History
Bad Meets Evil was an American hip-hop duo formed in 1997 by Detroit-based rappers Royce da 5'9" (referred to as "bad") and Eminem (referred to as "evil"). The duo's name originated from the track "Bad Meets Evil" featured on Eminem's 1999 album, The Slim Shady LP, which also included Royce da 5'9". Their debut consisted of the double single "Nuttin' to Do" and "Scary Movies" in 1997. The latter track was later included on the soundtrack for the 2000 comedy film Scary Movie.
The initial run of Bad Meets Evil concluded due to a conflict between Royce and members of Eminem's group D12. This dispute was resolved following the death of Proof, a D12 member and close associate of both artists, in April 2006.
Reunion and Critical Acclaim
Bad Meets Evil reunited in 2011 after Royce's supergroup Slaughterhouse signed with Eminem's Shady Records. This reunion led to the release of the EP Hell: The Sequel, which achieved the number one position on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart and earned a platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The EP's lead single, "Fast Lane," reached number 32 on the Billboard Hot 100, while the follow-up single, "Lighters," featuring Bruno Mars, peaked at number four.
Continued Collaborations
The duo continued their collaborations with "Vegas" on the 2014 compilation album Shady XV, celebrating 15 years of Shady Records. They also contributed two tracks, "All I Think About" and "Raw," to the soundtrack of the 2015 boxing film Southpaw. Further collaborations include "Not Alike" from Eminem's 2018 album Kamikaze, and Eminem's appearance on Royce's 2018 track "Caterpillar" from the album Book of Ryan. Royce was featured on three songs from Eminem's 2020 album Music To Be Murdered By: "You Gon' Learn," "Yah Yah," and "I Will." Eminem referenced the duo's ongoing partnership on the track "Godzilla" from the same album.