In 2018, the rap feud between Eminem and Machine Gun Kelly (MGK) reached its climax with two classic diss tracks: MGK’s “Rap Devil” and Eminem’s “Killshot.” While “Killshot” was largely regarded by the public and critics as the final word, settling the score on lyrical skill, for Eminem, the story apparently lingered. Just when everyone thought the feud had faded into the background, Eminem surprisingly reignited the conflict in his 2020 album releases: Music to Be Murdered By and its expanded version, Side B.

Eminem’s decision to continue attacking MGK, two years after “Killshot” ostensibly ended everything, raises significant questions about the Rap God’s true motivation. These were not mere veiled shots but clear, unambiguous references, indicating that MGK remained a persistent annoyance in Marshall Mathers’ mind.

The track “Unaccommodating,” featured on the album Music to Be Murdered By (released January 2020) and featuring Young M.A, contains a brief but venomous line directly targeting MGK. In the second verse, Eminem raps: “I’m unaccommodating / You better hire a new guy to be your runner / ‘Cause I ain’t buying the rumor that you’re nothing / Yeah, I’m talking to you, but you already know who the fuck you are, Kelly / I don’t use sublims and sure as fuck don’t sneak-diss / But keep commenting on my daughter Hailie.” This is a masterfully sharp piece of sarcasm; Eminem uses a double negative to imply MGK is “something,” only to immediately negate that thought by directly attacking him, suggesting he couldn’t be bothered with rumors about MGK’s career. Calling him by his last name, “Kelly,” is a cold, dismissive reminder that the feud was never a secret. The most crucial point, “But keep commenting on my daughter Hailie,” confirms what Eminem cannot let go of: A father’s wounded pride. This jab reveals that the conflict is not merely about music but is rooted in a deep personal offense, reconfirming the core reason for the beef and warning MGK that even though the main battle is over, he remains squarely in Eminem’s sights.

In December 2020, Eminem released the expanded edition Music to Be Murdered By – Side B. The track “Gnat” served as the lead single, and once again, MGK became the subject of ridicule. The line this time is shorter but conclusive, denying MGK any real significance. In the chorus of “Gnat,” Eminem raps: “They say that time heals / Yeah, I tried to wait, but I couldn’t / I’m still stuck in that mind frame, Machine Gun.” Eminem admits he attempted to let the beef go over time, but couldn’t, highlighting his characteristic inability to let go of an offense. The line, “I’m still stuck in that mind frame, Machine Gun,” is a double entendre: literally, he is still mentally stuck on the beef, and figuratively (playing on MGK’s name), he is still “shooting” (rapping) at MGK. By using only “Machine Gun” without “Kelly” or his full name, Eminem minimizes MGK to a tiny, insignificant adversary that is nevertheless stuck in his headspace. This suggests that Eminem wants to maintain psychological dominance and assert that even if MGK has pivoted to Pop Punk/Rock, he is still a rapper “held hostage” within Eminem’s thought process.

Interestingly, MGK’s reaction to the 2020 disses was fundamentally different from his response in 2018. Immediately following “Killshot,” MGK made a drastic move into the Pop Punk/Rock genre, a decision many viewed as an effort to escape Eminem’s colossal shadow and the pressure of the rap battle arena. When “Unaccommodating” dropped, MGK only offered a brief Twitter response: “those subliminals,” accompanied by the sideways-eye and trash can emojis, suggesting Eminem’s bars were weak or unworthy of recognition. Most importantly, MGK did not release any formal diss track in the rap genre to counter “Unaccommodating” or “Gnat.” He chose to fully focus on his burgeoning rock career, where he achieved significant commercial success.

Although Eminem won the technical rap battle with “Killshot,” his continued reference to MGK in 2020 led many fans to question who was truly obsessed. Eminem asserted his dominance and fatherly pride, but the persistent annoyance suggests MGK successfully struck a deep personal nerve. Eminem won the skill battle, but seemed to fail in completely removing MGK from his mind. Conversely, by ignoring the subsequent attacks and shifting to a different musical genre, MGK achieved a “strategic victory” for his career. He successfully leveraged the negative attention to completely rebrand his artistry, establishing an independent and successful position outside of Eminem’s rap world. The “post-Killshot” chapter reveals that the Eminem vs. MGK drama is more than just a typical rap feud; it is a complex standoff between a demanding master and a rebellious protégé. Eminem maintains his position on the throne, but MGK chose to exit the game by redefining his own battlefield.