The Ultimate Timeline Of The Mariah Carey And Eminem Feud: 5 Shocking Moments That Defined Their Toxic Relationship
The enduring, decades-long feud between two of music's biggest titans, Mariah Carey and Eminem, remains one of Hollywood's most bizarre and toxic celebrity conflicts. While both artists have moved on to new projects and milestones—Mariah as the undisputed Queen of Christmas and Eminem as a rap legend—the ghost of their alleged short-lived romance and subsequent public war of words continues to resurface, most recently ignited by the release of Carey's tell-all memoir, The Meaning of Mariah Carey.
As of late December 2025, the latest comments from Carey have once again brought the story into the spotlight, with the singer dismissing the entire saga as largely irrelevant to her life, a sentiment that only seems to fuel the curiosity of fans who have followed the drama since 2002. This article dives deep into the complete history, the most brutal diss tracks, and the shocking details that continue to define the animosity between the Songbird Supreme and Slim Shady.
Complete Biography Profile: Mariah Carey and Marshall Mathers III
The feud pits a pop diva known for her incredible vocal range against a rap icon famous for his controversial, brutally honest lyrics. To understand the magnitude of their conflict, it is essential to know the foundations of their legendary careers.
Mariah Carey: The Songbird Supreme
- Full Name: Mariah Carey
- Born: March 27, 1969, Huntington, New York, USA
- Occupation: Singer, Songwriter, Record Producer, Actress
- Key Achievements: Holds the record for the most No. 1 songs by a solo artist in Billboard Hot 100 history (19). Known for her five-octave vocal range and signature whistle register. Her album The Emancipation of Mimi (2005) is a landmark in her career.
- Relevant Entities: Tommy Mottola, Nick Cannon, Dem Babies, "All I Want for Christmas Is You."
Eminem: Slim Shady / Marshall Mathers III
- Full Name: Marshall Bruce Mathers III
- Born: October 17, 1972, St. Joseph, Missouri, USA
- Occupation: Rapper, Songwriter, Record Producer, Actor
- Key Achievements: One of the best-selling music artists of all time. Known for his complex rhyme schemes and alter-egos like Slim Shady. Won an Academy Award for Best Original Song for "Lose Yourself" from the film 8 Mile.
- Relevant Entities: Dr. Dre, D-12, Shade 45, Hailie Jade, Kim Scott.
The Toxic Timeline: 5 Shocking Moments That Defined the Feud
The conflict between Mariah Carey and Eminem is not a simple celebrity spat; it is a complex, multi-year saga played out in public through carefully crafted diss tracks, interviews, and media appearances. It began with a private, alleged relationship and escalated into a full-blown musical war.
1. The Alleged Six-Month Relationship (2001-2002)
The initial spark for the feud was a simple disagreement over facts. Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Mathers, has consistently claimed that he and Mariah Carey had a romantic relationship that lasted for "about a good six, seven months" in 2001. According to Mathers, the relationship ended because he wanted to take things further, while Carey did not.
Mariah, however, has always vehemently denied that any serious relationship took place, often referring to their interactions as simply "hanging out" or "talking on the phone" a few times. This fundamental disagreement—a relationship versus a casual fling—became the core fuel for the years of animosity that followed, with Eminem feeling slighted and Mariah feeling harassed.
2. Eminem’s First Public Jab: "Superman" (2002)
The beef went public with the release of Eminem’s album The Eminem Show. In the track "Superman," Eminem explicitly named Carey in a derogatory line: "What you trying to be, my new wife? / What, you Mariah? Fly through the sky, all you need is a pair of wings." This was not just a name-check; it was the first of many subtle and not-so-subtle jabs that would follow, setting the stage for a musical rivalry that would span more than a decade.
Carey’s initial response was subtle, but clear. On her 2003 album, Charmbracelet, she included the track "Clown," which is widely interpreted as a response to Eminem’s taunts, addressing a delusional figure who is obsessed with her and falsely claiming a relationship.
3. The Voicemail Leak and "Bagpipes from Baghdad" (2006-2009)
The feud escalated dramatically in the mid-to-late 2000s. After Mariah married actor and rapper Nick Cannon in 2008, Eminem felt the need to reignite the conflict. In 2009, he released the track "Bagpipes from Baghdad" on his album Relapse, a song so brutal it explicitly named both Mariah and Nick Cannon and contained graphic, insulting lines about their marriage.
Even more shocking than the lyrics was Eminem’s action during his Anger Management Tour. He began playing what he claimed were actual voicemails left by Mariah Carey on his phone, allegedly proving their intimate connection and contradicting her public denials. This move was seen by many as a highly aggressive and intrusive step, crossing a line from a musical diss to personal invasion.
4. Mariah’s Iconic Response: "Obsessed" (2009)
Mariah Carey’s retaliation was arguably the most iconic moment of the entire feud. She released the single "Obsessed" in 2009, complete with a music video where she dresses up in a tracksuit and hoodie as a male stalker—a character widely understood to be a direct parody of Eminem and his obsessive behavior. The lyrics were a masterclass in diva-level dismissal, with the central theme being that the stalker is "obsessed" and lying about a relationship that never happened.
Nick Cannon also got involved, releasing his own diss track aimed at Mathers. This period marked the peak of the public conflict, with both sides trading blows and using their music to control the narrative. The genius of "Obsessed" was its total refusal to name Eminem, treating him instead as a nameless, delusional fan, which was a far more stinging insult than a direct name-check.
The Latest Chapter: The Memoir, The Stress, and The Dismissal (2020-2025)
For a few years, the feud seemed to cool, only to be reignited by the publication of Mariah Carey's 2020 memoir, The Meaning of Mariah Carey. The anticipation alone was enough to cause drama.
Eminem’s Reported Anxiety Over The Book
Prior to the book's release, sources close to Eminem reported that he was "stressed out" and "concerned" that Mariah would tell all about their alleged past. The rapper's "Achilles heel has always been Mariah Carey," and he was reportedly afraid she would reveal details of their "toxic relationship".
However, when the memoir was published, the segment dedicated to Marshall Mathers was surprisingly brief, referring to him only as "a so-called friend" and describing their interactions as a few phone calls and meetings that left her feeling "uncomfortable". This minimal inclusion was seen by many as Mariah's ultimate dismissal, confirming her long-held position that the relationship was too insignificant to warrant a major chapter in her life story.
Mariah’s Recent Dismissal of the "8 Mile" Rumor
In a recent television appearance, Mariah Carey was asked about a long-standing rumor that the feud began because Eminem wanted her to play his mother in the movie 8 Mile. While she stated she didn't "care" about the feud, she did acknowledge that the rumor might hold "some truth".
Her overall attitude, however, remains one of total indifference. When asked about the ongoing drama, Carey simply stated, "I really don't care". This final, cool dismissal serves as the latest update in a long, complicated history. For Mariah Carey, the feud is a footnote; for Eminem, it remains one of the few celebrity rivalries that has endured the test of time, forever linking the Songbird Supreme and Slim Shady in a toxic, unforgettable chapter of music history.
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