U mad?

After taking in VIBE’s issue that proclaimed Eminem as the greatest rapper alive, Irv Gotti felt the need to go against the grain. In a brief interview with MTV, the Murder Inc (The Inc?) impresario made it his business to dismiss the rapper’s street credibility. He does note Em’s ability to deliver a good rhyme, but allows he would not have made it as a rapper on the streets of NY.

“No disrespect, you’re a great lyricist, but I come from a school — I know they ‘battled’ in 8 Mile — but I come from where they battled on the streets with guns out,” the head of Murder Inc. said. “They would have put you under pressure. All that ‘off the top,’ they would have put you under pressure. I been to battles with X, Jay and Ja, that was some real shit. Homie, you wouldn’t been able to survive…”

Irv cements his point by drawing a parallel to the respective routes he and Jay Z have taken to rap glory.

“I look at the singles he put out. They’re all good, but they only work for him,” Irv said. “I say take Eminem, and let him say ‘Hard Knock Life.’ Still hot. Now let’s have Jay-Z say the ‘We Made You’ song. They would laugh him out the fucking building. It would be over.”