In 1997, at Cincinnati, Ohio’s annual Scribble Jam Festival, Eminem and MC J.U.I.C.E. faced off in what is often considered one of Hip-Hop’s greatest battles. At the time, the two Midwestern lyricists were both independent artists looking for a title, and some shine to boot.

J.U.I.C.E., the Chicago, Illinois native MC is one of the many stars to emerge to wide recognition thanks to Sway & King Tech’s “The Wake Up Show” (which would later prominently feature Eminem). At the time, he was arguably the bigger of the two artists in national profile. Eminem, a Detroit, Michigan MC, had recently released his Infinite debut album. “We battled six rounds, we battled six tiebreakers. He finally got me,” recalled Eminem in a short online documentary containing the battle:

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Approaching that Rap battle’s 20th anniversary, The Murder Master Music Show interviewed J.U.I.C.E. for episode #348. Within, the Chicago MC offers a rematch to the man he defeated, and a few trademark jabs to entice him. “I was lucky enough to win that particular day, and there were a lot of factors that played into why I won.” The Windy City artist explains, “I started the head-games early. Like, how Floyd Mayweather does in a fight…or Conor McGregor. I started talking shit early, so I had already tried to establish that I was dominant before we even met. I was lucky enough to beat him. They did a documentary on [the battle]. There’s a situation in place with Netflix now to air a brief documentary about it, which will let everybody know exactly who, kinda, I am, even now. Even now, because people are hearing me online and hearing me still at a top level, they hear me taking the art even further than I did against him. It’s the only reason I’m relevant now. It’s just because people are still listening; y’all help me spread the art.” J.U.I.C.E. released his New Money mixtape in 2008, in addition to singles and appearances.

Continuing, J.U.I.C.E. warns, “Yeah, I did beat him. If he ever wanted to do it again, I’d beat him again.” While his career is lower profile, he professes, “I’m still the same me [that] I’ve always been.” As for Em’, J.U.I.C.E. compares a series of bars from 2000’s “Kill You” to 2010’s “Love The Way You Lie,” and breaks down the contrast. According to the Scribble Jam victor, he attributes Em’s decline in skills to past substance abuse and pressures of fame.

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When host Prez tells his guest that he forecasts the Rap battle as “slaughter,” J.U.I.C.E. uses his admitted tactic of trash-talk. “It would be a slaughterhouse; he’d need the other four members of the group to deal with me,” he says, referring to the Eminem-backed group of Royce 5’9″, Kxng Crooked, Joe Budden, and Joell Ortiz. “Listen, I think, talk, live, breathe bars. That’s what I’m telling you. I have nothing stopping me from accessing my subconscious at any time. I’m a humble guy, but I’m blessed with something different.”

While J.U.I.C.E. acknowledges that he cannot compare careers to his 1997 opponent, he does believe he has the upper-hand in battling. “As good as he was then, as little stress as he was under to the person [that] he is now, the pressure’s on him. He’s Golden State trying to repeat [the championship].”

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Notably, Eminem and Shady Records are responsible for Total Slaughter Rap Battle League. Slaugherhouses’s Joe Budden participated, as did Murda Mook, Loaded Lux, and Hollow Da Don. In 2014, Rolling Stone magazine asked Eminem’s manager and business partner Paul Rosenberg if he planned to return to the competitive sport. “I don’t think at this point it would make any sense. They know eeeeverything about him. Everything,” said the Goliath founder.” So, he’s kind of an easy target. Plus, lets be honest, you gotta be in shape for this. This isn’t something that you just go do on a whim. You gotta be in shape, your brain’s gotta be ready for it, you gotta be in that mode. And Marshall hasn’t done stuff like that for a really long time. But let me tell you something. When he was doing it, he was a fuckin’ killer.”

1990s MCs who have returned to Battle Rap include Canibus, Keith Murray, and Fredro Starr.

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In 2016, MC Shan and KRS-One revived a beef that was more than 20 years old, after the Juice Crew MC unleashed a diss verse at his previous Boogie Down Productions opponent. Notably, that same incident began through an interview on the very same Murder Master Music Show.

#BonusBeat: J.U.I.C.E.’s 2012 freestyle video from Cypress Hill’s B-Real TV:

The full Murder Master Music Show interview with J.U.I.C.E. should release soon.