Awesome Dre, who is considered the first major artist to emerge from the Motor City and has influenced nearly every rap act from Detroit, all over the Midwest and beyond, has recently sat down with Kid L for an interview where he talked about Eminem shouting him out during his acceptance speech at the 2022 Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame.
Kid L: One of the last times that I’ve heard your name on mainstream media Eminem was at Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame, giving a speech and he shouted you out when he was listing all of his influences and inspirations, he mentioned Awesome Dre, which was insane right? Did you get to watch that live?
Awesome Dre: Nah, I didn’t see it on live but I was informed about it. He also mentioned our brother Merciless Ameer too you know. He came out at the time we came out too. So yeah, that was the s–t! Hell yeah!
Kid L: When you look at Eminem as an MC to MC type thing, it’s a cool to you but not as like stars-truck as most people would be?
Awesome Dre: Yeah, that’s the s–t. I mean, that motherf–ker who sold more records than anybody else in the world say that you was one of their influences that means I helped that moterf–ker sell all that [Laughs], more records than anybody else in the world. He listed a lot of motherf–kers man.”
Eminem at 2022 Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame: “I’m gonna start with the 2 Live Crew, 2Pac, 3rd Bass, Alliance, Apache, Audio Two — Milk Dee, what up! — Awesome Dre, the Beastie Boys, Big Daddy Kane, Big Pun, Big L, Biz Markie, the Notorious B.I.G. of course, Black Moon, the Boogie Monsters, Brand Nubian, Brother J from X Clan, Buckshot, Casual from Heiroglyphics, Chill Rob G, Chubb Rock, Chuck D and Public Enemy, Cypress Hill, D-Nice, Dana Dane, De La Soul — now I’m about a third of the way done.”
“De La Soul, did I say De La Soul? Def Jef, Del the Funky Homosapien, DJ Quik, Dr. Dre of course, Dres from Black Sheep, Ed O.G., EPMD, Fat Boys, Fat Joe, Fu-Schnickens, Gang Starr, Geto Boys, Heavy D, House of Pain, Ice Cube, Ice-T, the Intelligent Hoodlum, JJ Fad, Jaz-O, Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, Just Ice, K-Solo, Kid & Play: I’m a tenth of the way done.”
“King Sun, King Tee, Kool G Rap, Kool Moe Dee, KRS-One, Kwame, Lakim Shabazz, Large Professor, Leaders of the New School, the one and only LL Cool J — love you bro. Lord Finesse, Lords of the Underground, Mantronix, Masta Ace, MC Breed, MC Lyte, MC Shan, Melle Mel, Merciless Ameer, Mobb Deep, Monie Love, Nas, Newcleus, Onyx, Organized Konfusion, Outkast, Andre 3000, Paris, Pharcyde, Queen Latifah, Rakim, Redhead Kingpin, Pete Rock and CL Smooth, I’m almost done.”
“Redman, Roxanne Shante, Run-D.M.C., Salt-N-Pepa, Slick Rick and Doug E. Fresh, Snoop Dogg, Souls of Mischief, Special Ed, Stetsasonic, now I’m all down to the S’s. Super Lover Cee and Casanova Rud, the D.O.C., the Roots, Black Thought, the Skinny Boys, Tony D, Too $hort, Treach from Naughty By Nature, A Tribe Called Quest, U.T.F.O., Whodini, Wise Intelligent and the Poor Righteous Teachers, Wu-Tang Clan and YZ.”
“Those were my rock stars man, and I just want to say, like, those are just a few of the names that I hope will be considered in the future for induction. Because without them, a lot of us wouldn’t be here. I know I wouldn’t.”
Watch the new interview below:
