Mariah Carey is setting the record straight ― well, sort of ― with regard to her alleged feud with Eminem.
The pop diva stopped by Bravo’s “Watch What Happens Live” Wednesday to promote her new album, “Here for It All.” The chat took a particularly interesting turn when host Andy Cohen asked if the so-called beef between Carey and Eminem started when the rapper asked her to portray Stephanie Smith, a character inspired by his real-life mother, in his 2002 autobiographical film, “8 Mile.”
“From what I heard, there is truth to that,” Carey replied. “But I don’t think that he actually ... well, who knows who approached who.”
True to form, she appeared to get slightly flustered when Cohen pressed for details before shrugging off the question entirely.
“It depends what he’s thinking,” she said. “I really don’t care. Like, whatever he’s said, then I’m that, fine. Not really. But that’s a rap lyric.”
Watch a clip of Mariah Carey’s “Watch What Happens Live” chat below.
The role of Stephanie Smith in “8 Mile” eventually went to Kim Basinger. The movie, which also starred Brittany Murphy and Mekhi Phifer, was a critical and commercial smash, raking in a reported $242 million at the box office worldwide. Eminem’s hit song from the film, “Lose Yourself,” won the 2003 Oscar for Best Original Song.
Wednesday’s interview appears to be the first time Carey has commented on being considered for a role in “8 Mile.” Music producer Damion “Damizza” Young, who worked on Carey’s 1999 album “Rainbow” and other projects, claimed in a June appearance on the TFU Podcast that he was responsible for introducing her to Eminem, and seemingly confirmed the longstanding rumor that the pair had a brief romantic relationship.
As for Eminem asking Carey to star in “8 Mile” as his mom ― despite her being only four years his senior ― Young added: “She did not like that shit at all. Her insecurities kicked in big time.”
Despite conflicting reports as to the origin of their tension, both Carey and Eminem have taken multiple public jabs at one another in the media and on their respective albums.
“I hung out with him, I spoke to him on the phone. I think I was probably with him a total of four times. And I don’t consider that dating somebody,” Carey told Larry King in a 2002 interview, per Billboard.
Her 2009 single, “Obsessed,” features lyrics about a former partner who is “delusional” and “lying that you’re sexing me” ― an alleged dig at Eminem.
Speaking to Rolling Stone in 2002, Eminem said he respected Carey’s talents as a performer, but added: “I just don’t like her as a person. She doesn’t really have it all together.”
He went on to seemingly diss Carey on a number of tracks, most notably in 2019 when he took aim at her and her ex-husband, comedian Nick Cannon, with a guest verse on Fat Joe’s “Lord Above.”