In a preview for his upcoming appearance on the Uproxx show Fresh Pair, The Game explained why he challenged Eminem on the Drink Champs podcast last month.
“I’ve always told myself that ‘you are the best rapper,’” The Game said while talking about comparisons between the late Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. “Everything that we do, if you’re doing it on this level that we’re doing it at, is some type of competition. Usain Bolt ain’t running around the track by himself in the Olympics. It’s n****s trying to beat him and he’s trying to beat somebody.”
When Just Blaze asked why he was specifically targeting Eminem, The Game said it was because his longtime rival 50 Cent “can’t rap,” so he needed to turn his attention to someone better. “When it comes to rap, he can’t out-rap me,” he said of 50. “Your buddy can rap though, and nobody takes shots at Eminem off this preconceived notion that he’s better than everybody. Well, I want action and I want it today.”
The Game acknowledged on the Drink Champs podcast that there are people who consider Eminem to be better than him, but he’s not one of them. “I also gave [Eminem] his props in the same accord. As far as being better than me, nah,” he said. “Eminem is not better than me. Bro, I’m better than him. I said it again and I’ll keep saying it again, bro. It is what it is.”
The Game has since taken a subtle jab at Eminem by calling the Detroit rapper’s album sales into question. Last week, Wack 100 claimed Game is sitting on a diss track directed at Em, adding that Slim Shady “better be ready.”
Last week, Game dismissed the belief that 50 Cent put him on. “A lot of people like, ‘N***a, 50 put you on.’ No, 50 did not put me on,” he said while talking to Fat Joe. “People don’t understand that. At that time in L.A., I was it. I was the n***a. That’s why Jimmy [Iovine] took me, and told 50 he was putting me in G-Unit.”