The Game sat down for an interview with SHOWTIME Basketball for Ep. 137 of All The Smoke earlier this month. During the conversation, the Compton-bred rapper broached numerous topics, including his relationships with Dr. Dre, Kanye West and the late Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant, among others.
He also reinforced his belief he’s the superior rapper when it comes to Eminem. At the same time, he suggested Eminem isn’t listened to anywhere in public — at least not at the club or in a locker room.
“When have you ever heard Eminem in a club?” he said in the clip. “When have you ever heard it in the locker room? And I’m not taking away from that, I don’t hear Eminem in the streets. I just don’t. It’s not saying he can’t rap. The skillset is there. I’m just the better rapper. I just haven’t been given the light he’s been giving.”
The Game contended his unwavering confidence is required to be a rapper. As he explained, “When I’m saying that I want a battle with Eminem or Eminem is not the greatest rapper and I’m better than him, it is not like when I see Eminem I’mma drown this n-gga or I’mma beat this n-gga. I’m supposed to think that I’m better than every single rapper, else why would I do this shit at all?”
In March, Game was also invited to sit down with N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN for an episode of Drink Champs. After claiming Kanye West did more for him in two weeks than Dr. Dre ever did, he challenged Eminem to a Verzuz.
“Eminem is Eminem, I like Eminem,” he said. “He’s one of the fuckin good MCs, great MCs. I used to think Eminem was better than me. He not, he’s not. Challenge it. Yes, I do [want to do Verzuz against Eminem]. What you mean, yeah I do? The fuck you mean? I’m not saying I want smoke with Eminem; I’m saying I want smoke with Eminem, him, and him, whoever.”
He doubled down in an Instagram video just days later after he was met with backlash for making the bold claim.
“When y’all say Eminem is better and all that, I see it, I see it. I feel you,” he said “And you know what? If you feel like Eminem is better than me, that’s your opinion. But it’s a lot of people that feel like I’m better than Eminem, and that’s they opinion. Me personally?
“Is Eminem better than me? Nah, he not, bro. And I think the best way to see if he is or if I am is let’s rap about it. Let’s get up. Let’s get in the studio. Let’s rap about it. Let’s do something. Let’s put something out. Let’s see ’cause that’s what this shit is, bro. It’s rap.”
