As far as rap beef goes, 2024 has mostly seen drama brewing between some of the biggest femcees in the industry so far. Of course, that doesn’t mean the men of hip-hop aren’t having issues of their own. In particular, Benzino and Eminem have carried their long-running beef into this year, airing out their feelings on diss tracks like “Doomsday 2” and “Rap Elvis.” Earlier this month, Cole Bennett unleashed the visual he directed for the latter, in which the “Mockingbird” artist insults Benzino’s lack of a neck, among other things.
While the music video doesn’t target the former media mogul with much more than Em’s words, he’s fighting back dirty with his “Rap Elvis” visual. As AllHipHop reports, Zino was out in Detroit filming footage to accompany his single, specifically hitting up his nemesis’ Mom’s Spaghetti restaurant to try (and promptly insult) the food. On Wednesday (March 20) the 58-year-old shared behind-the-scenes previews of him taunting Eminem, including one that shows him seemingly stealing the eatery’s sign from outside and hauling it into a van.
It’s evident that the Mom’s Spaghetti menu isn’t up to Zino’s standards, as he sampled one item from the menu before wastefully throwing it on the ground. According to the embattled star, the spaghetti was “horrible.” As far as his diss video’s release date, the Boston native promised, “Soon come.”
While Benzino is busy plotting revenge on Eminem, the 8 Mile actor has been on set too, though his project is far more light-hearted in nature than what the former leader of The Source is working on. For his part, Slim Shady joined Dr. Dre, 50 Cent, and Snoop Dogg to star in a “Dre’s Anatomy” skit on Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show. Read all about that at the link below, and check back later for more hip-hop/pop culture news updates.
The popular food critic, Mr. ChimeTime, has labeled Eminem’s Mom’s Spaghetti “the WORST restaurant in Detroit.” Reviewing the restaurant for his nearly 600,000 thousand YouTube subscribers, ChimeTime listed several grievances with the menu options.
“This is by far the worst spaghetti that I have ever had in my entire life of eating spaghetti,” he said in the video. “When I tasted this, it kinda reminds me of middle school cafeteria meat. But I’ma keep it 100 with you, middle school cafeteria meat is better than this bullsh*t. When you get the spaghetti, they just throw it in a bag. And not to mention, the container is open. So, spaghetti is flopping all over the goddamn cup. Number two: it’s cold as f*ck. The sauce is by far the blandest upper-mid sauce that I’ve ever had in any spaghetti. They say it’s powdered Parmesan on this. Why in the hell are we using this low-grade, tasteless, cheap sh*t? Can we get some real Parmesan cheese, please? Now, on the flip side of that, if your goal is to overcharge for low-quality…spaghetti, congratulations… because you did just that.”
Eminem Serves Food At The Opening Of Mom’s Spaghetti
DETROIT, MICHIGAN – SEPTEMBER 29: Eminem serves Mom’s Spaghetti on the opening night of his restaurant Mom’s Spaghetti on September 29, 2021 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Scott Legato/Getty Images)
Eminem opened the doors to Mom’s Spaghetti back in September 2021. In doing so, he served patrons of the restaurant, which gets its name from the rapper’s 2002 single “Lose Yourself.” In addition to serving traditional spaghetti with meatball options, the Detroit location also offers a “s’ghetti sandwich.” On the aforementioned hit song, Em raps, “His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy/ There’s vomit on his sweater already, mom’s spaghetti.”
Eminem’s Restuarant Labeled “The Worst” In Detroit
Check out Mr. ChimeTime’s damning review of the Detroit rapper’s restaurant above. Be on the lookout for further updates on Eminem on HotNewHipHop.
Eminem is a rap god, sure, but he’s also a branding god. The rapper has really leaned into the iconic “mom’s spaghetti” lyric from “Lose Yourself” over the years, most notably with a pop-up spaghetti restaurant before parlaying the concept into a permanent Detroit restaurant. Now, he’s bringing his mother’s pasta dish to the masses with Mom’s Spaghetti, a new line of pasta sauce.
Eminem announced it on social media last night (October 24), sharing a promotional video of jars of sauce hurtling towards the ground. One smashes before the video cuts to an unbroken product shot that notes, “The sauce is dropping.” This isn’t something happening in the distant future, as Mom’s Spaghetti is set to be made available on October 26 (AKA tomorrow). Em also linked to the Mom’s Spaghetti website in his bio, which at the moment has an email sign-up form to “get first access to the sauce & future Mom’s Spaghetti updates.”
Eminem has made a noteworthy announcement today! He’s dropping a spaghetti sauce line. The rap legend, affectionately known as Slim Shady, took to his Instagram account on Tuesday, October 24th, to introduce a brand new product: Mom’s Spaghetti sauce. While this unveiling sparked considerable anticipation, there was an undercurrent of disappointment among fans, as they had been fervently hoping for the release of new music. The reactions from his devoted fan base support the new idea, but they’re not missing their chance to ask for new music as well. “Marshall, the sauce we really want is the album,” one person said. “Not the drop I wanted, but I’ll take 10,” another said. Someone else commented, “For a moment I thought it was the name of the album.”
Eminem’s announcement cleverly alludes to his iconic 2002 hit “Lose Yourself.” The song features the memorable line, “His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy, there’s vomit on his sweater already, mom’s spaghetti.” This lyrical reference has become legendary in its own right and has solidified “Mom’s Spaghetti” as an iconic symbol associated with Eminem’s music. Therefore, fans were understandably excited about the prospect of a unique collaboration that pays homage to this celebrated track.
However, instead of a much-anticipated album drop, what fans discovered was a culinary venture, Mom’s Spaghetti sauce. Eminem also announced it would be available for purchase in the upcoming week. This unexpected pivot from music to spaghetti sauce left many fans yearning for new tunes. Moreover, the unveiling of Mom’s Spaghetti sauce was an unexpected twist in the world of music news for today.
Furthermore, Eminem’s lyrics have the power of forseeing the future. Just like he used the spaghetti sauce line from “Lose Yourself,” to create an actual brand of spaghetti sauce, fans noticed how he predicted Drake’s career too. As HNHH previously reported, fans couldn’t help but point out how Eminem’s song “Zeuz” predicted Drake’s fans turning on him. The lyrics say, “And Drake, they’re gonna turn on you (You) one day too (Too), And the more you win, the sooner (Sooner) they do, They’ll be calling you a trash bin, Sayin’ that your new one isn’t better than your last.” However, in the dynamic world of entertainment, Eminem’s spaghetti sauce announcement serves as a reminder that artistic expression knows no bounds. Will you be purchasing Mom’s Spaghetti?
There’s vomit on his sweater already — Mom’s spaghetti.
He’s nervous but on the surface he looks calm and ready To drop bombs but he keeps on forgetting…
It’s one of the most gripping opening stanzas in all of hip-hop history. It’s visual, visceral, and, in just a few syncopated syllables, shows Eminem’s mastery of the natural musicality of language. It’s such an effective opening that not only does it fill you in on the plot and story of the movie 8 Mile, you can practically taste B-Rabbit’s mom’s spaghetti (both as it goes down and as it comes up). But nothing about that opening line suggests that B-Rabbit’s mom has a handle on centuries worth of Italian culinary tradition.
Begging the question: Do we even want to try this dish?
The short answer is “yes.” Last September, Em and Curt Callo and Ann Stevenson (of Union Joints Restaurant Group), launched the 8 Mile-themed Mom’s Spaghetti in Detroit and absolutely crushed it. Em himself even made an appearance at the service window. So it’s not shocking that as the legend pulls up to LA for the Super Bowl halftime show, he’s bringing his mom’s spaghetti with him for another pop-up.
This Super Bowl weekend (starting today), diners will be able to try the Mom’s Spaghetti concept via Postmates — or in-person at a pop-up — housed at Uncle Paulie’s Deli in DTLA — while supplies last. Items on the full menu include a simple plate of parmesan-dusted spaghetti, toasted garlic bread, beef and vegan meatballs, and the S’ghetti sandwich (a favorite straight out of Eminem’s real-life upbringing). Postmates will also be holding a sweepstakes that offers ten people the chance to score a limited-edition jar of Mom’s Spaghetti Sauce, signed by Em himself.
Before you throw down your money on Mom’s Spaghetti, you’re going to want to know if it’s any good — so we tried the whole menu for you! But not before asking co-owner Curt Catallo and Chef Chris Springer some questions about what to expect.
“Mom’s spaghetti” almost sounds like slander in Lose Yourself. But I’d imagine this is a classic Spag Bol or what Italians would call a Bolognese or NY Italians would call ‘Sunday Gravy?’
Catallo:
I think the reason why that line connects in such an incredible way is that everyone knows that spaghetti reference… it could be Rabbit’s mom or anyone else’s… we’ve all had it. And I don’t think it’s slander, we’ve all been nervous before going into battle!
Springer:
The standard sauce is straight — like a jar sauce but totally scratch. We have the bolognese in Detroit, because Em’ asked for one.
What was your experience with that type of sauce and how did you develop this recipe?
Catallo: We started making the sauce in ‘17 for the Revival Pop-Up at the Shelter (in Saint Andrews) and took it to Coachella.
Springer: We worked with Paul Rosenberg and their crew to dial it in along the way. We had a big tasting and perfected it right when the pandemic hit, literally eating Mom’s when they canceled March Madness, and locked the recipe.
What hallmarks do you want the sauce to have? Is there a ‘Detroit style’ to this type of sauce or is it pretty much NY style? Or even true Italian?
Catallo: What we were going after for Paul and Marshall was a sauce that was totally straightforward and legit. It’s not my grandma’s sauce because it’s not supposed to be. Mom’s is a classic, straight red sauce.
Eminem’s raps always seemed to paint the sort of world where people would overcook pasta — do you keep things al dente?
Springer: When we make Mom’s we want it to taste like it’s an incredible leftover when you get it. We cook all the spaghetti ahead of time and reheat it in a wok with sauce to order. It gives it a snap.
Spaghetti w/ Balls/Vegan Balls
Dane Rivera
As Catallo alluded to, the Mom’s Spaghetti concept is less about offering a gourmet experience and more about capturing the flavor of delicious leftovers. Like when you pour through the door after a late night, half-buzzed and half-asleep from your midnight adventures, crack open the fridge, and dive into carb-loaded comfort food. I’m happy to say that it completely captures that magic. From the take-out style packaging to the reheated wok noodles, this stuff tastes good and is as much a people-pleaser as “Lose Yourself.”
The appropriately juvenilely named Spaghetti with Balls is Mom’s Spaghetti’s main menu item. It can be ordered solo, or with beef or vegan meatballs. The spaghetti itself does have that snap to it that Springer mentioned, looking at the dish I was fully expecting soggy noodles that would turn to mush in my mouth, but I was surprised to find a pleasing firm-but-chewy texture to them.
Dane Rivera
The sauce was another surprise, it smells incredibly pungent — the garlic fills your immediate surroundings and that’s not a pure compliment! But the sauce does its job, it keeps the noodles interesting, and adds a lot of brightness and some complex savory umami qualities. It’s delicious, not life-changing but altogether makes for a dish worth ordering — especially with the garlic toast that it’s served alongside.
The meatballs, both beef, and vegan are a lot more forgettable. I’m not sure if this was a result of losing some flavor in transit, but both the beef and vegan balls were a bit on the dry side. Not to the point of being inedible, but entirely skippable. The beef meatball was the juicier of the two, and featured a nice savory balance of salt, garlic, and peppery flavor.
Dane Rivera
The vegan balls also had a good flavor, if a bit drier. They were much more noticeably plant-y and featured a spicier onion-forward flavor. If you need the protein to complete the meal, go for whichever ball sounds better for you, but I think you’re better off just ordering the spaghetti on its own.
Or, better yet, opt for this next option…
S’getti Sandwich
Dane Rivera
When I first saw the S’getti sandwich I thought it was kind of dumb (carbs on carbs!). Then I realized that when I’m eating spaghetti leftovers, I’m usually utilizing the garlic bread in exactly this way. This sandwich isn’t the dumb one, it’s me!
Putting spaghetti on top of your garlic toast is a delicious experience, and Mom’s Spaghetti just builds it for us. This is the essential order from the pop-up. It combines the best of what the restaurant concept offers — the buttery garlic french toast, which is crunchy but soft on the inside, and the snappy bright noodles — and further elevates both with a slice of delicately salty melted mozzarella. It’s last night’s pasta plus a grilled cheese sandwich. Delicious and genius!
The dish has a great mouthfeel, it’s crispy and crunchy, chewy, but not mushy, and features a savory garlic flavor that settles on the palate nicely. B-Rabbit never rapped about his mom’s S’getti sandwich, but he damn sure should have!
The Bottom Line:
Order the S’getti sandwich. It doesn’t conjure up nostalgia for 8-Mile but it’s legitimately delicious and deserves a spot alongside your other Super Bowl food favorites this weekend. Also, for true stans of Em, it’s a dish he actually ate when he was a young kid, more like B-Rabbit than the modern Eminem we know today. And that’s pretty cool.
Not only is Eminem performing part of the upcoming Super Bowl halftime show but he’s also bringing his popular pop-up restaurant to hungry football fans. The pop-up, Mom’s Spaghetti — so named for a line from Em’s 2002 hit “Lose Yourself” — was so successful at previous events that he eventually opened a brick-and-mortar restaurant in his hometown Detroit last year to the delight of fans.
This week, Mom’s Spaghetti will return to its roots with a pop-up shop in Downtown LA opening today through Super Bowl Sunday, when the big game will be played at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium between the hometown LA Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals. For those unwilling to risk Super Bowl week traffic themselves (seriously, don’t do it, people) the restaurant will also be available for delivery via Postmates.
Fans actually at the game will get to watch Eminem perform at the halftime show along with Dr. Dre, Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige, and Snoop Dogg. The group will also have a pair of deaf rappers signing during the show, translating the classic songs for a wider audience. In other food-related Super Bowl news, Domino’s is offering customers $3 for picking up their pizzas instead of having them delivered.
Eminem is going from rapper to restauranteur with next week’s opening of Mom’s Spaghetti, a new eatery based on the pop-up concept inspired by one of his most famous lyrics. The Detroit rapper previously brought the dish based on his famous “Lose Yourself” line to his Revival promotional event, as well as a second pop-up dedicated to the hospital workers of Detroit during last year’s quarantines. He also brought the pop-up to Coachella and Firefly in 2018 when he headlined those festivals. To promote the restaurant, Eminem even shot a tongue-in-cheek commercial that is currently airing on local TV.
In addition to Mom’s Spaghetti — both with and without meatballs — the restaurant will apparently be serving something called a “s’ghetti sandwich,” which sounds like exactly the thing a stressed-out mom living on the outskirts of Detroit’s city center would serve a hyperactive pre-teen. In the commercial, which details these items, Eminem appears to upchuck a takeout container from the restaurant, paying a fitting tribute to the line that inspired the whole thing:
His palms are sweaty
Knees weak, arms are heavy
There’s vomit on his sweater already: Mom’s spaghetti
You can lose yourself in the saucy, noodle-y goodness next Wednesday, September 29 in Detroit.
