Eminem Reveals His Biggest Rap Inspiration

Since his rise in the early 2000s, Eminem (Marshall Mathers) has become a hero to millions and one of the most respected rappers in hip-hop. But before he was a diamond-certified artist and a household name, Eminem had his own inspirations—one of the biggest being LL Cool J.

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Eminem’s Journey from Fan to Friend

Before getting his big break with Dr. Dre and Interscope Records in 1998, Eminem was an unknown rapper struggling to make it out of Detroit. His only major industry contact was Dr. Dre, but as he rose to fame, he found himself befriending and collaborating with artists he once idolized.

One of his biggest influences was LL Cool J (James Smith), a hip-hop legend from the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. Despite Detroit not being a major rap hub like New York, Los Angeles, or Atlanta, Eminem consumed hip-hop from everywhere—and LL Cool J quickly became his rap hero.

How LL Cool J Inspired Eminem to Rap

Eminem has credited his late friend Proof for introducing him to rap, but his true passion ignited when he saw LL Cool J’s 1987 music video for “I’m Bad.” In a 2021 interview for MTV’s Behind the Music, he recalled:

“When I saw the ‘Bad’ video, I was like, ‘The fck?!’ He had the whole package—the look, the swag, the chain, everything! You know, you just wanted to be LL Cool J!”*

He added:

“He was like the first rock star of rap. I’m like, ‘Yo, I wanted that.’ That is what actually made me want to rap.”

LL Cool J’s Gift to Eminem

When LL Cool J learned how much he meant to Eminem, he surprised him with a special gift—a piece of jewelry from the “I’m Bad” video. Eminem was blown away, later telling MTV:

“Since I was a little kid, I always wanted that chain!”

Over the years, Eminem has consistently praised LL Cool J as his biggest rap inspiration, proving that even the greatest artists have their own idols.