here is tha story

The controversial issue of The Source purporting Eminem to be a racist hit newsstands last week, so it's no surprise that the rapper has already fired back at the magazine.

In an untitled freestyle on the Green Lantern mixtape The Invasion Part Three: Countdown to Armageddon, Eminem aims to both elaborate on and get past the controversy stirred up by an old song in which he spit offensive lyrics directed at black women (see "The Source Digs Up Tape Of Eminem Using Racial Slurs").

He raps: "Oh, sorry, yo so sorry, whoa/ But that was a long time ago/ When I was a Joe Schmo/ Rapping in Joe Blow's basement/ I apologized for it before, so/ Either accept it or you don't/ And let's move on/ If I ain't shown that I've grown/ You can get the bone." Later, he says, "Word on my daughter, I told ya/ That I love this culture/ Don't let 'em insult ya/ I'mma tell you once more again/ This is the environment I was brought up in."

Of course, it wouldn't be an Eminem track if he also didn't get in a few digs as well, and The Source co-owners Dave Mays and Ray Benzino are the butt of many jokes. "I got a riddle/ What's little and talks big/ With midget arms and creamy filling in the middle?/ That will do anything to throw dirt on my name?/ Even if it means walking the whole Mediterranean?/ Isn't it Albanian? Armenian? Iranian? Tasmanian?/ No it's Dave, Raymond and a ho'."

Along with the cover story "Eminem: Cleaning Out White America's Closet," the February issue of The Source also includes a CD featuring snippets of two Eminem songs that Benzino claims prove Em's racist tendencies (see "Source Can Release Excerpts of Eminem's Controversial Rap").

In addition to the Green Lantern freestyle, Eminem answers back at The Source's charges in rival magazine XXL's March issue. In it, Eminem takes on each of The Source's points of contention, including when the tape was made, his business relationship with Dr. Dre and 50 Cent, and his cognizance of being a white star in black music.

"The worst part that's gonna come out of this is people are gonna realize that I was like any other stupid kid at 16," he says in the article by Sacha Jenkins. "You do and say dumb sh--. You don't even necessarily mean it. But you do it and you don't think about it. ... That's part of growing up and discovering who you are."

The March issue of XXL hits stands February 3. Eminem's spokesperson could not be reached for comment.



—Joseph Patel-START PUTTING WHO WROTE THE COLUMN IDIOTS!!!!!!!!!