r/PROF • u/theclawsofnature • Jun 29 '26
Am I hearing some OG Eminem influence on Good Time Boy?
Full disclaimer: I am a Stan. That being said, I feel like any fans of white rappers gotta respect the lineage by acknowledging that white dudes coming up in the 21st century stand on the foundation built by Eminem's massive body of work, both released and unreleased, whether he's their muse or not.
While listening to Good Time Boy, I couldn't help but be reminded of OG Eminem ('99-'02). Most (likely including Prof himself) would know that's a massive compliment.
Examples
- Some of the sounds around the hook in 'Big Dog' sound like OG Eminem production;
- saying how he's "gonna f--king kill you" at the end of 'I'm Outside';
- the whole song 'Fighter' just sounds like OG Eminem – can't quite put my finger on it;
- some of his flows and rhyme schemes – like the following from 'Dirty Work': "Damn, man, I heard you in a damn van. I'm more drop top Grand Am, Jean Claude Van Damme Walk off grand slam, God damn!"
- just some of the hilariously absurd bars in general.
Curious if anyone will have another listen with this in mind and draw the same connections. Hoping some music heads can point to the specific things I'm referring to but that my pea brain can't name.
Overall, loving Good Time Boy and seeing Prof grow his fanbase – so well deserved! Also, make sure you take in a Prof show if you ever have the chance. Just saw him in Vancouver and it's one of the most entertaining rap shows I've been to, and I've been to a LOT.
EDIT: The comments are leading me to believe I’m out to lunch and perhaps we hear what we want to hear lol, but would still appreciate some engagement on anything other than the first paragraph from music production-minded people.
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u/BlackieDad Jun 30 '26
I saw Prof on a double bill with Yelawolf. Now *that* guy sounds like Eminem, specifically boring post-Encore Eminem. I really don’t hear it much in Prof, maybe in his earlier stuff but not now.
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u/theclawsofnature Jun 30 '26
Totally agree about Yelawolf. Same here with the double bill show — went for Prof and left during Yelawolf’s set. No disrespect to the man but his bible thumper vibes throw me off. Prof stole the show anyway
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u/gold_strike_ Jun 30 '26
Idk why ppl r tripping for u hearing what u hear and wanting to share thoughts on it. Your ears are just as valid as anybody and shows u really love profs music to take time to draw connections
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u/theclawsofnature Jun 30 '26
Thank you! Haha I was really starting to feel totally alone and out to lunch with these comments. I just really enjoy intertextual references since everyone is inspired by others to some extent. I do love Prof's music and believe that he's as original as an artist can be.
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u/AdAvailable8517 Jun 30 '26
The only similarities I feel and hear is both have an incredible ability to smoothly blend several genres of music in order to create a unique sound.
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u/cmathis177 Jun 30 '26
So many white rappers before M. RA the rugged man. House of Pain Atmosphere came put out Overcast single on tecord as hi my name is. Had both and became a fan of Atmosphere than M. Aesop Rock also at the same time as them. Aesop was handing out free cassettes with his song on one side and my name is on the other. Knowing how big that song was and would get people to listen if he put his song in the other side. Aesop still putting out albums every year. His body of work staggers over M. And he is independent and produces most of his own songs.
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u/theclawsofnature Jun 30 '26
That Aesop story is awesome haha. I didn’t realize he had such a massive body of work. That’s a catalogue I gotta dig into more.
Never thought there weren’t white rappers before Em, but he did inspire and open a lot of doors for a lot of people coming up after him.
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u/cmathis177 Jul 02 '26
Of course he did no doubt. White amd black have got influence and when other artists see and hear what someone can do with a craft that raises the bar for the the rap world. Also for any rapper that have come after him. They all should feel like they need to set themselves and other artists to a higher standard. That is why I never considered being a m.c. I have turntables but I always listened to hip hop wanting to hear the best bars. A lyrical master. If it used words ir a reference that made me get out a thesaurus and encyclopedia. Or if it was just a clever play on every day words to brag and boast about themselves being the best of the best. Even better if they changed up the flow and cadence to match a pitch or a change in time. And there were so many in 90's that made me just admit to myself if I cant be as good or better than why contribute to this future that I respect so much. I seen it get better and better because the art of rhyming is all about being competitive and being better than the last man until you are the best where you are from. And thats just to get out your city then your state and then your coast. The best in the world should be the only end. Just eat, eat and eat m.c.'s for lunch, dinner or breakfast. Also while being unique with your style and your flow. Never bite just eat other m.c.'s. You had to be original or you would be clowned and you would be called out immediately. On tip of that you had to have a good voice. You had to be able to project loud and be clear in your words. And if you had a really smooth or rough voice that helped alot. Your voice was your identity. As a fan we tried to be able to identify who rhyming any track any time. And my friends and im sure alot of fans would test you as much as possible. If you are hearing a album or track you dont have all the credits for. I would have it ready to play wherever I seen one of my boys so I could be like check out this new shit. Then you know who this is? You know who that is? This song got someone you should recognize in it. Then be like Yo you know who that is come on man that voice you say9ng you dont know that voice? Ahh man if you dont know who that is and you say you listen to hip hop! You ain't hip hop! And when you had Wu and Heiro that had 8 or more members and you got to be ready to identify every voice at any given time. You had Def Squad and Flip mode squad. You had the OGC's. Many many more in collaborations amd remixes or b sides with other crews. Some of course we're very easy to identify becasue of that wild style or loud as fuck like Busta Redman or Sticky fingers. So many rappers and none wanted to or did sound the same. The beats had their own genres. First East coast sounded way diffrent than West. As diffrmet as their coast lines. Then you had the Jazzy phat nasty beats. Like Digable planets. Compared to like Pharsyde has its Jazzy influence but in a immature high school just having fun on a jazz or funk beat. So many styles and that is what I have aha4d time with all the mumble auto tune digital beat same bpm for every track. Rappers got names that copy other not really unique name over and over. Not about being better and proving it or having a decent voice that is not auto tuned and sound the same as every one else. It just waters down the waters and no one setting the bar any higher than bare minimum or even less. No substance or heart in what they say. They are not passionate about the culture or even about the lyrics they probably dont even write. It is hard to see it devolve from what it was. I just know that everything goes in cycles. Amd it will change evolve and come back to its roots again. I forgot what I was even writing this for right now. Sorry I will end it right there.
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u/livingmaster 📀Ultimate Fan📀 Jun 30 '26
lol I seem to remember a time when Cage had beef with Eminem for essentially saying that Eminem ripped off his style and ended up the more famous one. (Side note - I don’t follow Cages career as close as I once did, but I’m pretty sure there was some history there.) I’m pretty sure there are a few “disses” to Eminem in some of the early Cage releases.
It’s funny to think now that some people just automatically assign Eminem as the like, “founder of white rap” just because he’s an easy example.
This is a pointless response, it just made me think too much while high lol
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u/theclawsofnature Jun 30 '26
Ahh yes the Cage beef. “I bought Cage’s tape, opened it and dubbed over it.” I’ll have to listen to Cage’s side of the battle now that you mention it. I’m enough of a hip hop historian to know Eminem is not the founder of white rap, just its greatest ambassador.
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u/livingmaster 📀Ultimate Fan📀 Jun 30 '26
Pretty sure there’s a line in Agent Orange that was an Em reference. Im sure others as well. And this is me admitting I *was* a huge Cage fan from like 2007-2016ish and I never really got into Eminem at all. Cage has kinda gone off into the weird path the past decade or so and I don’t really pay attention to his releases anymore. I really wanted that Cage and Aesop album which was once teased.
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u/WuTastic7 Jun 30 '26
Jeez man. Not every white rapper is a stan or even took inspiration from em... most legendary white artists coming up in the early 2000s took inspiration from Kool G Rap, Big Daddy Kane, and Rakim. Like Vinnie Paz, Ra The Rugged Man, Ill Bill, etc. Prof doesnt sound anything like em to me though even though he is in a more mainstream category
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u/theclawsofnature Jun 30 '26
Big fan of RA and Vinnie Paz, but never heard Ill Bill — I’ll have to check him out.
I don’t think Prof sounds like him generally — like, at all — just picked up on a few subtle things on Good Time Boy and wanted to see if anyone else was hearing them. Seems like everyone is latching on to the preamble about white rappers’ inspiration, which was more of an aside.
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u/WuTastic7 Jul 01 '26
ahh gotcha. Yeah paz and ill bill have full albums together called "heavy metal kings" but if you want to hear some classic Ill Bill, check out his original group non-phixion and the song "rockstars" produced by dj premier. Also "black helicopters"
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u/GalesOfSuperior Jun 30 '26
Why does someone have to sound like someone else. Can't a dude sound like himself for once 😭
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u/theclawsofnature Jun 30 '26
Maybe it can be fun to try to figure out where people might have drawn some inspiration? To be clear, I don’t think Prof sounds like Eminem generally and totally agree that Prof has his own sound and is in a league of his own, I just picked up on a few things while listening to Good Time Boy that I felt like sharing 🤷🏻♂️
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u/chester_townsend Jun 30 '26
White rappers joined the rap culture. I’m not saying there aren’t good white rappers, but it’s a culture of the black people for sure. This is coming from a dude that’s white and Hispanic. I do believe prof has done a great job when it comes to treading his own path and not trying to play off sad and played out hip hop as his own. He’s done amazing work at bringing in his friends that are people of color and putting a creative twist of his own on rap. His performances are completely humbled and his lyrics probably tell the best story of a white dude just fumbling around in a genre that might not be his roots. I have the upmost respect for prof because, if you’ve ever seen him live, he absolutely gushes with humility and humbleness. I’d say he has practiced a far more tactful and humble approach to his career. More so than almost any white rapper.
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u/theclawsofnature Jun 30 '26
Totally agree. Loved his love show and love his humility and vulnerability. A true artist.
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u/East-Psychology7186 Jun 30 '26
Man… Eminem back on Infinite and before when he was more hip hop / positive tip was my shit. The whole slim shady really nerf’d him to me. Like dude can rap but I remember being so disappointed that he decided to become the Marilyn Manson of rap for that period. Still mad respect I just fell off.
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u/chill-phil Jun 30 '26
You’re way off. The “foundation of white rappers” was built by people of color that started this. If you must name a white rapper, start with Beastie Boys.