Young Zee claims he is responsible for Eminem’s skillset

Young Zee, a key member of the hip-hop group Outsidaz, has recently declared his pivotal role in shaping Eminem’s high level rapping skills. During a recent interview with Off the Cuff Radio, the New Jersey hip-hop artist described his mentorship of Slim Shady in the late 90s, claiming to have played a significant part in the birth of Marshall Mather’s extraordinary rapping abilities.

In the interview, Young Zee shared a conversation with hip-hop legend KRS-One, who, acknowledging Eminem as a rap god, posed the question. “You can’t just call KRS-One and tell him ‘yo let me get on your album,’ you can’t call Eminem and be like ‘let me get on your album’. He gonna be like ‘who the f–k is you.’ But these rappers called me. KRS-One called me, Eminem called me. Redman called me. Masta Ace called me. All these rappers called me to be on their s–t. That must mean something. KRS-One told me if Eminem is a god of rap what does that make you?’ Basically it’s true.” said Young Zee.

Then he continued: “When I was f**king with Eminem… First of all, he was just a little fat white kid. I started working with him. He was rhyming, of course. But when he came to Jersey and stayed at my house, we started perfecting his skills. So basically, I birthed his new skills. And so, that’s why KRS-One said that to me. Nobody can’t take that away. They try and hide the files, but they can’t take it away. I was there.”

Eminem shouts out the Outsidaz at the end of the song “Just Don’t Give a F–k”, in the beginning of “Cum On Everybody”, and in the songs “As the World Turns” and “I’m Shady”, all of which were released on his major-label solo debut The Slim Shady LP. He also acknowledges them in a track titled “Till Hell Freezes Over” which was intended to be on the album.

A rift developed between Eminem and Tha Outsidaz when Young Zee and Pace Won each recorded verses alongside Bizarre for the ‘Amityville’ track on Eminem’s major label sophomore, The Marshall Mathers LP. Dr. Dre complained that Eminem had too many guests on the album, so Pace Won and Young Zee’s verses were removed from the track. In a 2015 interview, Pace Won indicated that the original version of the track was probably permanently erased. In 2014, Eminem’s Shady Records label released Shady XV, a compilation album which featured a track titled, “Fine Line” by Eminem. On the song, he performs a verse showing his appreciation for the group (specifically Pacewon and Young Zee).

You can listen to the new interview below: