Eminem vs MGK: Did Killshot End the Battle?

Daniel Rasul
3 days ago
5 min read

The Eminem and MGK feud is often reduced to one tweet. That is only the spark. The real story is a six-year fuse, a surprise album, a rare public challenge, and one of Eminem’s most-streamed diss tracks.

Introduction

The folklore version says Machine Gun Kelly tweeted about Eminem’s daughter, Eminem got furious, and years later destroyed him with “Killshot.” That version is not completely wrong, but it is too simple. The feud stretched across interviews, alleged industry blocks, subliminal lines, Tech N9ne’s “No Reason,” Eminem’s Kamikaze album, MGK’s “Rap Devil,” and finally Eminem’s reply.

What made the battle interesting is that MGK did something many rappers had avoided for years: he answered Eminem directly with a full diss track. Plenty of artists complained about Eminem. Some traded lines. But “Rap Devil” was a proper challenge from a younger rapper who knew he was stepping into dangerous territory.

Then Eminem responded with “Killshot,” and the culture immediately began judging the fight like a boxing match. Did MGK get credit for swinging first? Did Eminem overkill the response? Did “Killshot” end the battle? Or did the whole feud help both artists in different ways?

The Tweet That Started the Fuse

The origin point is MGK’s 2012 tweet about Eminem’s daughter Hailie. MGK later argued that he meant it respectfully and did not realise the full issue at the time. But from Eminem’s side, the comment crossed a line. Hailie had been one of the most protected subjects in Eminem’s life and music, and mentioning her publicly in that way was never going to be ignored forever.

MGK later claimed the incident affected his career, including alleged problems with radio and Eminem-connected platforms. Whether every detail of that claim can be proven is less important than what it did to the feud’s story. MGK felt he had been punished. Eminem felt there had been disrespect. Both sides carried the grievance forward.

That is why the battle did not feel random when it finally exploded in 2018. It had old history behind it. To casual fans, “Rap Devil” and “Killshot” looked like a sudden internet war. To people who had followed the timeline, it looked like years of tension finally becoming public music.

The tweet was the spark, but the feud became bigger because both men believed the other had crossed a line first.

Rap Devil: MGK Swings First in Public

After Eminem targeted MGK on “Not Alike” from Kamikaze, MGK responded with “Rap Devil.” The title itself was a clear flip of Eminem’s “Rap God” image. MGK attacked Eminem’s age, anger, fashion, public behaviour and position in the industry. He also leaned into the idea that Eminem was too powerful and too sensitive at the same time.

The record worked better than many expected. It was not perfect, but it was confident, catchy and direct. MGK did not hide behind vague lines. He made a full song, shot a video and placed himself in the centre of the conversation. For a few days, the public had to admit he had landed a real punch.

That matters because Eminem’s reputation makes people afraid to engage. Battling Eminem is not just battling another rapper. It is battling one of the most technically skilled, obsessive and commercially powerful diss writers in rap history. MGK’s best achievement may have been simply forcing a real answer.

Killshot: Eminem Turns the Battle Into a Verdict

When “Killshot” arrived, Eminem treated “Rap Devil” almost like a list of mistakes to correct. He answered MGK’s attacks directly, mocked his sales and status, questioned his career position, and framed him as someone who had gained attention only by using Eminem’s name.

That was the key move. Eminem did not only say MGK was weaker. He argued that MGK’s biggest moment existed because Eminem allowed the battle to happen. In battle rap, making your opponent look dependent on you is brutal. It turns their attack into proof of your importance.

“Killshot” also became a major streaming event, which strengthened the public perception that Eminem had won. Rap battles are judged by bars, but in the modern era they are also judged by numbers, memes, reaction videos and cultural temperature. Eminem won most of those categories quickly.

MGK made the battle real. Eminem made the verdict feel obvious to most of the internet.

Did It Really End MGK’s Rap Career?

The biggest exaggeration is the claim that “Killshot” ended MGK’s career. It did not. MGK continued making music and later found major success in a pop-punk lane. What “Killshot” did was make it extremely difficult for him to claim he beat Eminem in a straight rap battle.

That distinction matters. Losing a rap battle is not the same as losing a career. MGK arguably gained visibility from the feud, even if the cultural scorecard favoured Eminem. In a strange way, the battle helped define both artists’ late-2010s narratives: Eminem as the veteran still dangerous when provoked, MGK as the younger artist willing to take the shot.

The feud also showed how battle outcomes have changed. In the old days, a response record might live in clubs, mixtapes or radio. By 2018, the battle lived on YouTube, Twitter, reaction channels and streaming charts. The public verdict formed fast and loudly.

Verdict: Eminem Won the Battle, But MGK Survived the War

The verdict is this: “Killshot” did end the battle in most fans’ eyes, but it did not end MGK as an artist. Eminem won the rap exchange because his response was sharper, more authoritative and more culturally dominant. MGK deserves credit for making the battle happen, but Eminem controlled the final narrative.

The folklore is therefore half true. Yes, “Killshot” became the decisive blow. No, it did not erase MGK’s career. It simply made the rap audience treat the battle as closed, while MGK later found a different route to mainstream success.

Q&A

Why did Eminem and MGK start beefing?

The feud is usually traced back to MGK’s 2012 tweet about Eminem’s daughter Hailie. Over time, MGK claimed the incident affected his career, while Eminem later addressed him directly on “Not Alike.”

What was Rap Devil?

“Rap Devil” was MGK’s direct response to Eminem after Kamikaze. It attacked Eminem’s age, behaviour, career position and sensitivity, and it forced Eminem to reply with a full diss track.

Did Killshot beat Rap Devil?

Most fans and commentators gave the win to Eminem. “Killshot” was bigger, sharper and more damaging in terms of public perception, though “Rap Devil” earned MGK respect for taking the challenge directly.

Did Eminem end MGK’s career?

No. That is exaggerated. MGK continued to release music and became successful in pop-punk. What Eminem damaged was MGK’s claim to winning that specific rap battle.

Are Eminem and MGK still beefing?

The feud has cooled compared with 2018, but it has never become a warm public friendship. Later comments from people around both artists suggest some would like the conflict to end fully.