Nelly Says Eminem Feud Was a Miscommunication: 'I Was Acting Like a Jackass'

Nelly is looking back at his past feud with Eminem and admitting it was all a big misunderstanding.

The rapper recently appeared on "The Bootleg Kev Podcast," where he opened up about their brief clash in the early 2000s, admitting that he misinterpreted a comment from Eminem and reacted without thinking.

The conflict began when Nelly, new to the industry at the time, thought Eminem had taken a shot at him.

Feeling the need to defend himself, Nelly made remarks about the Detroit rapper during an appearance on "TRL," joking that he didn't "play with candy" but ate M&M's.

He also hinted that Eminem wouldn't be welcome in his hometown of St. Louis, People said.

Eminem quickly responded through music, referencing Nelly's hit song "Air Force Ones" in his 2002 track Invasion, delivering a lyrical jab that added fuel to the tension. However, Nelly now admits that he had acted impulsively.

"I misinterpreted something when I was really, really new, and I want to apologize to Em," Nelly shared on the podcast. "I was the new guy, and I thought he had said something about us."

How Eminem's Daughter Helped End His Feud with Nelly

The misunderstanding came to light when the two eventually met in person at an afterparty in Detroit.

According to TMZ, Eminem's daughter, Hailie Jade, who was a fan of Nelly, was also there. The encounter made Nelly realize the entire feud was unnecessary.

"Somebody came up to me and said, 'Yo, Em wants to come through and holler,'" Nelly recalled. "He was like, 'Yo man, my daughter loves you.' I felt like such a dick. We were Eminem fans! Just a miscommunication, man."

Nelly further explained that his reaction was influenced by his background and the mindset he had coming into the industry. "I was still fresh from the Lou," he said, referring to St. Louis. "But now, I know that wasn't the case. Eminem is the GOAT."

Fortunately, the two squashed the beef, and Eminem even referenced Nelly in later songs, including "The Conspiracy Freestyle" in 2003 and "No Apologies" in 2006. Both artists have continued to see massive success in their careers.

Eminem's latest album, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce), topped charts in 2023, while Nelly is currently on a world tour celebrating 25 years since the release of Country Grammar.

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Nelly, Eminem