Kanye West Wanted Eminem On Hit-Boy’s “Grindin’ My Whole Life”

In a candid sit-down on Go with Elmo Lovano, Grammy-winning producer Hit-Boy opened up about a pivotal moment early in his career involving Kanye West. He recalled playing his 2013 album material for West, who immediately set his sights on the track “Grindin’ My Whole Life.”

According to Hit-Boy, the studio session took an unexpected turn when West insisted on taking the song for his own project. “I had made an album and ‘Grindin’ My Whole Life’ was on the album and I went to play the album for Kanye. It was 2013. And he was like ‘I like this song! You should let me get the song.’ I’m like, ‘You could take the beat and do your version.’ He was like ‘I want to put 2 Chainz and Eminem.’ So, I told him to do his own version and he was like ‘alright, cool.'”

The negotiation quickly escalated into a high-stakes ultimatum the following day. “Next day, he emailed me and was like ‘If you don’t give me this song, we not working no more.’ And I had to make a decision as a man and I just passed on it.”

For hip-hop fans, that decision leaves behind one of the culture’s greatest lost collaborations. The prospect of Kanye West, Eminem, and 2 Chainz sharing the same beat at that era of their careers would have been an absolute moment, making it bittersweet that the world never got to hear what could have been a legendary track. Watch the interview and listen to ‘Grindin’ My Whole Life’ below:

Eminem Kanye West