After hearing the announcement that rapper Eminem would be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Benzino expressed his displeasure with the decision.  He said Eminem’s induction is white privilege and called the Hall of Fame organization “disrespectful.”

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Months after deciding to end his decades-long beef with Eminem,  Benzino reemerged on social media to declare that Slim Shady does not deserve the honor of being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ahead of countless other hip hop artists who are black. He asserted his disapproval of the Rock HOF in a series of tweets, blasting the organization for disrespecting hip-hop culture and racism. He posted, “Rock and roll hall of fame is just like the Grammy’s, they have no respect for our culture, Black or Hip Hop and if you don’t agree, you’re racist, period point blank.”

He wasn’t done there. Zino went on to name the “100s of other Black rappers” he felt were more qualified for the honor, including “Nas, Eric B and RAKIM, Kool Moe D, Epmd, Fearless Four, Fat Boyz, Lauren Hill, Little Kim, and OutKast”

Many feel Benzino made valid points and others felt that he is just hating on Eminem’s success.  

On Twitter one user identified as @Exquiste_Gem sided with Benzino’s claims tweeting, “Eminem was a rap/industry plant all along …. to use our culture/diss us and then take the crown and be another elvis in hip hop.” 

Another Twitter user identified as @Luxaslzm replied to her to disagree by tweeting, “Hell nah ppl like u just can’t get over the fact that he does it better than most other rappers”.

Neither would concede to find any common ground. What’s not disputable is Eminem’s contribution to hip-hop culture. Here are five moments that prove that the Detroit rapper is important to the culture.