LL Cool J, Busta Rhymes, Jay-Z—each a titan in the rap game, but the real question is, who could truly hold their own against the lyrical powerhouse that is Eminem?

When it comes to collaborating with Eminem, there is one golden rule, according to legendary battle rapper Math Hoffa: don’t try to out-Eminem Eminem.

Math Hoffa shared some insight on why so many artists struggle to keep up with Slim Shady when they share a track.

“If you get on a track with Eminem, don’t try to do the Eminem shit. He’s gonna smoke you every single time”, Math Hoffa explained in a recent interview with DJ Vlad. He pointed to Eminem’s unmatched skill in fast, complex rhyming, something Em is known for. “Every day he wakes up in the morning, he’s rhyming fast. He just does that”. In other words, trying to match Em’s rapid-fire flow is a losing game.

Math Hoffa gave props to LL Cool J for holding his own against Em on their recent joint, “Murdergram Deux”, but emphasised that the key to surviving on a track with Marshall is playing to your own strengths. “Don’t try to do that shit with him”, Hoffa warned. He also mentioned Jay-Z’s iconic track “Renegade”, which sparked endless debates over whether Em outshined Hov. Math Hoffa acknowledged that while Jay-Z matched Eminem in content, the rhyming style was not quite Jay’s usual flow, which might have given Em the upper hand.

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And what about Busta Rhymes? According to Hoffa, even though Busta can keep up with Eminem’s tempo, the real trick is in the bar structure and punchlines. “Em is doing that fast shit, but he’s also putting in punchlines and shit”, Hoffa said, making it clear that when it comes to lyrical gymnastics, Em is in a league of his own.

So, who could possibly go toe-to-toe with Eminem? After some serious thought, Math Hoffa gave a shout-out to Royce 5’9 as one of the few rappers who might come close. As for other contenders, Hoffa praised Young M.A. for her work with Eminem on “Unaccomodating” from “Music to Be Murdered By”, noting that she stood out by sticking to her own style instead of trying to mirror Em’s.

At the end of the day, if you are going to share a track with Slim Shady, the secret to survival is simple: do your thing and let Em do his. Anything else? You are likely to get smoked.