Joey Bada$$ Says Eminem Is the GOAT, Picks Top Albums
The hip-hop world is buzzing after Joey Bada$$ dropped a lyrical love letter to Eminem on Shade 45 with DJ Whoo Kid.
The Brooklyn rap titan didn’t hold back, naming the Detroit legend the greatest of all time and revealing the Eminem albums that shaped his own journey in the rap game.
This moment, now trending across X, is sparking heated debates among hip-hop heads. Joey, a cornerstone of modern boom-bap, got real about Eminem’s influence.
“Infinite, that right there, had me in a cobra clutch when I was coming up. Infinite and The Slim Shady LP, those are my favorite bodies of work from Em.”
Naming Infinite, Eminem’s 1996 indie debut, caught fans off guard. It’s a raw, lyrical gem often eclipsed by Em’s later hits, but for Joey, it was a game-changer. He elaborated:
“That one had me in the clutch when I was coming out, at 17-18.”
As a young MC grinding in New York’s competitive rap scene, Joey found inspiration in Infinite’s intricate rhymes and hungry energy.
He also gave a shoutout to The Slim Shady LP, the 1999 classic that unleashed Eminem’s wild alter ego and redefined hip-hop with its provocative storytelling.
Joey’s praise didn’t stop at albums. He went full freestyle mode, cementing Eminem’s legacy.
“Shout out to Em, man. Listen, that’s a GOAT. That’s a Rap God right there, you know what I’m saying? So, salute!”
Joey Bada$$ Praises Eminem, Lists Top Albums:
“Shout out to Eminem, that’s the Goat that’s the Rap God right there” – Joey Badass on Shade45! @DJWhooKid ! pic.twitter.com/nbAIcW7Ma1
— Sona (@SonaShady8) September 13, 2025
In a hip-hop culture where GOAT debates light up X threads and podcasts, Joey’s endorsement carries weight, especially from an artist known for his lyrical depth. Joey’s love for Infinite resonates with purists.
Pre-Dre, it’s Eminem at his rawest, spitting complex bars over gritty beats. For a teenaged Joey, it was a blueprint for crafting authentic rap.
The Slim Shady LP, meanwhile, brought Em’s unhinged genius to the masses, blending shock rap with technical brilliance on tracks like “Stan” and “Brain Damage.”
Fans on X are dissecting Joey’s choices. Some call Infinite a slept-on masterpiece, while others hail Slim Shady as a cultural tsunami.
The rap blogosphere is ablaze, with threads breaking down Eminem’s impact on lyricists like Joey.
Could this spark a Joey-Eminem collab? Fans are hyping the idea of a boom-bap banger with Shady’s razor-sharp flow.
For now, Joey’s Shade 45 moment is a nod to rap’s enduring legacy. Catch the full interview on SiriusXM’s Shade 45 archives, and join the GOAT debate on X. Is Eminem the Rap God? Joey Bada$$ says it loud and clear.
