The Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams faced off in the Wild Card round of the NFL Playoffs on January 14. With Detroit having postseason action for the first time since 2016 the Lions decided to bring out Motown royalty. Detroit native and multi-platinum rapper Eminem did the Sunday Night Football introduction for the Lions as they hosted the Rams.
It is the first time the Motor City has hosted an NFL Playoff game in 30 years.
Other celebrities in attendance included multi-platinum rapper Big Sean, and retired Lions stars Barry Sanders and Calvin Johnson Jr.
Detroit Rapper Makes Bold Plea to Rams Star
There was extra hype surrounding the Sunday finale between the Lions and Rams. Not only because of the playoff drought in Detroit but because it is the first time that quarterbacks Matthew Stafford and Jared Goff have faced off in the postseason.
Goff and Stafford got traded for each other in 2021. Stafford has since gone on to win the only title of his career with the Rams in 2022. Goff has not enjoyed much success since being traded by the franchise. Eminem made a hefty plea to the Rams’ star quarterback before the marquee playoff matchup.
“Stafford, what’d I say? You owe me this favor, bro,” Eminem said in a video posted by the NFL. “I was there for you when you won it. I was there for you. I was right there. I rapped for you, Stafford! Bro, I rapped for you! Can you just let us have this one? Just this one.”
G-Unit Rapper Pays Homage to Eminem
Eminem has been featured a lot in the headlines lately. During a recent episode of the popular podcast, the “Joe Budden Podcast,” the multi-platinum rapper was a topic of discussion. During an appearance on the podcast, social media superstar Dr. Umar suggested that Eminem could not be the greatest rapper of all time because he is white.
Rapper Tony Yayo, who is a popular fixture on 50 Cent’s G-Unit label, was quick to come to the Detroit native’s defense.
“I don’t agree with that,” Yayo said via HotNewHipHop.com. “I f*ck with Dr. Umar but I don’t have to agree with everything he says. I don’t agree with that. Eminem is in my top 5 MCs. And that’s not because I’m down with him and not because you got the “Free Yayo” shirt on. It doesn’t have anything to do with that. I was an Eminem fan once I heard ‘Renegade.’ That was it for me. Once I heard him rhyme against Jay.”