Twenty-eight years ago, Eminem faced Kuniva in a rap battle on the Hip Hop Shop floor. Do you know who came out on top?
Eminem’s reputation as an absolute beast in a battle is widely known. But there are not that many people, at least compared to Em’s international audience, who had a chance to witness Eminem in full battle mode. There are some video tapes left, and to find never-before-seen footage is a gift. Also, it is rare to discover previously known footage of a better quality than what was previously available.
So now, there is a treasured opportunity to see how Eminem dealt with his opponents back in the 1990s. On February 17, 1996, Em went against Kuniva and bagged a clear victory. No hard feelings, though. Eminem signed Kuniva; they have both collaborated in D12 since then and are forever linked as veterans of the Detroit hip hop scene. Later, Kuniva wrote about this battle:
I love this battle because I lost. It made me better all around as an emcee, and I ultimately won the war because my brother thought I was dope enough to sign me and make history together
