Watch this 47-minute love fest between Eminem and boxer Mike Tyson on 'Hotboxin'

click to enlarge Watch this 47-minute love fest between Eminem and boxer Mike Tyson on 'Hotboxin'
Screen grab/YouTube

Who would have thought that chatting with controversial professional boxer Mike Tyson would make Detroit's hometown rap god feel like a kid again?

Eminem is the latest to take to the ring on Hotboxin' — Tyson's podcast, where the record-breaking once-undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, author, and convicted rapist goes one-on-one with celebrities and athletes, like Snoop Dogg, Piers Morgan, Tony Robbins, Wiz Khalifa, Mickey Rourke, and even fellow decorated boxer Evander “The Real Deal” Holyfield, whom Tyson famously bit the ear of during a 1997 match, later referred to as “the bite fight.

Tyson and Marshall first met in 2009 during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and reunited when Tyson was invited to appear in Em's latest music video, “Godzilla” feat. the late Juice WRLD. The video, released last week, inspired fans to record themselves attempting to lipsync the tracks' rapid-fire third verse and vie for the grand prize of the official #Godzillachallenge. (A winner has been announced and let's just say, he gives Slim Shady a run for his money.)

“I'm such a fucking huge fan,” Em dotes at the top of the interview, writhing with nervous energy. “I feel like a kid right now, man.” He goes on to apologize if he starts acting “weird.”

The nearly hour-long conversation covered a range of topics, including Em's early inspirations (Ice-T, the Fat Boys, LL Cool J, RUN DMC, and the Beastie Boys), Tyson's boxing memories, and the time Em was evicted from his Detroit home just before he was to head to New Jersey to compete in the Rap Olympics in 1997 (and was forced to break into the house to sleep at night because he had nowhere to go). For the record, he lost the $500 Rap Olympics' grand prize but his demo landed in the right hands, which made its way to Dr. Dre and, well, the rest is history. During the retelling of his origin story, Em gets emotional and turns it back to Tyson.

“You are like a god to me,” Em says. “I-I-I-... bro, you've done so much in your life, man,” he says. “It's so crazy to be the heavyweight champion at 20 years old.”

“You're not chopped liver yourself,” Tyson responds.

Watch the conversation below.


We have a new events newsletter! Find out the best things to do in the area every Thursday morning in your inbox.