racist and explaining that the recording was made when he was young, foolish and angry."

'nuff said. for the love of God, I've never heard racist remarks in rap music . doesn't make it right, but this is not news, and I highly doubt Em is racist.

savoirfaire said:

i'm sayin!

give me a break.. he's the top rapper right now and this is the kindof what u get.. "racial"

typical shit.. some people need to lay off..

Im not defending Eminem, but there is a lot of irony in what they stated..
[This message was edited Tue Nov 18 20:38:43 PST 2003 by Sdldawn]

from what i've heard... it goes both ways, sorry to say

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

I know you're sayin'! I was just sayin' too.

interesting article

eminem must be held accountable

4 his remarks

the hip hop nation must

come together and speak out

against ignorance and racial

slandering

sumtymes said:

ummm, like some of the new-skool hip-hop don't have ignorance and racial slandering itself already?

savoirfaire said:

I doubt if dude's racist, but I will say there is a double standard in the rap industry. Anyways if I had a list of all the rap songs that made racist comments towards whites ya'll be scrolling that page for at leat a couple hours.

sinisterpentatonic said:

Yep, U wouldnt see that in their magazine..

sumtymes said:

well, the hip hop nation better have some cough drops 'cause if they spoke out against all ignorence and racial slandering in hip hop (esp. today's) they'd be speakin longer than the duration of "bohemian rapsody"

Oh whoop de doo, Em's not racist, he just has a big mouth and poor judgment skills...at least back then - I'm sure by now he's learned to manipulate his words for maximum gain $$$

Anxiety said:

Yep, agreed

Eminem expressing racial slander against, ironically, blacks?

Not surprising.

It is often said that we immitate, sub-conciously or not, who we most despise. For one to have such strong emotion for or against a culture is destined to become an element of it.

For anyone to pigeon-hole a culture not only shows ignorance, but a certain level of self-hate. Why would one be so insecure as to not do away with unlearned thoughts on a culture and or culture other than their own?

Did he do it soley for shock value, for he is an entertainer by profession? Or is it a combonation of shock value and true feelings and emotions?

Either way it goes, these are statements of an individual who's soul is obviously tormented by past experiences most specifically dealing with his family life, according to him. An individual who blatantly disrespects his mother and those that he dis-likes for whatever reason. While I'm not saying that his actions should be disregarded completely because of this, I do believe that he should suffer some sort of reprocussion, whether it be through record sales or some other way. Surely this individual had dreams of stardom in the hip hop world (which he actively persued), despite his racial makeup which is non-black, when he stated his "emotions" through rhyme and to act as foolishly as to record these inflammatory remarks should, presumably, not go without punishment.

"Oh, I did it when I was young, foolish and angry." doesn't cut it. because he identifies most with the very culture that he spoke so negatively against in the past excuse this shit away? Nope. Time doesn't neccessarily clear slates, and as you can see, it has a way of catching up to you.

JANFAN4L said:

Umm...Mike Tyson was acussed of rape & beat his wife, Kobe is accused of rape, R. Kelly had sex with a minor, and O.J. was accused (AND quilty, IMHO) of murder. "Treat this the same way"? That's giving this a little more importance that it's worth, don't'chathink?
And it IS a double standard. let that have been a black rapper, say Nelly, who said the same thing about white girls, Source magazine wouldn't have said a damn thing.

7Shy said:

yeah...'cause we all feel the same way & have the same ideas/thoughts as we had 10 years ago.

I'm not completely dismissing the possibility that he could be a racist, but I highly doubt it


BTW: WHY did they call a press comference for this? Why could they just publish it, then take action?
[This message was edited Tue Nov 18 21:37:40 PST 2003 by lovebizzare]

i think its a valid point to make...


let everyone speak and share their opinion about the matter without dismissing their opinion...

This is so ridiculous. I'm sure if some white boy treated me like shit and then broke up with I would probably say something bad about white boys based on my feelings, but it doesn't mean I hate white people. These people hate Em so much that they want to destroy his career? Sounds like a Mariah/Tommy thing. So they're upset that a white rapper has more success than a black rapper. Being black, I understand, but are they also upset that millions of white kids are buying music of black rappers? No, they can take a white man's money, but that same white man can't join the club. Idiotic comes to mind. If this was Vanilla Ice, I'd be hatin' too, but Em is genuine

The Source Magazine and particularly rapper Benzino have been going at Eminem & aftermath records (50 Cent & dr. Dre included). Ever since they have stopped doing interviews with the Source, the magazine has had a personal vendetta towards them and every story written since has been negative including digging up former disgrunted employees to interview. Every record Benzino has made lately has something said about Eminem. I am not defending the racial remark but this is a bitch move!!

if eminem was truly racist and had such contempt for people of color, he picked a REALLY odd genre of music to get into.

this is a really cheap attempt to knock someone down out of sheer jealousy simply because they've become successful.

whats the point in encouraging people to overcome their racist views, if all youre gonna do is turn around and just dwell in their past and keep rubbing their mistakes in their faces?

It's pretty irresponsible how theyre presenting it. Instead of telling the story of someone who outgrew their racist ideas, they want to imply that he is still the same way today.
[This message was edited Tue Nov 18 22:01:41 PST 2003 by Tom]

After all of the
violently homophobic and misogynic comments
(honest and in humor)
Eminem has used to shock and gain fans,

how could another discriminatory statement from this guy
make anyone bat an eyelash?

He'd probably spit the same racist sentiment on his next record solely "to make you mad" and make himself money.

I was gonna comment on this thread, but I deczzz

Interesting.

savoirfaire said:

he is still foolish, young and angry.

lovebizzare said:

CO-SIGN.

This case reminds me of when Marky Mark (another White rapper) was accused of making racial comments and/or beating up black kids when he was younger.

What's next? Are we gonna find out that the Beastie Boys used to be KKK members?


(just joking,by the way)

JANFAN4L said:

whoa,


/
btw who in the world is benzino?!

DavidEye said:

they are really Palestinians.