Unraveling the Feud Between Will Smith and Eminem

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The saga began to take shape at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards when Will Smith secured the Best Male Video award, prevailing over Eminem's breakout hit.

Transcript

00:00 The entertainment industry is rift with unexpected rivalries,

00:04 and the clash between Will Smith and Eminem remains a puzzling but fascinating chapter.

00:09 What began as a seemingly inoffensive awards show movement in 1999

00:14 escalated into a feud that simmered for years, punctuated by wheeljabs and lyrical snipes.

00:20 The MTV VMAs showdown 1999

00:25 The MTV Video Music Awards of 1999 etched the first strokes of this ongoing saga,

00:32 where Smith clinched the Best Male Video Award,

00:35 triumphing over Eminem's breakthrough hit "My Name Is".

00:39 Smith's acceptance speech struck a chord when he highlighted his success

00:44 without resorting to explicit language in his music,

00:47 which Eminem perceived as a slide directed at his own lyricism.

00:53 Eminem's Retaliation 2000

00:56 The subsequent years saw Eminem receiving the coveted award for the Real Slim Shady.

01:01 While the trophy was in his grasp, the rapper couldn't resist subtly jabbing back at Smith.

01:06 During his acceptance speech, he referenced the Independence Day actor,

01:10 insinuating his awareness of the previous year's comment.

01:15 Escalating in the lyrics and visuals

01:18 The tension only escalated from there.

01:21 Eminem chose to immortalize this friction in his music video for "Forget About".

01:27 In a scene where the music pauses, Eminem, portraying a supposedly inabritated character,

01:33 remarks about listening to a Will Smith CD while witnessing flames,

01:38 a slide dig intended to further stoke the feud's flames.

01:42 Not only to shy away, Will Smith also took a swing in his 2005 track "Mr. Nice Guy".

01:49 He referenced the spat with lyrics suggesting resilience in the face of Eminem's diss,

01:54 reaffirming his unbothered stance amidst the controversy.

01:58 Over time, the spat between the two mega stars simmered down,

02:03 but echoes of the clash reverberated through the industry.

02:07 While not overtly public, their intimating nods in songs

02:11 and subtle references in interviews kept the feud alive in the minds of both their fanbases.

02:17 (music)

02:24 (music)

02:28 (dramatic music)

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