Eminem Reveals How LL COOL J Inspired Him to Start Rapping

Eminem shared the artists who shaped him — and what it felt like to eventually become an influence himself — during a new interview with D-Stroy on SiriusXM’s Shade 45 (Ch. 45), available on car radios and the SiriusXM app. The conversation is part of the “Back to School (Da Ol’ Skool Way)” special, airing Friday, September 4, at 7pm ET on Shade 45 (Ch. 45), with replays throughout the weekend. Eminem Says LL COOL J Inspired Him to Start Rapping Eminem said LL COOL J’s 1985 album, Radio, was the first full rap cassette he owned and that he played it repeatedly as a kid. “He was what made me want to rap in the first place,” Eminem said. He also recalled writing one of his first raps after hearing LL COOL J’s B.A.D., saying his verse “sounded just like” the track. Eminem Credits Rakim & the Underground Rap Scene Eminem also discussed learning from Rakim’s multisyllabic rhyme patterns and described his time in Detroit’s underground rap scene as an important learning experience. Eminem on Hearing Other Rappers Sound Like Him After The Slim Shady LP arrived, Eminem began noticing newer rappers adopting elements of his style. “I didn’t realize ’til the first album dropped that now ra...