Eminem's current feud with Machine Gun Kelly has created several headlines over the last few weeks, but it's just the latest in a long list of his beefs.
The 'Kill You' hitmaker is renowned for dropping famous names and pop culture references into his lyrics - often mocking them - and to recount every single one would be a nigh impossible task.
But he's also known for unleashing entire tracks aimed at just one enemy in a form of musical warfare that's almost entirely exclusive to hip-hop.
Here's my take on the top ten most brutal Eminem diss tracks. Be warned: most of the videos linked to below contain offensive language.
The Warning
Why Mariah Carey thought it was a good idea to mock Eminem in song when their relationship fell apart is anyone's guess. Of course, his response is ridiculously over-the-top. In the lyrics he goes into graphic detail about their sexual encounters, admitting he was embarrassing himself as well as her in doing so. He portrays Mariah as an alcoholic psycho and warns that if she continued the feud, he would release photos and voicemails that she definitely wouldn't want released.
2017 BET Cypher
Back in 2004, Eminem and Donald Trump seemed like they were friends. They certainly don't seem that way now. The rapper has harsh words for the current US president on his recent albums Revival and Kamikaze, but he truly went full-bore on the controversial leader and his fans first in this acapella. It turned out a lot of Eminem fans were also Trump fans and they didn't take kindly to just how nasty this cypher got.
Nail in the Coffin
Benzino first dissed Eminem in a freestyle on a radio station, which led to the 'My Name Is' rapper replying in two tracks. 'Nail in the Coffin' is the last. He mocks Benzino as a has-been who never really made it, calls out his dubious gang-related background and criticises his alleged two-faced behaviour in the industry. The lyrics include: "You're broke as f**k, you suck, you're a f**kin' joke / If you slew some crack, you'd make a lot more money than you do from rap."
Girls
They were friends for a while and even toured together, but Eminem and Limp Bizkit sure did fall out. Bitterly. The 'Nookie' hitmakers made comments that supported the 'Not Afraid' rapper's rival Everlast, triggering him to hit back with 'Girls'. He singles out DJ Lethal, in particular, who he appears to threaten with a fatal beating in the lyrics. Eminem also labels Limp Bizkit "sissies", "pussies" and "bitches" in the track.
Hail Mary
This is said by XXL to be revered as one of the hardest-hitting diss tracks of all time. In it, Eminem, 50 Cent and Busta Rhymes take turns at devastating Ja Rule's street cred and mocking his perceived imitating of Tupac. Eminem portrays Ja Rule as a drug-addicted fake gangster whose brain has turned to mush from ecstasy use, and who is a "pussy" rather than a killer, as he claims.
Cleanin' Out My Closet
In the lyrics of this very song, Eminem says it's not a diss track - but it's maybe the most brutal track he's ever released. It's aimed at his own mother, Debbie, who says in her autobiography that she "can't listen to it without sobbing". The lyrics are deeply personal and portray Debbie as a drug-abusing, neglectful and verbally abusive mother that Eminem hopes will "burn in hell".
Fall
Eminem unleashed on several rivals on his album Kamikaze, which was released as a surprise on August 31. In 'Fall' he attacks the Grammys, Lord Jamar, Joe Budden and DJ Akademiks, but made headlines for his Tyler the Creator diss, which includes a homophobic slur. The Odd Future rapper had previously gotten along well with Eminem - he even supported him on a world tour that included New Zealand, although he was banned from actually performing here. However, Eminem hit out in 'Fall' after Tyler publically labelled a 2017 track of his "horrible".
Kim
Eminem has often used horror movie elements in his performances, including wearing a hockey mask and wielding a chainsaw onstage. 'Kim' is a disturbing horror rap song in which he depicts himself murdering his former wife, Kimberly Anne Scott. The lyrics are formed largely by what he yells at Kim before killing her, along with her panicked responses, and the actual murder itself. The track is a prequel to '97 Bonnie & Clyde', in which Eminem raps about disposing of Kim's body with their daughter, Hailie. Strictly speaking, this is not a diss track - but it's extremely savage.
Quitter
Eminem's back-and-forth battle with Everlast ended with this hate-filled track, which features D12 and is mostly set to the tune of Tupac's 'Hit 'Em Up'. The massive heart attack Everlast suffered is mercilessly mocked, as his career, age, religion, sexuality and body type. Eminem uses the lyrics to encourage fans to assault Everlast if they ever see him in public and also repeatedly states, "If you talk about my little girl in a song again, I'mma kill you."
Killshot
Earlier in his career, Eminem frequently released one-off diss tracks as singles in between albums. This month's 'Killshot' is the first in a long time and is the latest shot in his current beef with Machine Gun Kelly (MGK). It's a response to MGK's 'Rap Devil', itself a response to 'Not Alike' from Kamikaze. In 'Killshot', Eminem showcases a number of different lyrical styles to respond to all of the points MGK raised in 'Rap Devil' and knock them down one-by-one. He also savagely mocks MGK's career achievements, appearance and lyrical ability.
