How Mariah Carey Really Feels About Her Infamous Feud With Her Supposed Ex Boyfriend

Mariah Carey is setting the record straight about a rumored ex-boyfriend who she denies ever dating — Eminem. Carey and the rapper have a long-standing feud, which has played out on diss tracks and lyrics they've each written about each other. The drama started in the early aughts, but the catalyst has never been clear because their stories about each other are so different.

After remaining dormant for a few years, the argument made headlines again when music producer Damion "Damizza" Young went on the "TFU" podcast in June 2025 and said he introduced the musicians to each other. He supported Eminem's claim that they dated, saying the "Lose Yourself" rapper wanted to meet Carey because he hoped she would play his mother in the 2002 biopic, "8 Mile." Carey was reportedly offended by the offer because she's not old enough to be his parent. "Her insecurities kicked in," said Damizza, adding that Carey began chastising Eminem after he offered her the role during a three-way phone call.

Carey confirmed to Andy Cohen in an October 2025 appearance on "Watch What Happens Live!" that her feud with Eminem began because of the "8 Mile" offer — sort of. "From what I heard, there is truth to that," she said, before seemingly implying that she wasn't sure who was involved in approaching her about the film. When Cohen asked her to clarify if that was the start of their disagreements, she rambled, "No. Maybe. It depends what he's thinking; I really don't care. Whatever he said, then I'm that, fine. Not really."

Mariah Carey might not care about her role in Eminem's dating life anymore, but he's played voicemails she allegedly sent him at his past concerts, so at this point the world would like some clarity. On the aforementioned "TFU" podcast, Damion "Damizza" Young said he randomly flew with Carey to Eminem's house in Detroit in the early 2000s, around the time she was behaving erratically in public. Damizza implied that the pair had slept together during that visit, adding that he later got a call from an allegedly unstable Carey, implying that Eminem had done something to damage the relationship. 

Eminem was the most clear about the situation in a 2002 interview with Rolling Stone, brutally telling the outlet, "I just don't like her as a person. I gotta be honest; I learned a lesson from it: Don't believe the hype. I have respect for her, but she doesn't really have it all together. I'll just say that and that she's a beautiful woman." Carey also briefly discussed her relationship with the "Stan" rapper in 2002 during an interview with Larry King (via People), explaining that she had spoken to him on the phone and that they hung out about four times. "And I don't consider that dating somebody," she added.