It was 1997. Long before the Grammys, the Oscars, or the "Rap God" status, Marshall Mathers was just a hungry kid from Detroit trying to get people to notice his Slim Shady EP. He was handing out flyers at a club for his release party. One of those flyers ended up in the hands of Joseph Bruce, better known as Violent J of the Insane Clown Posse.
The flyer said: "Featuring appearances by Esham, Kid Rock, and ICP (maybe)."
That "maybe" started a war. Violent J wasn't having it. He basically told Eminem to get lost, offended that his group's name was being used for clout without a phone call first. Eminem, never one to let a slight go, took it personally. What followed was a decade-long saga of paintball fights, lawsuits, and the infamous icp eminem diss song that still lives in the weirdest corners of hip-hop history.
The Song That Crossed the Line: "Slim Anus"
If you were around in 1999, you couldn't escape "My Name Is." It was everywhere. So, naturally, ICP decided to hit Eminem where it hurt: his biggest hit. They released "Slim Anus," a direct parody that flipped the script on the catchy Dr. Dre production.
Honestly? It's a weird listen.
The track features ICP—mostly with Twiztid handling the vocals—mocking Eminem’s voice and accusing him of, well, being a puppet for Dr. Dre. It’s packed with late-90s homophobia and toilet humor. The "Slim Anus" title was a crude play on "Slim Shady," suggesting Eminem was submissive to his producer.
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Why the diss actually kind of failed
While Juggalos loved it, the "Slim Anus" track is often cited by rap historians as a swing and a miss. Why? Because Eminem’s whole brand was self-deprecation. You can’t really "out-gross" a guy who just spent an entire album talking about murdering his wife and his own drug habits.
Eminem’s response was surgical. On the track "Marshall Mathers" from The Marshall Mathers LP, he didn't just fire back; he dismantled their entire aesthetic. He famously rapped:
"Slim Anus? You damn right, Slim Anus / I don't get fucked in mine like you two little flaming faggots."
He followed it up by mocking their fans (Juggalos) and their signature drink, Faygo. He even brought out blow-up dolls with ICP face paint during the Up in Smoke Tour to perform lewd acts on stage. It was brutal. It was effective. It basically cemented the narrative that Eminem was the superior lyricist.
When Things Got Dangerous
This wasn't just "studio beef." It got physical.
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In 2000, Eminem was arrested for pulling an unloaded gun on Douglas Dail, a road manager for ICP, outside a car audio store in Royal Oak, Michigan. It was the same day he had the confrontation with a bouncer he saw kissing his wife, Kim.
The beef had moved from the recording booth to the streets of Detroit. Violent J has since admitted in interviews—specifically on VladTV—that the tension was real. They were constantly looking over their shoulders. It wasn't "marketing." It was a genuine hatred fueled by Detroit ego and a series of misunderstandings.
Other Diss Tracks You Might Have Missed
While "Slim Anus" is the big one, the exchange went back and forth for years.
- "Nuttin' But a Bitch Thang": Released by ICP in 2001, this was a more serious attempt at a diss. They went after Eminem’s credibility and his "tough guy" persona.
- "Please Don't Hate Me": Another ICP track where they continued the personal attacks, often involving Eminem’s mother, Debbie Nelson.
- "Business": Eminem took one last swipe on The Eminem Show, comparing ICP to "clowns" (literally) and dismissing them as a sideshow.
- "Ken Kaniff" (Skit): On The Marshall Mathers LP, Eminem included a skit where the character Ken Kaniff mocks ICP while they "give him a hand," so to speak. It was peak Shady-era pettiness.
How the War Finally Ended
So, how do two of Detroit’s biggest musical exports stop trying to ruin each other?
It took a peacemaker. Proof, Eminem’s best friend and the heart of D12, was the one who reached out. In 2005, Proof realized the beef was exhausting and bad for the city. He invited ICP to a bowling alley in Detroit to settle things.
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Eminem wasn't there, but the rest of D12 and the Psychopathic Records crew were. They bowled, they talked, and they realized the whole thing started over a flyer fifteen years prior. They shook hands.
Since then, the vibes have been surprisingly chill.
In 2013, Eminem actually gave a shout-out to ICP’s song "Miracles" on his track "Wicked Ways." It wasn't exactly a glowing review, but it was a nod. Later, on the song "These Demons" (2020), he mentioned them again. ICP, for their part, have praised Eminem’s technical skills in recent years, acknowledging that while they may never be best friends, the war is over.
Actionable Takeaways for Rap Fans
If you're digging into this era of hip-hop, here is how to navigate the history:
- Check the "Psychopathics from Outer Space" compilation: This is where you can find the high-quality version of "Slim Anus." It's a time capsule of 1999 production.
- Watch the 2000 "Up in Smoke" Tour footage: If you want to see the height of Eminem’s pettiness, the ICP doll skit is a masterclass in stage-prop disrespect.
- Listen to "Marshall Mathers" back-to-back with "Slim Anus": You'll notice how Eminem takes specific lines from the ICP parody and "re-flips" them. It’s a great example of how high-level battle rapping works.
The icp eminem diss song era was a chaotic, often offensive, but undeniably fascinating moment in music history. It reminds us that in the late 90s, rap was the Wild West, and sometimes, a single "maybe" on a flyer was enough to spark a decade of fire.