The focus on Eminem’s Kamikaze remains sharp this month. Released on August 30, the album has become a source of debate, not just about its content but also its place within a greater debate about the state of lyricism, in general. The Detroit MC released the album, in part, as a response to critics who said his last album (Revival) did not stand tall as one of his better offerings. On his latest, surprise release, Em both took his critics to task and agreed with them. In the weeks since Kamikaze‘s release, he’s been open about accepting critique and eager to reclaim his reputation as an unforgiving spitter. Naturally, his offensive approach has placed other rappers in his cross-hairs.

Marshall Mathers opted to include only two other rappers on Kamikaze. He gave one spot to veteran MC and longtime collaborator, Royce 5’9. The other, he gave to an artist with no formal studio LP to his name. On “Lucky You,” Joyner Lucas helps Eminem deliver a message: other rappers’ chart success is all luck and no talent. “Can’t f*ck with you rappers, you practically suckin’ / You mighta went platinum, but that don’t mean nothin’,” he spits. In the song, he represents the underdog and the overlooked (“All my life I’ll want a Grammy, but I’ll prolly never get it“), whereas Em has the benefit of 20-plus years of wisdom in his verse (“I done won a couple Grammys but I sold my soul to get ’em“). For Em, it seems “Lucky You” is meant to be an all-out lyrical assault on an entire generation of rappers, namely those handicapped by a lack of talent.

Eminem Says MGK Is An Enemy & He Wants To Destroy Him (Video)

“You got a couple of ghost writers,” Em raps before admitting that he “took an L” when he dropped Revival. That’s the beginning and end of his modesty, however:

Hatata batata, why don’t we make a bunch of /
F*ckin’ songs about nothin’ and mumble ’em! /
F*ck it, I’m goin’ for the jugular /
Sh*t is a circus, you clowns that are comin’ up /
Don’t give an ounce of a motherf*ck /
About the ones that were here before you that made rap /
Let’s recap, way back, MC’s that wreak havoc on tape decks /
ADATs, where the G Raps and Kanes at? /
We need 3 Stacks ASAP and bring Masta Ace back /
‘Cause half of these rappers have brain damage / 
All the lean rappin’, face tats, syruped out like tree sap /
I don’t hate trap, and I don’t wanna seem mad /
But in fact, where the old me at? 

For the video, Eminem opted to incorporate some imagery reminiscent of that in his previous video, “Fall.” In “Lucky You,” demon-like characters swarm both him and Joyner and are ostensibly meant to represent brainless fans who are easily controlled.

This wasn’t the first time this week that Eminem addressed rappers he deems lesser than. In a segment of a multi-part interview with Sway, he said he felt his reputation as an MC came into question because he was refusing to sound like everybody else topping charts.