RJ Payne shouts out Eminem in a new freestyle

RJ Payne has openly shown deep respect for Eminem’s influence and acknowledgment of his own music throughout his career. When Eminem mentioned Payne on Lil Wayne’s Young Money Radio—calling him “a f–king animal”—it became a defining moment for Payne, who even titled a project after that quote and used the interview snippet as an intro on the album He’s a F–king Animal.

In interviews, Payne has spoken about how much it meant to have someone of Eminem’s stature recognize his work, emphasizing that he respects Eminem not just for his fame but for his lyrical skill and impact on the art of rap. That co-sign pushed Payne to work even harder, reinforcing his commitment to craft and consistency in his independent path.

Payne has also shared anecdotes from early in his career about meeting Eminem and how those experiences left a lasting impression, revealing that one of his dreams as an artist is to one day collaborate with Eminem—an aspiration rooted in respect rather than rivalry.

In his latest freestyle over Snoop Dogg’s classic “Gz and Hustlas” instrumental Payne once again gave shout out to Eminem with the following lines: “Pen crazy / Most of these rappers, they been lazy, I’m a mix of a f****** M80 and Slim Shady.” You can watch the freestyle below: