Not Alike
by Eminem (featuring Royce da 5'9")

Album: Kamikaze (2018)
Charted: 24
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song is a continuation of Kamikaze's main theme in which Eminem disses contemporary rappers who he considers to be wack and "not like" him. The beat-switching track, overseen by Ronny J and Tay Keith uses two different instrumentations to emphasize Em's point.

    Tay Keith's bombastic trap beat interpolates one of his other instrumentations - Drake and Blocboy JB's "Look Alive," which is a prime example of the common trap beats popular in 2018.

    Ronny J's instrumentation is similar to the type of beats used by mumble and trap rappers like Migos. In fact during the entire Eminem seems to be utilizing a mocking imitation of Offset's flow and rhyme scheme on Migos' single "Bad and Boujee." By rapping random totally unconnected words, The Detroit MC is parodying the Atlanta trio's style.
  • The song features a guest verse by Em's Bad Meets Evil partner Royce da 5'9, who is a member of Slaughterhouse, too. The pair both grew up in Detroit and were mutual friends of the late rapper Proof.
  • Eminem spends much of his second verse insulting Machine Gun Kelly, telling him that he is just "a wannabe gunna." Their beef dates back to 2012, when MGK annoyed Em by tweeting that his daughter, Hailie, was "hot as f--k." More recently MGK subliminally Em when he was featured on Tech N9ne's single "No Reason (The Mosh Pit Song)" and the Detroit rapper references this.

    But next time you don't gotta use Tech N9ne
    If you wanna come at me with a sub, Machine Gun


    MGK returned fire with a scorching diss track "Rap Devil" in which he accuses the Detroit MC for, as he sees it, trying to sabotage his career. The title is a play on Eminem's 2013 hit "Rap God."
  • A number of listeners noted the likeness between this song and "Hi Bich," the 2017 single by viral star Bhad Bhabie. Fans accused Eminem of "ripping off" the teenage rapper (real name Danielle Bregoli) who became an internet sensation following her enraged performance on a 2016 episode of Dr. Phil.

    Responding to the claims, Bhabie said: "I'll take that as a compliment."
  • Speaking with journalist and radio anchor Sway Calloway, Eminem explained that the reason he took aim at MGK in this song was because the Cleveland rapper claimed that the Detroit MC was trying to hinder his career by banning him from his music channel Shade 45.

    "The reason that I dissed him is because he got on - first he said, 'I'm the greatest rapper alive since my favorite rapper banned me from Shade 45,' or whatever he said, right? Like I'm trying to hinder his career," Eminem told Sway.

    Em added that he couldn't care less about Kelly's career. "You know how many f---in' rappers that are better than you? You're not even in the f---in' conversation."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Early Days of MTV

Early Days of MTVFact or Fiction

If you can recall the days when MTV played videos, you know that there are lots of stories to tell. See if you can spot the real ones.

Songs Discussed in Movies

Songs Discussed in MoviesSong Writing

Bridesmaids, Reservoir Dogs, Willy Wonka - just a few of the flicks where characters discuss specific songs, sometimes as a prelude to murder.

Rufus Wainwright

Rufus WainwrightSongwriter Interviews

Rufus Wainwright on "Hallelujah," his album Unfollow The Rules, and getting into his "lyric trance" on 12-hour walks.

David Sancious

David SanciousSongwriter Interviews

Keyboard great David Sancious talks about his work with Sting, Seal, Springsteen, Clapton and Aretha, and explains what quantum physics has to do with making music.

Frankie Valli

Frankie ValliSong Writing

An interview with Frankie Valli, who talks about why his songs - both solo and with The Four Seasons - have endured, and reflects on his time as Rusty Millio on The Sopranos.

Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: '80s Edition

Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: '80s EditionMusic Quiz

You know the scenes - Tom Cruise in his own pants-off dance off, Molly Ringwald celebrating her birthday - but do you remember what song is playing?