Melle Mel has addressed the backlash he's been receiving in response to his criticism of Eminem. Speaking on his Hip Hop Corner podcast, Mel denied being "jealous," "bitter," or "intimidated by" anyone in hip-hop. Mel had argued that Eminem is only considered an all-time great in hip-hop because he's white. He made the comments during an interview with The Art of Dialogue.
“Melle Mel has nothing against nobody in hip-hop,” he said in the video while lifting weights in the gym. “I’ve been in hip-hop for 40 years. Very competitive, really have nothing against nobody. I’m not jealous of nobody, I’m not intimidated by anybody or anything, and I’m not bitter. I just come across as I come across ’cause I’m a man and I say what I say, and when I say what I say, basically, I mean what I say.”
Melle Mel At The Grammys
He continued: “Everything that I said, that I commented on, it was to comment on what he wrote and who he put on this said list. And I think Billboard is not known for Hip Hop, of course, they’re known for records. So obviously, Billboard is more leaning toward guys that made records, compared to guys like myself that put in all the time in hip-hop. We’re responsible for the genre. We’re the biggest influences in the genre, and if you ask anybody that knows anything about true hip-hop, they will tell you that. If you ask anybody that calls themselves an MC, they will be the first to tell you that there is no modern day rap or hip-hop of that nature if it wasn’t for Grandmaster Flash, if it wasn’t for the Furious Five, if it wasn’t for Melle Mel, if it wasn’t for [Keef] Cowboy.”
The backlash for Mel's original comments on Eminem came from more than just fans. 50 Cent, Fat Joe, Kevin Gates, Papoose, and more all spoke out in disagreement in the days after the take went viral on social media. While they all showed respect for Mel, they couldn't help but disagree with his opinion on Eminem's legacy.
Melle Mel's Response
[Via]
