The Real Slim Shady Vs. Xtina: 5 Shocking Moments That Defined The Eminem And Christina Aguilera Feud

The legendary feud between rap icon Eminem and pop superstar Christina Aguilera is a dramatic, decades-old saga that continues to fascinate music fans, particularly as Aguilera herself has recently reflected on the conflict. While their initial clash began over 25 years ago, the details of the highly public and often brutal lyrical attacks from the early 2000s—and Aguilera’s powerful, subtle response—remain a definitive moment in the history of celebrity feuds, showcasing the raw power of musical rivalry at the peak of the TRL era. As of late December 2025, the story resurfaces not because of a new diss track, but through a fresh, retrospective lens that highlights the courage it took for a young Aguilera to navigate the aggressive, male-dominated music industry. This deep dive uncovers the true origins of the beef, the shocking lyrics that crossed the line, and the "badass" way Xtina finally clapped back, cementing their rivalry as one of the most memorable in pop-culture history.

Eminem and Christina Aguilera: Dual Biography and Career Profiles

The celebrity feud that defined the early 2000s brought together two of the era's biggest, yet stylistically opposite, artists. Understanding their backgrounds is key to grasping the intensity of their clash.

Marshall Bruce Mathers III (Eminem)

• Full Name: Marshall Bruce Mathers III
• Born: October 17, 1972, in St. Joseph, Missouri, USA.
• Stage Names: Eminem, Slim Shady, Marshall Mathers.
• Career Peak (Relevant Era): Rose to global fame with *The Slim Shady LP* (1999) and achieved critical and commercial success with *The Marshall Mathers LP* (2000), which contained the infamous diss track.
• Key Themes: Controversial, dark humor, social commentary, personal struggle, and a distinct alter-ego (Slim Shady).
• Notable Achievements: One of the best-selling music artists of all time, 15 Grammy Awards, and an Academy Award for Best Original Song ("Lose Yourself").

Christina María Aguilera (Xtina)

• Full Name: Christina María Aguilera.
• Born: December 18, 1980, in Staten Island, New York, USA.
• Stage Names: Christina Aguilera, Xtina.
• Career Peak (Relevant Era): Launched her career on *The All New Mickey Mouse Club* and became a massive pop star with her debut album (*Christina Aguilera*, 1999). Her album *Stripped* (2002) marked a major artistic shift and contained her response to Eminem.
• Key Themes: Vocal powerhouse, themes of female empowerment, sexuality, and self-acceptance.
• Notable Achievements: Five Grammy Awards, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and one of the best-selling music artists globally.

The Spark: How a Single MTV Comment Ignited a Rap War

The entire, multi-year feud can be traced back to a seemingly innocuous comment Aguilera made about Eminem's personal life during an MTV special in late 1999.

1. The Offending Remark on *What A Girl Wants* (1999)

The incident occurred during the MTV special *What A Girl Wants*. At the time, Eminem's controversial persona, Slim Shady, was exploding in the media, and his private life was a frequent subject of speculation. During the interview, Christina Aguilera was asked about the rumors surrounding Eminem and his wife, Kimberly "Kim" Scott-Mathers. Aguilera confirmed a rumor that Eminem was, in fact, married to Kim. This simple confirmation, which Eminem viewed as Aguilera "putting him on blast" on national television, was the catalyst for his furious, multi-song retaliation. For Eminem, who was fiercely protective of his private life, this public disclosure was seen as a major betrayal and an attempt to expose a vulnerability in his Slim Shady persona.

2. Eminem's First Lyrical Strike: "The Real Slim Shady" (2000)

Eminem's response was swift and brutal, arriving in May 2000 on his smash hit single, "The Real Slim Shady," from the album *The Marshall Mathers LP*. The track became an instant cultural phenomenon, and the diss directed at Aguilera was one of the most talked-about lines. He rapped:

"Shit, Christina Aguilera better switch me chairs / So I can sit next to Carson Daly and Fred Durst / And start an argument over who she gave head to first."

This line was a direct, explicit attack on Aguilera's reputation, linking her romantically and sexually with MTV VJ Carson Daly and Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst. The accusation was baseless but highly damaging, spreading instantly through the media and cementing the feud in pop culture.

The Escalation: A Violent Threat and the VMA Diss

Eminem, known for his relentless approach to feuds, did not stop with "The Real Slim Shady." A second, even more shocking diss solidified the rivalry as one of the most hostile in music history.

3. The Shocking Threat in "Off The Wall" (2000)

Later in 2000, Eminem released the track "Off The Wall," a collaboration with Redman for the *Nutty Professor II: The Klumps* soundtrack. This song contained a lyric that was far more violent and disturbing than the one in "The Real Slim Shady." The lyric stated:

"Causing terror to Christina Aguilera / When I grab her by the hair and drag her across the Sahara."

This explicit threat of sexual violence was widely condemned, highlighting the dark and controversial nature of the Slim Shady persona. The lyric became a textbook example of the extreme lengths Eminem would go to in his feuds, using shock value as a weapon against his perceived enemies.

4. Aguilera’s Subtle, Public Clapback at the VMAs (2002)

While Eminem was busy attacking her on wax, Christina Aguilera used a high-profile public event to deliver a subtle but powerful clapback. In 2002, at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), Aguilera was presenting the award for Best Male Video. Before announcing the winner, she made an unscripted comment directly referencing the rapper's history of feuds and controversies, essentially calling him out for his misogynistic tendencies. Though she did not name him, the entire music world understood the target of her public jab, demonstrating her refusal to be silenced by his attacks.

The "Badass" Response and Modern Reflection

The final, definitive response from Christina Aguilera came not in a direct diss track, but in an anthem of female empowerment that she later called "badass."

5. The Empowering Response: "Can't Hold Us Down" (2002)

In 2002, as part of her transformative *Stripped* album, Aguilera released the single "Can't Hold Us Down," featuring rap legend Lil' Kim. While the song is a general anthem about misogyny and double standards faced by women in society and the music industry, Aguilera has confirmed it was her direct response to Eminem's attacks. The song's core message addresses the hypocrisy of men who are praised for their behavior while women are shamed for the same actions—a direct parallel to Eminem's lyrical attacks. In recent interviews, Aguilera has reflected on the feud with a sense of pride and maturity. She recalled the time, noting that things have definitely changed in the industry. She specifically highlighted "Can't Hold Us Down" as her "badass" way of standing up for herself at a young age, turning a personal attack into an empowering statement for women everywhere. This modern perspective frames the feud not just as a celebrity beef, but as a moment where a female artist successfully pushed back against a powerful, aggressive male narrative, using her art as her ultimate weapon. The Eminem and Christina Aguilera feud remains a cultural touchstone, a perfect encapsulation of the raw, unfiltered celebrity drama of the turn of the millennium. The fact that fans and media still discuss the origins, the shocking lyrics, and the "badass" response over two decades later is a testament to the enduring impact of two musical titans at the peak of their controversial powers.