Fortnite Players Recreate '8 Mile' Rap Battle with Arrival of New Eminem Skins
A creative Fortnite player ingeniously adapted the climactic battle rap sequence from the film, complete with the original audio and a Slim Shady skin. Opposite Eminem in the virtual reenactment is The Falcon, portrayed by Anthony Mackie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, who interestingly played Papa Doc in 8 Mile and was Eminem’s rap battle opponent in the movie.
In a Fortnite twist, the virtual recreation concludes with Eminem wielding a gun to defeat The Falcon. The scene garnered positive feedback from both gaming enthusiasts and Eminem’s long-time manager, Paul Rosenberg, who expressed his amazement on social media. Rosenberg commented by saying: “I mean… wow!”
On November 29, three Eminem skins were released in Fortnite, featuring outfits from his Slim Shady era, a Rap Boy costume, and a Marshall Never More costume.
Eminem's involvement extends to Fortnite’s Big Bang event, where he will headline a virtual in-game concert, similar to those by Travis Scott and Ariana Grande in the past, as part of the game's transition to chapter five.
While this marks Eminem’s first appearance in Fortnite, he has a history in video games, having lent his likeness and voice to 50 Cent: Bulletproof in 2005. Additionally, reports suggest he almost starred in a Grand Theft Auto movie in the early 2000s, although the deal was declined by Rockstar Games.
According to an insider on Bugzy Malone’s Grandest Game podcast, Rockstar turned down a $5 million offer for the film rights, which would have been directed by Tony Scott and starred Eminem, as they were not interested in selling the rights.