Eminem has once again shown why he’s regarded as one of the most technically gifted rappers in history — firing back at an online claim that nothing rhymes with “silver” with a rapid-fire list that left fans stunned.
The challenge started when Uber Eats posted on social media: “There’s no word in English that rhymes with ‘silver’.” The hip-hop platform Rock The Bells quickly tagged Eminem, writing: “@Eminem you have 24 hours!”
Given his reputation for complex rhyme schemes and wordplay, the Detroit rapper was never likely to let the claim pass unanswered. Just over a day later, he responded with a sprawling stream of rhymes that left no doubt about his linguistic ability.
His post read: “Silver pilfer kill fer Gilbert’s still hurts steel shirts Bill Burr milf word off kilter no filter chill brrrr feel burn still slur will stir Trent Dilfer Val Kilmer Still third shield her he’ll squirt Steven Spielberg Lil twerp Wilshire She’ll purr Kill birds milk curd feel worth Real nerd Stans documentary I liked your film sir.”
It was a barrage that not only bent and twisted sounds to force matches with “silver” but also showcased his signature ability to weave names, imagery, and assonance into a single breathless sequence.
The reaction online was immediate. One fan wrote: “This should have like a million likes,” while another simply said: “LMAOOOOOOO you’re a genius.”
The moment became another reminder of Eminem’s enduring ability to create viral talking points nearly three decades into his career. While some saw it as a playful flex, others pointed out that his response was also a lesson in how rhyme in rap isn’t limited by strict dictionary definitions — a hallmark of his style since his early days in the battle scene.
Eminem, real name Marshall Mathers, has built a career on lyrical dexterity, and even in casual moments, he often treats language like a puzzle to be broken apart and reassembled. Challenges like this have become part of his public persona — an artist who thrives when given a target, whether it’s a beat, an opponent, or, in this case, a single stubborn word.
The response also brought a wave of nostalgia for fans who remember his famous on-the-spot freestyles from the 8 Mile era, where he would effortlessly dismantle his competition with improvised verses. It’s a skillset that, despite his global fame, he has never abandoned.
Outside of these light-hearted moments, Eminem’s life and career have been defined by far more serious battles. He has been open about his struggles with addiction, particularly to prescription drugs, and has credited his sobriety — now more than 17 years — with saving his life.
In a past interview, he described the period leading up to his overdose in 2007 as a “vicious cycle” of depression and pill use. He recalled waking up in hospital with tubes in his body, saying: “I didn’t know what the f** happened. It seemed like I fell asleep, and I woke up with tubes in me and s***. I wanted to get up. I couldn’t move.”*
The near-death experience forced him to confront the reality of his situation. “After the overdose, I came home going, ‘Yo, bro, I need something… I’m going to die if I don’t do something,’” he said.
He entered recovery soon after, and by 2009 released Relapse, his first album in the wake of getting clean. While he later admitted the reception was “lukewarm,” he credited the process with helping him rediscover his drive. “That also turned the lights on and I thought, ‘You’ve gotta do something different.’ Why don’t you try embracing sobriety? I realized I’m not embarrassed anymore about it, and I started treating sobriety like a superpower. I was proud of the fact that I could quit.”
Since then, Eminem has continued to release chart-topping albums, headline global tours, and command cultural moments like few other artists in the hip-hop world. Whether it’s surprise-drops, pointed diss tracks, or, as seen this week, rising to a quirky internet challenge, his ability to dominate conversation remains intact.
For fans, this latest display was more than just a clever wordplay stunt — it was a reminder that the competitive spirit at the core of hip-hop still drives Eminem to prove himself, even when the “opponent” is simply the English language.
