What Really Happened With Mariah Carey and Eminem: The Feud That Won't Die

Let’s be real for a second. If you grew up in the 2000s, you weren't just listening to music; you were essentially watching a high-stakes soap opera play out on MTV and the Billboard charts. At the center of it all? Two of the biggest egos in the industry: Mariah Carey and Eminem.

It’s been over twenty years, yet people are still talking about whether they actually dated or if Marshall Mathers just had the world’s most public case of unrequited obsession. Just recently, in late 2025, Mariah went on Watch What Happens Live and basically shrugged the whole thing off again. She’s the queen of "I don't know her," but when it comes to Eminem, the history is a bit more tangled than a simple denial.

The 8 Mile Rejection You Never Heard About

Forget the diss tracks for a minute. Most people think the beef started because of a bad breakup or a leaked voicemail. But according to music producer Damion "Damizza" Young, who was in Mariah’s inner circle for years, the spark was actually a movie role.

Back in 2002, Eminem was casting for his semi-autobiographical flick, 8 Mile. He reportedly wanted Mariah to play his mother.

Yeah. Read that again.

Mariah Carey is only about four years older than Eminem. Asking a global pop icon in her early 30s to play the "mom" to a guy almost her own age is... a choice. Damizza claims this hit Mariah right in her insecurities. She didn't just say no; she was insulted. The role eventually went to Kim Basinger, and while the movie became a classic, the bridge between Mariah and Slim Shady was officially burned before the first camera even rolled.

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Did They Actually Date?

This is where things get messy. Eminem has spent two decades insisting they had a thing for about six or seven months. He’s gone on Shade 45 and told the world he "wasn't really into what she was into," calling her a diva.

Mariah’s version? She told Larry King she met him maybe four times. In her world, four hangouts do not a relationship make.

"I hung out with him, I spoke to him on the phone. I think I was probably with him a total of four times. And I don't consider that dating somebody." — Mariah Carey, 2002.

Honestly, they’re both probably "right" in their own heads. Eminem might have thought those four dates were a full-blown relationship, while Mariah viewed them as professional meetings or casual hangouts that didn't go anywhere. But Marshall took the denial personally. To a rapper whose entire brand is "brutal honesty," being told you didn't exist in someone's romantic history is like fuel for a forest fire.

The Song That Changed Everything: "Obsessed"

By 2009, the back-and-forth had been simmering for years. Eminem dropped "Bagpipes from Baghdad," taking shots at Mariah and her then-husband Nick Cannon. He called Nick a "prick" and told him to "back the f*** up."

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Most stars would have called their lawyer or issued a dry PR statement. Not Mariah.

She dropped "Obsessed."

If you haven't seen the video lately, go watch it. Mariah dresses up as a stalker who looks distressingly like Eminem—complete with the baggy hoodie, the goatee, and the specific "Detroit" swagger. She wasn't just defending herself; she was gaslighting the world's most famous bully. The hook "Why you so obsessed with me?" became an instant cultural reset. It shifted the narrative from "Did they date?" to "Why is this guy still talking about a woman from ten years ago?"

The Warning: When Slim Shady Went Nuclear

Eminem didn't take the "Obsessed" video sitting down. He responded with a track literally titled "The Warning." It wasn't a radio hit; it was a hit job.

• He claimed to have voicemails from her.
• He threatened to release pictures.
• He described specific, "un-diva-like" behavior he claimed she exhibited at his house.
• He mocked the "Obsessed" video directly, rapping: "Oh gee, is that supposed to be me in the video with the goatee?"

It was brutal. It was dark. And for a long time, it actually worked. Mariah stopped responding. Nick Cannon tried to fire back with a Slick Rick-style diss, but let's be honest—nobody was checking for a Nick Cannon rap track in 2010. The feud went into a cold war phase for nearly a decade.

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Where Do They Stand in 2026?

Fast forward to today. The dust has mostly settled, but the shade is still top-tier. Mariah’s 2025 interview with Andy Cohen proved she’s still a master of the "unbothered" aesthetic. When asked about the 8 Mile rumor, she admitted there was likely "truth to that" but quickly pivoted to saying she "really doesn't care."

"Whatever he's said, then I'm that, fine. Not really. But that's a rap lyric," she told Cohen. It’s the ultimate power move. By categorizing his decades of venting as just "rap lyrics," she strips them of their power to hurt her reputation.

Eminem, for his part, has stayed relatively quiet about her in his most recent projects, though he did take one last swipe on Fat Joe's "Lord Above" in 2019. It seems like both parties have finally realized that this loop is never going to end in a "winner."

The Actionable Takeaway for the Fans

What can we actually learn from this decade-long masterclass in celebrity warfare?

1. Definitions matter. One person’s "six-month relationship" is another person’s "four phone calls." If you're going to date someone in the public eye, make sure you're both on the same page about what dating actually means.
2. Control the narrative early. Mariah "won" the cultural battle because she turned a negative (a stalker narrative) into a chart-topping pop anthem. She didn't play by the rapper's rules; she made him play by hers.
3. Silence is a weapon. After "The Warning," Mariah went silent. By not responding to the more personal threats, she prevented the feud from becoming her entire identity.

If you’re looking to dive deeper into this, listen to "Clown" from Mariah’s Charmbracelet album and then play "Superman" from The Eminem Show. The contrast in how they tell the same story is the closest we’ll ever get to the truth.

Next Steps for You: Check out the "Obsessed" music video again on YouTube—pay close attention to the "stalker's" movements. Then, look up the lyrics to "The Warning." You’ll see exactly how deep the references go, from the "Windex" line to the specific mentions of the G5 jet. It's a fascinatng look at how two different genres of music handle a personal grudge.