Rick Rubin Reveals: Eminem Is “The Most Obsessive Artist” He’s Ever Worked With—Surpassing Even Run-DMC and the Beastie Boys

In the world of hip hop, Rick Rubin is the mastermind behind the success of countless legends like Run-DMC and the Beastie Boys. Yet even Rubin admits that Eminem is the artist who has left the deepest impression on him—surpassing even those iconic names he previously worked with.

In a 2016 interview with Rolling Stone, Rubin recounted Eminem’s intense creative process. According to Rubin, Eminem doesn’t just possess an encyclopedic knowledge of hip hop history; he lives and breathes every word and rhyme. “Eminem is probably the most obsessive artist I’ve ever worked with. He’s always writing, all the time. That’s who he is,” Rubin emphasized.

Rubin specifically recalled the moment they created the hit “Berzerk.” The idea started with a news clip of someone shouting “go berserk,” and from there, they built the beat with 808 drums and a sample from Billy Squier’s “The Stroke.” Rubin played the guitar himself, but once the track was ready, Eminem recorded his vocals alone—and absolutely nothing was changed afterward. “He writes into the music, using his voice as another instrument,” Rubin described.

This perfectionism and absolute control sometimes led to unintended consequences. When some tracks from the “Encore” album were leaked, Eminem had to quickly replace them with songs like “Big Weenie” or “FACK”—works that were humorous, even bizarre. But for Rubin, this level of dedication—even bordering on obsession—is the price of genius.

“Once Eminem raps over a beat, you can’t change anything,” Rubin asserted. That meticulous attention to detail has helped Eminem create some of the sharpest, most artistically rich, and culturally influential albums in rap history.

Watch Eminem – “Berzerk” now to experience the difference!