Eminem remembers DMX, MF DOOM, Prince Markie Dee, and more rap legends in a new collaboration with Nas.
The Detroit Rapper has always shown gratitude to Hip Hop’s forefathers and architects, and his appearance on Nas’ new King’s Disease II tune “EPMD 2,” which features EPMD’s Erick Sermon and Parish Smith, is no exception. After touching rhymes from Nas and EPMD, Eminem takes the stage to pay tribute to some of hip hop’s most influential musicians, including DMX, The Fat Boys’ Prince Markie Dee, MF DOOM, and Whodini’s John “Ecstasy” Fletcher.
Earlier tonight, Nas dropped his brand new album “King’s Disease II“, a sequel to his last year’s project, with production from Hit-Boy. After a long wait, fans’ wish finally came true when Nas finally collaborated with Eminem on the track called “EPMD 2” which also featured EPMD. However, The Detroit Rapper has previously contributed as a producer on Nas’ sixth studio album “God’s Son” in 2002, this is the first time the two legends rap on the same joint. In the new verse, Eminem as always pays homage to hip-hop legends, including recently passed away DMX, Prince Markie Dee, MF DOOM, and more.
Nas’s 15th top 10 entry on the list, King’s Disease II debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200, making it his highest-charting album in nine years. A total of 56,000 album-equivalent units were sold during the album’s first week of release, and it debuted at the top of the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and US Top Rap Albums lists. The first week sales of King’s Disease II were higher than those of the first, which sold over 47,000 copies and debuted at number five on the Billboard 200. It did well abroad as well, peaking in the top 10 in Canada and Switzerland, where it became Nas’ highest-charting album.
“R.I.P. out to DMX, geez louise, and MC Ecstasy
And Prince Markie Dee, MF DOOM, I hit 50 via text
Told him that I love him ’cause I don’t even know when I’ma see him next,” raps Eminem.
All of the performers named by Eminem died within the last year. MF DOOM died of an unknown reason in October 2020, Ecstasy died in December 2020, Prince Markie Dee died of congestive heart failure in February, and DMX died of a heart attack caused by a heroin overdose in April. Shock G, a founder of the Digital Underground, and Black Rob, a former Bad Boy Records artist, died not long after DMX, as did Blackalicious MC Gift of Gab and the adorable Biz Markie.
DMX was hospitalized due to a cocaine-induced heart attack in April and died of multiple organ failure a week later. John Fletcher, who’s known as Ecstasy of the hip-hop group Whodini, was passed away in December. In December 2020, the wife of Daniel Dumile aka MF Doom announced that he had died on October 31st. And prince Markie Dee, a member of the Hip-Hop trio the Fat Boys, was died on February 18th, 2021, a day before his 53rd birthday. At that time, Eminem also pays tribute to Markie Dee through Twitter.
“So sad 2 hear of the legendary @PrinceMarkieDee of the Fat Boys’ passing. One of my childhood idols & favorite mc’s of all time. Left us way 2 soon. He will truly be missed,” Eminem wrote.
However, Eminem doesn’t mention the legendary Biz Markie, probably because he recorded the verse before Markie’s death, which happened on 16th July. Watch a Rare Footage of Biz Markie Surprising Slim Shady on His 26th Birthday.
Unlike Kanye West’s Donda, Nas’ King Disease II was released on time at midnight EST. In addition to Eminem and EPMD, the 15-track follow-up to the Grammy Award-winning King’s Disease contains Lauryn Hill, Charlie Wilson, and Hit-Boy.
Check out the new Eminem verse below.
