The hip-hop industry is filled the thousands of rappers who have proved their excellence with their talent and skills that captivated the world. When it comes to the pioneers, no one can take the place of Tupac, Biggie, Nas, and others who paved the way for others. However, there are some G.O.A.T rappers who made sure to take hip-hop to an international level where people from every country can vibe with it, and Jay-Z and Eminem are the top of them.
While these two rappers have collaborated, the rivalry among these two hip-hop artists is also quite strong. As a result, Eminem vs. Jay-Z is always a part of a heated debate among hip-hop enthusiasts. It goes without saying that Jay Z is the richest hip-hop artist around the globe with a net worth of $2.5 billion whereas Eminem is around $250 million only. However, it is not the musical craft but the business mind that helped Jay-Z earn more with his diversified investment projects like the Tidal or the production house of Roc Nation. While both of them are considered the living legends of hip-hop, it seems Eminem is a better rapper and Jay-Z is a better businessman. Let’s have a clearer view with a comparative discussion.
Background & Breakthrough
Both of the rappers grew up in a difficult environment but reached the top of success with nothing but their immense passion for hip-hop. However, broken homes and struggles are the biggest ingredients that offer perseverance and resilience. Both Eminem and Jay-Z started their musical careers as lyricists who focused on their lyrical game and wordplay to offer something great and unique to the listeners.
Jay-Z’s first solo album was released back in 1996 when he used to rap about gang violence in Brooklyn. The cocky attitude and swagger in rap included which easily captured the fans. ‘Reasonable Doubt’, the studio album by Jay-Z sold more than 2.5 million albums. Eminem on the other hand, started his rap career in Detroit City which is the epitome of most American music artists including rappers. ‘8 Mile’ offered a perfect representation of Eminem’s life. His first solo album was ‘Infinite’ which was released in 1996 but it did not receive much attention. However, his never-ending run on the Rap Olympics put him back on track and he came back like a powerful monster in ‘The Slim Shady LP’, released in 1999.
Selling Records
Eminem has an incredible hold over his hip-hop skills and the rapper has significantly sold more records than Jay-Z. Till now, Jay-Z has sold a sum of $51 million in albums which also includes his collaboration with Linkin Park in 2004 which helped him earn $3.5 million more. However, Eminem has single-handedly sold $165 million in albums which does not even include his work with the D12 gang which helped him earn $8.3 million more. Eminem sold 7 albums that outsold Jay-Z’s top-selling albums. While the business is going on, Jay-Z has been more consistent throughout his career but Eminem was having a hard time with his issues, mental health, and drug addiction. Yet, Eminem managed to establish the biggest fanbase in hip-hop, who are known as stans. Jay-Z slowly stepped out from making their own music to help in production for other rappers and become one of the most successful business people in the music industry along with his partner Beyonce.
Rapping & Rhyming
It goes without saying that Eminem is the real G.O.A.T of the hip-hop industry who broke all the barriers of discrimination. He is a white rapper who can rap better than most black rappers, and that is agreed by most rappers. He is phonetically sound and has a strong vocabulary which allows him to keep the right rhythmic and lyrical balance. His lyrical prowess and the style of story-telling make his track highly captivating for everyone. Eminem has an incredible flow and his twisted words clearly display his high-octane skills, talent, passion, and consistency in his craft. Clearly, he is a better rapper.
The debate of Eminem vs. Jay-Z can go on with many other aspects. However, it is evident that Eminem truly loves rapping and enjoys the creative process, which makes him a far better rapper than business mogul Jay-Z.
