Kendrick Lamar Doesn't Use a Ghostwriter as Eminem Finds Out

It’s no secret that Eminem is a fan of Kendrick Lamar, even calling the younger rapper’s major label debut a “masterpiece.” Now a new story has surfaced of the rap god testing the Compton native before giving him a badge of honor. The story came to light when Ed Sheeran sat down with The Zach Sang Show sharing a story he heard from Rick Rubin — who produced both Sheeran and Em — about the first time Kendrick Lamar and Eminem worked together, on a session that would eventually become the song “Love Game” on The Marshall Mathers LP 2. Listen to Ed Sheeran telling the story at the 7:50 mark. Sheeran states:

“I heard a very cool story about Eminem and Kendrick Lamar. Eminem heard that Kendrick Lamar was the best rapper and he invited him to the studio to get him on a song. He arrived and Kendrick came with all his mates and Eminem said, ‘I just want you in the studio, just you on your own. And then my engineer is gonna come in and then record you doing it. But your mates aren’t allowed in.’ Eminem said that he did it to test Kendrick because he thought he had a ghostwriter. He then realized that he didn’t, and then claimed he was the best, which is kinda cool I think.”