If you’ve spent any time on the internet over the last decade and a half, you know that Marshall Mathers doesn't really let things go. He’s like that one friend who remembers a slight from 2009 and brings it up at dinner in 2026. The whole eminem diss track nick cannon saga is basically the "Final Boss" of celebrity grudges. It’s weird, it’s petty, and honestly, it’s a masterclass in how a three-month alleged fling can turn into twenty years of lyrical warfare.
Most people think this started with a song. It didn't. It started with a denial.
The Mariah Spark that Lit the Fuse
Back in the early 2000s, Eminem claimed he dated Mariah Carey for about six months. Mariah? She said it never happened. She famously told Larry King they "hung out" a few times but there was no "relationship." That bruised ego is the foundation of every single bar aimed at Nick Cannon.
When Nick married Mariah in 2008, he didn't just get a wife; he inherited a multi-platinum enemy. Eminem dropped "Bagpipes from Baghdad" in 2009, and that was the first real eminem diss track nick cannon had to deal with. Em was vicious. He called Nick a "prick" and told him "good luck with the fuckin' whore."
Nick’s first response wasn't a song. It was a blog post. He basically called Eminem a "racist" and challenged him to a fight. Looking back, that was probably the moment Nick realized he couldn't out-rap the guy, so he tried to out-man him.
The 2019 Resurgence: Lord Above
For ten years, things were mostly quiet. We all thought it was over. Then Fat Joe dropped Family Ties in December 2019. Tucked away on a track called "Lord Above," Eminem decided to wake up and choose violence.
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"I know me and Mariah didn't end on a high note / But that other dude's whipped, that pussy got him neutered."
The lyrics were surgical. He mocked Nick for being "clipped" and "neutered" by his ex-wife. It was a 47-year-old man reaching back into the vault to punch a cloud, but it worked. The internet exploded. Suddenly, the eminem diss track nick cannon search terms were back at the top of the charts.
Why Nick Cannon's Response Backfired
Nick didn't just sit there. He went on his radio show and called Eminem "Cialis" and "Percocet," mocking his age. Then he did the one thing you should never do when fighting a legendary battle rapper: he invited him to Wild 'N Out.
The Invitation and the Suge Knight Factor
Nick dropped "The Invitation" within days. He actually got a cameo from Suge Knight—recorded from prison—to open the track. It was a bold move. Maybe too bold. The track alleged that Eminem’s chauffeur had a video of him in a compromising sexual position with another man.
The problem? The rap wasn't great. It felt like Nick was trying too hard to be "street" while being the guy who hosts a comedy show on MTV. Eminem didn't even bother to record a song back. He just tweeted:
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"U mad bro? Stop lying on my dick. I never even had a chauffeur, you bougie fuck."
He followed it up by demanding an apology because he'd made his "gardener" jealous. That’s the Eminem formula: ignore the serious stuff and make a joke that makes the other guy look like a clown.
Pray For Him and the Black Squad
Nick didn't stop at one. He dropped "Pray For Him" and "The Invitation Canceled." He brought in the Black Squad—battle rappers like Charlie Clips and Hitman Holla. These guys are incredible rappers in their own right, but being used as "hired guns" for Nick Cannon didn't sit well with fans.
The "Pray For Him" track was mostly the battle rappers doing the heavy lifting while Nick stayed in the background. It felt like a team-up movie where the main character is the weakest person on the poster.
The Fallout: Who Actually Won?
In the world of hip-hop, "winning" is subjective, but the numbers don't lie.
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- Public Perception: Most fans felt Nick was "clout chasing." By releasing four tracks to Eminem's zero, he looked desperate for a reply.
- Lyrical Weight: Eminem’s one verse on "Lord Above" is still quoted. Most people can't remember a single line from Nick's diss tracks other than the chauffeur rumor.
- The Mariah Factor: Mariah stayed out of the 2019 beef entirely. She’d already won years prior with "Obsessed," and she clearly had no interest in being a pawn in Nick’s attempt to get back at Em.
What Most People Get Wrong
There’s a common misconception that Eminem is "scared" of the battle rappers on Nick's team. Honestly? Eminem grew up in the battle circuits of Detroit. He thrives on that. The reason he didn't respond with a full track is simpler: there was no profit in it.
Eminem is a businessman. He responds to Machine Gun Kelly because MGK is a legitimate threat to his demographic. He responds to Benzino because of the history with The Source. But Nick Cannon? To Marshall, Nick is a TV host who happens to rap. Giving him a full diss track would be like a heavyweight champion entering a 3-round exhibition match against a YouTuber.
Moving Forward: Is the Beef Finally Dead?
By 2026, the dust has mostly settled. Nick has gone on record several times saying he respects Eminem as one of the greats. He’s even admitted that his diss tracks were partially about "having some fun" and generating buzz for his brand.
It’s a weirdly "Hollywood" ending to a rap beef. No one got hurt, no one's career ended, and both guys are still incredibly wealthy. But if you're looking for the definitive eminem diss track nick cannon experience, you have to go back to 2009. "The Warning" is still the gold standard for how to dismantle someone’s personal life in under four minutes.
Actionable Takeaways for Rap Fans
If you're trying to understand the technical side of why these tracks landed the way they did, look at these three things:
- Study "The Warning": Notice how Eminem uses actual audio clips and voicemails. It’s a "receipts" style of dissing that changed the game.
- Analyze the Battle Rap Influence: Watch "Pray For Him" not for Nick, but for Charlie Clips' wordplay. It shows how the structure of a diss track changes when professional battle rappers are involved.
- Check the Timeline: Always look at the release dates. The 2019 beef happened right as Nick was trying to boost Wild 'N Out ratings, which tells you everything you need to know about the "why" behind the songs.
The beef might be dormant for now, but with Eminem, you never know. One wrong interview from Nick, and we could be looking at a 20th-anniversary diss in 2029.