Rapper Nelly, born Cornell Iral Haynes Jr., recently issued an apology to Eminem, clarifying that a misunderstanding had sparked a brief feud between them. During his interview on The Bootleg Kev podcast aired on March 24, 2025, Nelly recounted how the two artists have resolved their differences.
Reflecting on the origins of their conflict, Nelly mentioned that early in his career, he misinterpreted Eminem’s comments as jabs directed at him. This misunderstanding led Nelly to confront the established rapper on MTV’s Total Request Live in 2000.
According to Hot 97, Nelly expressed his displeasure at what he perceived to be Eminem’s “sly little comments” and remarked:
“I don’t play with candy. I eat M&Ms, flat out. I just don’t think (the) dude plan(s) on coming to tour to St. Louis.”
Nelly’s Reflection: “I Felt Like a D*ck”
During his podcast appearance, Nelly elaborated on the misunderstanding, explaining that at the time, he was new to the music scene and prone to misinterpretations. He offered an apology to Eminem, stating:
“When I went on MTV, I made some comments because, you know, I’m still fresh from Lou. But that wasn’t the case. Em is the GOAT. He’s so dope.”
Nelly recalled an encounter with Eminem at an afterparty in Detroit, where Eminem wanted Nelly to meet his daughter, Hailie Jade. This moment struck Nelly profoundly:
“Somebody came and was like, ‘Yo, Em wanna come through and holler. He was like, ‘Yo man, my daughter…’ I felt like such a d*ck. We were Eminem fans! And just miscommunication, man.”
Clarifying their relationship, Haynes emphasized that there was never a serious feud, expressing relief that they had managed to resolve their issues. He stated:
“He’s a dope cat and I’m glad we got that out of the way. It’s f**ked up when people that you f**k with and that you admire on a level… it’s like, dude spits…. I’m glad we squashed that. Em is a cat,” he added.
The misunderstanding between the two artists, while notable, never spiraled into an expansive feud. In May 2000, Eminem released The Marshall Mathers LP, which quickly ascended to the top of the charts. In the same period, Nelly was experiencing rising success with his single “Country Grammar (Hot Sh*t)”and its accompanying album, launched in June.
Both albums enjoyed significant popularity, competing for radio play and public attention during this time, leading fans and critics to draw comparisons between the two artists.
During a guest appearance on MTV’s TRL in August 2000, Nelly was asked about Eminem. He responded:
“Well, you know, dirty, dirty, I don’t too much know nothing bout dirty, you know what I’m sayin. But he be having some sly little comments about me.”
A July 2017 article by Vice discussed how these comments led to speculation about a potential rivalry between the two. There were rumors suggesting that Eminem might have responded to Nelly’s discontent with a diss track titled “Detroit Grammar”, though this tension never intensified into a full-blown feud.
It remains undetermined when or how the two rappers managed to clear the air. However, in a 2002 track titled Invasion, Eminem was reported by People magazine to have addressed Nelly. This song primarily targets Ja Rule and Benzino, yet many fans believe it also contained veiled references to Nelly, particularly with the lyric:
“Stomping in my Air Force Ones/ But you won’t be able to tell/ If it’s two pairs or one/ It’s just gonna feel like so many feet kicking you.”
Notably, “Air Force Ones”is the title of a song by Nelly, released around the same timeframe as Invasion.
In subsequent years, Eminem acknowledged Nelly, mentioning him in tracks like The Conspiracy Freestyle (2003) and No Apologies (2006). As of now, Eminem has not publicly responded to Nelly’s expressed sentiments during the podcast interview.