Illmaculate Describes Eminem's Impact On Battle Rap

Speaking exclusively with Battle Rap, battler and Sandpeople emcee Illmaculate explained the effect Eminem has had on battle culture.

“I think Eminem kind of put Battle Rap on a stage that it had never seen,” he said. “When 8 Mile dropped and everything, you had five million battle emcees that just came out the wood-work. Like, ‘Oh, I battle rap now. I just got back from the theatre. I battle rap now.’ It put it in homes across America and it made it not so much a cult thing, like a cult following or niche marketing. It kind of put it out there to a larger audience. Even to this day, when I tell people who maybe might not have any involvement in Hip Hop or battle culture in general, like, ‘Oh I battle,’ [they’ll say], ‘Oh, like Eminem? Like 8 Mile?’ You know what I mean? That’s your average person’s first connection. That alone speaks volumes for his contribution to Battle Rap and where he’s put the pedestal.”

More recently, Eminem backed the launch of the new Total Slaughter battle league and affiliated Road To Total Slaughter TV series. The league’s first event is scheduled to take place this Saturday (July 12) and will feature a battle between Joe Budden and Hollow Da Don as well as a rematch between rappers Loaded Lux and Murda Mook.

Watch the interview below.