It's onerous to not be “Obsessed” with Eminem and Mariah Carey's long-standing feud.
Though the 2 artists have every discovered big success within the music business, the rapper and the “Fantasy” singer struggled to place their feelings apart and make peace after Eminem claimed that they dated.
“I don't wish to say something disrespectful as a result of I respect her as a singer, however on the entire private degree, I'm probably not feeling it. I simply don't like her as an individual,” Eminem instructed Rolling Stone in 2002. “I gotta be trustworthy; I realized a lesson from it: Don't consider the hype. I've respect for her, however she doesn't actually have all of it collectively. I'll simply say that and that she's a gorgeous girl.”
From Carey's perspective, she by no means had a romantic relationship with Eminem. As a substitute, the singer solely considered their brief bond as skilled.
Over time, this feud has encompassed every little thing from diss tracks to shady interviews. Issues didn't get any higher when Carey debuted “Obsessed” from Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel — after which dressed up as a person resembling Eminem within the track's official music video
Fifteen years after the discharge of Memoirs, Us Weekly is taking a visit down reminiscence lane and searching again on this unpredictable feud:
2001
Eminem 2172147365 DETROIT, MICHIGAN – JUNE 06: Eminem performs at Dwell from Detroit: The Live performance at Michigan Central” on June 06, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan. (Picture by Scott Legato/Getty Photographs
As Eminem was on the prime of his profession, Carey wished to see if he would assist along with her Charmbracelet album. In accordance with Eminem, a romantic relationship shaped and lasted for a number of months. Carey, nonetheless, mentioned it was purely skilled.
Could 2002
Whereas listening to Eminem's album The Eminem Present, viewers took discover of the rapper's shout-out to Carey on the track “Superman.”
“What you making an attempt be? My new spouse?” he rapped on the monitor. “What, you Mariah? Fly via twice.” In a separate track titled “When the Music Stops,” Eminem mentioned, “What the f— you're taking me for, a joke? You smoking crack? ‘Fore I try this, I'd beg Mariah to take me again.”
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December 2002
On her album Charmbracelet, Carey seemingly addressed her relationship with Eminem within the track titled “Clown.”
“It is best to've by no means intimated we have been lovers,” she sang, “when you recognize very properly we by no means even touched one another.”
In a separate interview with Larry King, Carey clarified how shut she bought to the rapper. “I frolicked with him, I spoke to him on the telephone. I believe I used to be most likely with him a complete of 4 instances,” she mentioned. “And I don't take into account that relationship anyone.”
2003
The New York Publish reported that Eminem saved a number of “lengthy, gushy” voicemails from Carey that he might use in a track. In response to the rumors, Carey instructed the publication, “I don't know what the hell he's doing. It's a little bit extreme. Doesn't it appear a little bit bit girly? Like we're in a catfight.”
2006
In his track “Jimmy Crack Corn,” Eminem reigned his feud with Carey. “Your thoughts's on us like mine's on Mariah,” he rapped. “And y'all are identical to her, you're all f—ing liars.” Later that 12 months, he reportedly went on Shade 45 radio and mentioned he was in a relationship with the singer for about seven months.
“I wasn't actually into what she was into; our personalities collided,” he mentioned. “She's a diva, and I'm a little bit extra common, I assume.”
2009
Nick Cannon and Mariah Carey Larry Busacca/WireImage)
Nick Cannon has entered the chat! In his track “Bagpipes From Baghdad,” Eminem selected to highlight each Carey and her then-partner. “Mariah, no matter occurred to us? / Why did we've to interrupt up?” he rapped. “Nick Cannon, you prick, I want you luck with the f—in' whore.”
Cannon was not impressed with Eminem's track and selected to hold forth in a weblog publish. “I believed we bought previous the times the place white males might spew vulgar obscenities at our stunning queens and get away with it,” he wrote in a since-deleted letter. “So, Miss Marshall, I'm going to make you would like you by no means spoke my title and remorse the ungodly belongings you mentioned about my spouse.”
A number of diss tracks adopted, with Carey dropping “Obsessed” and Eminem releasing “The Warning.” (For the “Obsessed” video, Carey famously wearing drag as a person who appeared lots like Eminem.)
2010
In an interview with Vibe magazine, Eminem confirmed indicators of wanting to maneuver on from the feud. “I actually don't wish to speak about her anymore,” he instructed the publication. “I don't wish to preserve beating a lifeless horse. I'm not even going to remark about it. I'm performed with that complete scenario. I mentioned what I needed to say. I'm performed.”
2016
Mariah Carey Denise Truscello/Getty Photographs for Dwell Nation
After Cannon finalized his divorce from Carey after six years of marriage, the previous America's Acquired Expertise host determined to replicate on why he bought concerned within the Eminem saga. “The way in which the Eminem factor began was that I by no means had a difficulty with him,” he said on DX Information. “If something, I've been one among his greatest followers, however when one other man crosses a line of disrespect, then you definately bought to take care of it.”
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2019
Whereas showing on T.I.'s “ExpediTlously” podcast, Cannon revealed that Eminem had apologized. Issues took a flip, nonetheless, when Eminem appeared on Fats Joe's single “Lord Above.” Throughout his portion of the track, the star referred to as Carey a “nut job.”
2020
After Carey launched her memoir, The Which means of Mariah Carey, readers found Eminem was not talked about. When requested why he didn't make the ultimate pages, she defined to Variety: “There [are] some songs that I can sing in response to that, however I cannot do it. … If anyone or one thing didn't pertain to the precise that means of Mariah Carey, as is the title, then they aren't within the e book.”
June 2025
Throughout a June 2025 episode of the “TFU” podcast, music producer Damion “Damizza” Younger, who began working with Carey in 1988, mentioned that he launched the singer to Eminem. Younger recalled Eminem eager to solid Carey in his 2002 movie 8 Mile — however the rapper wished the “All I Need for Christmas Is You” hitmaker, who's 4 years older than him, to play his character's mom.
“She didn't like that s*** in any respect. Her insecurities kicked in large time,” Younger claimed.
Younger mentioned he warned Eminem in opposition to providing the half to Carey.
“Don't do that. I do know the place you're going with this,” he recalled telling the “Houdini” rapper. “I'm managing this lady, and it's gonna trigger me an issue. … If I don't say one thing after which it comes one other route within the enterprise or one thing, then I'm the unhealthy man.”
The function in the end went to Kim Basinger, who is nineteen years older than Eminem.
October 2025
Mariah Carey Charles Sykes/Bravo
Throughout an look on Watch What Occurs With Dwell Andy Cohen, host Andy Cohen introduced up Younger's earlier claims that Eminem requested Carey to play his mother in his autobiographical drama 8 Mile.
“From what I heard, there may be fact to that, however I don't assume that he really…” Carey defined. “Properly, who is aware of who approached who?”
When Cohen asked whether or not that ignited the feud, Carey couldn't fully verify or deny.
“No. Perhaps. It relies upon what he's pondering,” she mentioned on the October 1 episode. “I actually don't care. No matter he's mentioned, then I'm that, fantastic. Probably not, however that's a rap lyric.”
