Big Daddy Kane explained why Eminem’s honesty about his roots makes him one of the most respected MCs in the game.

Hip hop legend Big Daddy Kane joined Shannon Sharpe on Club Shay Shay for a deep dive into his 40-year career, and when the topic turned to Eminem, Kane didn’t hold back on the respect.

Kane called Em “a student of the game”, revealing that Marshall, when filmed for Kane’s documentary, pointed out a stylistic detail in Kane’s own raps that he had never even noticed himself. “He’s that deep in it”, Kane said, emphasising how seriously Eminem studies the craft.

Beyond lyricism, Kane praised Eminem’s authenticity. Just as N.W.A. brought listeners into Compton and the Geto Boys described Houston’s wards, Em opened the door to his own world: the trailer parks of Detroit. Kane said:

Eminem talked about his hood, talked about 8 Mile, but he was not talking about the projects in Detroit. He’s talking about trailer park stuff. He’s talking about white hood shit. I thought that was just so dope. Because this is white ghetto stuff that we’re learning about now. This is so dope. I respect him for that because he wasn’t trying to pretend to be something he wasn’t. He talked about his hood. Where he grew up at, his life experiences. So, I have a lot of respect for him.

When asked what Eminem got right that Vanilla Ice didn’t, Kane kept it simple: “That last part I said”. He acknowledged Vanilla’s tremendous success that came despite the lack of authenticity. But when it comes to Eminem, Big Daddy Kane knows when the story rings true, and this is what counts in the end of the day.