Marshall Bruce Mathers III, professionally known as Eminem, emerged from the tough streets of Detroit to become one of hip-hop’s most influential figures since his debut in the late 1990s.

With his alter ego, Slim Shady, he revolutionized rap with his complex rhyme schemes, controversial lyrics, and unmatched technical skills, making him the best-selling hip-hop artist of all time.

About the Song

• It held the Guinness World Record for “Most words in a hit single” with 1,560 words in 6:04 minutes
• The song’s fast section contains 97 words in 15 seconds, averaging 6.5 words per second
• It was certified Diamond by the RIAA in 2022
• The song samples “Looking Boy” by Hotstylz

Rap God Song by Eminem Lyrics

Intro

“Look, I was gonna go easy on you not to hurt your feelings”
“But I’m only going to get this one chance” (Six minutes—, six minutes—)
“Something’s wrong, I can feel it” (Six minutes, Slim Shady, you’re on!)
“Just a feeling I’ve got, like something’s about to happen, but I don’t know what.
If that means what I think it means, we’re in trouble, big trouble;
And if he is as bananas as you say, I’m not taking any chances”
“You are just what the doc ordered”

Chorus

I’m beginnin’ to feel like a Rap God, Rap God
All my people from the front to the back nod, back nod
Now, who thinks their arms are long enough to slap box, slap box?
They said I rap like a robot, so call me Rap-bot

Verse 1

But for me to rap like a computer it must be in my genes
I got a laptop in my back pocket
My pen’ll go off when I half-cock it
Got a fat knot from that rap profit
Made a livin’ and a killin’ off it
Ever since Bill Clinton was still in office
With Monica Lewinsky feelin’ on his nutsack
I’m an MC still as honest
But as rude and as indecent as all hell
Syllables, skill-a-holic (Kill ’em all with)
This flippity dippity-hippity hip-hop
You don’t really wanna get into a pissin’ match
With this rappity brat, packin’ a MAC in the back of the Ac’
Backpack rap crap, yap-yap, yackety-yack
And at the exact same time, I attempt these lyrical acrobat stunts while I’m practicin’ that
I’ll still be able to break a motherfuckin’ table
Over the back of a couple of faggots and crack it in half
Only realized it was ironic, I was signed to Aftermath after the fact
How could I not blow? All I do is drop F-bombs
Feel my wrath of attack
Rappers are havin’ a rough time period, here’s a maxi pad
It’s actually disastrously bad for the wack
While I’m masterfully constructing this masterpièce
See upcoming rap shows
Get tickets for your favorite artists

Chorus

‘Cause I’m beginnin’ to feel like a Rap God, Rap God
All my people from the front to the back nod, back nod
Now, who thinks their arms are long enough to slap box, slap box?
Let me show you maintainin’ this shit ain’t that hard, that hard
Everybody want the key and the secret to rap immortality like Ι have got

Verse 2

Well, to be truthful the blueprint’s
Simply rage and youthful exuberance
Everybody loves to root for a nuisance
Hit the Earth like an asteroid
Did nothing but shoot for the Moon since (Pew!)
MCs get taken to school with this music
‘Cause I use it as a vehicle to “bus the rhyme”
Now I lead a new school full of students
Me? I’m a product of Rakim
Lakim Shabazz, 2Pac, N.W.A, Cube, hey Doc, Ren
Yella, Eazy, thank you, they got Slim
Inspired enough to one day grow up, blow up and be in a position
To meet Run–D.M.C., and induct them
Into the motherfuckin’ Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Even though I’ll walk in the church and burst in a ball of flames
Only Hall of Fame I’ll be inducted in is the alcohol of fame
On the wall of shame
You fags think it’s all a game, ’til I walk a flock of flames
Off a plank and, tell me what in the fuck are you thinkin’?
Little gay-lookin’ boy
So gay I can barely say it with a straight face, lookin’ boy (Ha-ha!)
You’re witnessin’ a mass-occur
Like you’re watching a church gathering take place, lookin’ boy
“Oy vey, that boy’s gay!”—that’s all they say, lookin’ boy
You get a thumbs up, pat on the back
And a “way to go” from your label every day, lookin’ boy
Hey, lookin’ boy! What you say, lookin’ boy?
I get a “hell yeah” from Dre, lookin’ boy
I’ma work for everything I have, never asked nobody for shit
Get outta my face, lookin’ boy!
Basically, boy, you’re never gonna be capable
Of keepin’ up with the same pace, lookin’ boy, ’cause—

Chorus

I’m beginnin’ to feel like a Rap God, Rap God
All my people from the front to the back nod, back nod
The way I’m racin’ around the track, call me NASCAR, NASCAR
Dale Earnhardt of the trailer park, the White Trash God
Kneel before General Zod
This planet’s Krypton—no, Asgard, Asgard

Verse 3

So you’ll be Thor and I’ll be Odin
You rodent, I’m omnipotent
Let off, then I’m reloadin’
Immediately with these bombs I’m totin’
And I should not be woken
I’m the walkin’ dead, but I’m just a talkin’ head, a zombie floatin’
But I got your mom deep-throatin’
I’m out my Ramen Noodle
We have nothin’ in common, poodle
I’m a Doberman, pinch yourself in the arm and pay homage, pupil
It’s me, my honesty’s brutal
But it’s honestly futile if I don’t utilize what I do though
For good at least once in a while
So I wanna make sure somewhere in this chicken scratch I scribble and doodle enough rhymes
To maybe try to help get some people through tough times
But I gotta keep a few punchlines
Just in case ’cause even you unsigned
Rappers are hungry lookin’ at me like it’s lunchtime
I know there was a time where once I
Was king of the underground
But I still rap like I’m on my Pharoahe Monch grind
So I crunch rhymes, but sometimes when you combine
Appeal with the skin color of mine
You get too big and here they come tryin’
To censor you like that one line
I said on “I’m Back” from The Mathers LP 1 when I
Tried to say I’ll take seven kids from Columbine
Put ’em all in a line, add an AK-47, a revolver and a 9
See if I get away with it now that I ain’t as big as I was, but I’m
Morphin’ into an immortal, comin’ through the portal
You’re stuck in a time warp from 2004 though
And I don’t know what the fuck that you rhyme for
You’re pointless as Rapunzel with fuckin’ cornrows
You write normal? Fuck being normal!
And I just bought a new raygun from the future
Just to come and shoot ya, like when Fabolous made Ray J mad
‘Cause Fab said he looked like a fag at Mayweather’s pad
Singin’ to a man while he played piano
Man, oh man, that was a 24/7 special on the cable channel
So Ray J went straight to the radio station
The very next day, “Hey Fab, I’ma kill you!”
Lyrics comin’ at you at supersonic speed (J.J. Fad)
Uh, summa-lumma, dooma-lumma, you assumin’ I’m a human
What I gotta do to get it through to you? I’m superhuman
Innovative and I’m made of rubber so that anything you say is ricochetin’ off of me and it’ll glue to you and
I’m devastating, more than ever demonstrating
How to give a motherfuckin’ audience a feeling like it’s levitating
Never fading, and I know the haters are forever waiting
For the day that they can say I fell off, they’ll be celebrating
‘Cause I know the way to get ’em motivated
I make elevating music, you make elevator music
“Oh, he’s too mainstream.”
Well, that’s what they do when they get jealous, they confuse it
“It’s not hip-hop, it’s pop,”—’cause I found a hella way to fuse it
With rock, shock rap with Doc
Throw on “Lose Yourself” and make ’em lose it
“I don’t know how to make songs like that
I don’t know what words to use.”
Let me know when it occurs to you
While I’m rippin’ any one of these verses that versus you
It’s curtains, I’m inadvertently hurtin’ you
How many verses I gotta murder to
Prove that if you were half as nice, your songs you could sacrifice virgins too?!
Ugh, school flunky, pill junkie
But look at the accolades these skills brung me
Full of myself, but still hungry
I bully myself ’cause I make me do what I put my mind to
And I’m a million leagues above you
Ill when I speak in tongues, but it’s still tongue-in-cheek, fuck you
I’m drunk, so, Satan, take the fucking wheel
I’ma sleep in the front seat
Bumpin’ Heavy D and the Boyz, still “Chunky but Funky”
But in my head there’s something I can feel tugging and struggling
Angels fight with devils and here’s what they want from me
They’re askin’ me to eliminate some of the women hate
But if you take into consideration the bitter hatred
I have, then you may be a little patient
And more sympathetic to the situation
And understand the discrimination
But fuck it, life’s handin’ you lemons? Make lemonade then!
But if I can’t batter the women
How the fuck am I supposed to bake ’em a cake then?
Don’t mistake him for Satan
It’s a fatal mistake if you think I need to be overseas and take a vacation
To trip a broad, and make her fall on her face and
Don’t be a retard—be a king? Think not
Why be a king when you can be a god?

Live Performance of the Song

• During his induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Em stunned the crowd when he casually strolled out in his signature black hoodie and immediately launched into the breakneck speed verse of “Rap God.” What made it even more impressive was how he delivered the notoriously difficult fast section without missing a single beat while the audience stood there in awe.
• There’s this incredible moment where you can see Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine in the crowd, both beaming with pride like proud parents at a school recital. The funny part was when Em briefly paused after the last verse, looked at the crowd with a slight smirk, and the place just erupted – almost like he was saying, “Yeah, I’ve still got it.”
• The most human touch came at the end when, after absolutely destroying one of the most technically challenging rap songs ever written, he gave this humble little nod to the crowd and stepped back, fiddling with his hoodie strings – classic Marshall, making something superhuman look like just another day at the office. The entire crowd rose for a standing ovation, cell phones lighting up the venue like stars.

Similar Songs by Eminem

• “Godzilla” (featuring Juice WRLD) – From the album “Music To Be Murdered By” (2020)
  • Features an even faster verse than Rap God, with 11.3 words per second
  • A similar theme of showcasing technical rap ability
• “Lucky You” (featuring Joyner Lucas) – From album “Kamikaze” (2018)
  • Features rapid-fire verses and technical wordplay
  • Both artists demonstrate complex rhyme schemes
• “Killer Remix” (featuring Jack Harlow & Cordae) – Released as a single (2021)
  • Shows similar technical prowess and speed
  • Multiple rhythm switches and complex flows
• “Not Alike” (featuring Royce da 5’9″) – From the album “Kamikaze” (2018)
  • Features similar technical complexity
  • Rapid-fire delivery in later verses
• “Speedom” (Tech N9ne featuring Eminem) – From the album “Special Effects” (2015)
  • Demonstrates similar chopper-style rapid delivery
  • Complex rhyme patterns and technical skills showcase

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is the Meaning Behind Rap God?

The song is Eminem’s declaration of his status in hip-hop, comparing himself to various deities while showcasing his technical rap abilities. He references multiple rap styles and eras to demonstrate his mastery of the craft.

How Long Did It Take to Record Rap God?

According to Eminem, the main recording took six sessions, but the fast verse required multiple takes and additional sessions to perfect. The entire process, including production, took about three weeks.

How Many Words Are in the Fast Part of Rap God?

The fastest section contains 97 words delivered in 15 seconds, averaging 6.5 words per second. The entire song contains 1,560 words in 6:04 minutes.

What Records Has Rap God Broken?

The song held the Guinness World Record for “Most words in a hit single,” and its music video became one of the most-viewed hip-hop videos on YouTube. It also achieved Diamond certification by RIAA in 2022.

Where Was the Music Video Filmed?

The music video was filmed in Detroit, Michigan, featuring Eminem in various settings, including a recreation of Max Headroom’s environment from the 1980s television show.