Eminem’s Close Call with a Shoe Deal: How an Innocent Joke Nearly Went Wrong

Discover the story behind Eminem’s brush with jeopardizing his shoe deal with Michael Jordan.

Eminem, known for his music prowess, also had aspirations in the basketball world. Despite not pursuing a career on the court, he found himself entangled in the world of sneakers, particularly through collaborations with the Jordan brand.

However, this partnership faced a potential setback due to an innocent joke. In a candid interview with Sway on SiriusXM Shade 45 in April 2020, Eminem recounted the nerve-wracking experience where he almost derailed his shoe deal with the basketball legend.

During a phone conversation discussing a potential collaboration, Eminem felt the exchange with Jordan was going smoothly. But at the end of the call, in an attempt to inject some humor, Eminem quipped, “Yo, man, when are you gonna come to Detroit so I can dunk on you?” What followed was a deafening silence on the other end of the line.

Concern washed over Eminem as he feared he had offended Jordan and jeopardized the deal with his playful remark.

Thankfully, the situation did not escalate as Eminem had feared. Despite his apprehension, the shoe deal with Jordan proceeded as planned. In fact, Eminem went on to collaborate on several limited-release Air Jordan shoes, solidifying his place in the sneaker world.

Eminem’s anecdote serves as a reminder of the delicate balance between humor and professionalism, even in the world of high-stakes collaborations.