DISSNATION
Verified archive entry

The Sauce

By Eminem · Targeting Benzino, The Source

The Sauce is a diss track by Eminem targeting Benzino and The Source. The song belongs to Eminem's public conflict with Benzino and The Source, which produced multiple response records in the early 2000s.

Released2002
Annotated9
ExplicitYes
CONNECTED RECORD

Where this track sits

Timeline
Eminem vs. Benzino
Addressable transcript

Lyrics & breakdown

  1. 01

    [Intro]

    02

    It's all bad now, man

    03

    It's all bad

    04

    But y'all done fucked up now

    05

    Yeah

  2. 06

    Haha

    07

    New shit

    08

    Ayo

    09

    I just want the whole world to know

  3. 10

    That I did not start this

    11

    But I will finish it

  4. 12

    [Verse]

    13

    Comin' up it never mattered what color you was

    14

    If you could spit, then you could spit

    15

    That's it, that's what it was

    16

    Back when motherfuckers was straight backpackin'

  5. 17

    Cypherin', fightin' for life in this rap

    18

    For the mic to get passed, and you psyched, and you gassed

    19

    Then you hype, ‘cause you last

    20

    And you might whoop some ass, if you lost, then you lost

  6. 21

    Shake hands like a man and you swallowed it

    22

    When the Unsigned Hype column in

    23

    The Source was, like, our only source of light

    24

    When the mics used to mean somethin', a four was, like

  7. 25

    You were the shit now it's, like, the least you get

    26

    Three and a half now just means you're a piece of shit

    27

    Four and a half or five means you're Biggie, Jigga, Nas

    28

    Or Benzino, shit, I don't even think you realize

  8. 29

    You're playin' with motherfuckers' lives

    30

    I done watched Dre get fucked on The Chronic

    31

    Probably ‘cause I was on it

    32

    Now you fucked me out of my mics twice, I let it slide

  9. 33

    I said, ”I wouldn't hold my fuckin' breath to get a five”

    34

    Shit, I was right, I'da fuckin' died already tryin'

    35

    I swear to God, I never lie, I bet it's why

    36

    You let that bitch give me that bullshit review

    Block noteMakes the confrontation explicit

    TargetBenzino

    MeaningWhat it means: In “You let that bitch give me that bullshit review,” Eminem addresses Benzino directly and makes the situation described in the quoted line the point of confrontation. Why it was said: The song belongs to Eminem's public conflict with Benzino and The Source, which produced multiple response records in the early 2000s. Naming or plainly addressing Benzino removes the safety of a subliminal and makes the quoted claim something the target can either answer or leave standing.

    ContextThe song belongs to Eminem's public conflict with Benzino and The Source, which produced multiple response records in the early 2000s.

  10. 37

    I sat and took it, I ain't look at the shit, we knew

    38

    You'd probably try and fuck us with Obie and 50 too

    39

    (*Spit*) Fuck a relationship, we through

    40

    No more Source to street cred, them days is dead

  11. 41

    Ray's got AKs to Dave Mays's head

    42

    Every issue there's an eight-page Made Men spread

    43

    Will somebody, please, tell whoever braids his head

    44

    That I am not afraid? You're just a fuckin' waste of lead

  12. 45

    On my pencil for me to write some shit this simple

    46

    So, listen closely, as I break it down and proceed

    47

    This OG's 'bout to get smoked like rolled weed

    48

    You don't know me or my motherfuckin' mother, you motherfuckin' punk

    Block noteMakes the feud personal through family

    TargetBenzino

    MeaningWhat it means: In “You don't know me or my motherfuckin' mother, you motherfuckin' punk,” Eminem brings a relative or family boundary into the exchange with Benzino, moving the dispute beyond music and into private life. Why it was said: The song belongs to Eminem's public conflict with Benzino and The Source, which produced multiple response records in the early 2000s. Family references explain why the conflict feels personal: they raise the emotional cost for Benzino and make the line more consequential than a routine comparison of rap skill.

    ContextThe song belongs to Eminem's public conflict with Benzino and The Source, which produced multiple response records in the early 2000s.

  13. 49

    Put me on your fuckin' cover just to sell your little sell-out mag

    50

    I ain't mad, I feel bad, here's an ad

    51

    Here's a poster of Ray-Ray and his dad

    52

    You wanna talk about some shit

    Block noteMakes the feud personal through family

    TargetBenzino

    MeaningWhat it means: In “Here's a poster of Ray-Ray and his dad,” Eminem brings a relative or family boundary into the exchange with Benzino, moving the dispute beyond music and into private life. Why it was said: The song belongs to Eminem's public conflict with Benzino and The Source, which produced multiple response records in the early 2000s. Family references explain why the conflict feels personal: they raise the emotional cost for Benzino and make the line more consequential than a routine comparison of rap skill.

    ContextThe song belongs to Eminem's public conflict with Benzino and The Source, which produced multiple response records in the early 2000s.

  14. 53

    That you don't know about, yeah?

    54

    Let's talk about how you're puttin' your own son out there

    55

    To try to eat off him 'cause you missed your boat

    56

    You're never gonna blow, bitch, you're just too old

    Block noteFrames the target as obsolete

    TargetBenzino

    MeaningWhat it means: In “You're never gonna blow, bitch, you're just too old,” Eminem makes age, longevity, or current relevance part of the argument with Benzino, either answering an age taunt or presenting the opponent as past a peak. Why it was said: The song belongs to Eminem's public conflict with Benzino and The Source, which produced multiple response records in the early 2000s. The age argument is really a claim about relevance: it asks listeners to view Benzino's reputation as inherited from the past rather than earned in the current exchange.

    ContextThe song belongs to Eminem's public conflict with Benzino and The Source, which produced multiple response records in the early 2000s.

  15. 57

    No wonder you're sore now, lordy, you're bored now

    58

    I'm pushin' 30, you're kickin' 40s door down

    59

    Bitch, this is war now and you'll never beat me

    60

    All you do is cheat me out of Quotables

    Block noteForces the dispute into a direct contest

    TargetBenzino

    MeaningWhat it means: In “Bitch, this is war now and you'll never beat me,” Eminem addresses Benzino as an opponent who must prove the claims being made rather than rely on reputation. Why it was said: The song belongs to Eminem's public conflict with Benzino and The Source, which produced multiple response records in the early 2000s. The challenge narrows the argument to performance under pressure, where refusing or failing to answer can itself be presented as a loss for Benzino.

    ContextThe song belongs to Eminem's public conflict with Benzino and The Source, which produced multiple response records in the early 2000s.

  16. 61

    But you know that you'll always see me on your TV

    62

    ‘Cause you've got to stay up 'til three in the mornin'

    63

    To see your video played once on BET

    64

    So, hee-hee, hee, who has the last laugh? Aftermath, yeah

  17. 65

    So, on behalf of our whole staff, kiss our asshole cracks

    66

    We'll never fold or hold back

    67

    Just know that Benzino's wack

    68

    No matter how many times I say his name, he'll never blow, jack

    Block noteMakes the confrontation explicit

    TargetBenzino

    MeaningWhat it means: In “Just know that Benzino's wack,” Eminem addresses Benzino directly and makes the situation described in the quoted line the point of confrontation. Why it was said: The song belongs to Eminem's public conflict with Benzino and The Source, which produced multiple response records in the early 2000s. Naming or plainly addressing Benzino removes the safety of a subliminal and makes the quoted claim something the target can either answer or leave standing.

    ContextThe song belongs to Eminem's public conflict with Benzino and The Source, which produced multiple response records in the early 2000s.

  18. 69

    You're better off tryin' to bring RSO back

    70

    Look at your track record, that's how far it goes back

    71

    It's extortion, and Ray owns a portion

    72

    So, half of the staff up there is fresh out of jail from Boston

    Block noteMakes the confrontation explicit

    TargetBenzino

    MeaningWhat it means: In “It's extortion, and Ray owns a portion,” Eminem addresses Benzino directly and makes the situation described in the quoted line the point of confrontation. Why it was said: The song belongs to Eminem's public conflict with Benzino and The Source, which produced multiple response records in the early 2000s. Naming or plainly addressing Benzino removes the safety of a subliminal and makes the quoted claim something the target can either answer or leave standing.

    ContextThe song belongs to Eminem's public conflict with Benzino and The Source, which produced multiple response records in the early 2000s.

  19. 73

    Bullyin' and bossin' Dave like a slave

    74

    They completely brainwashed him and forced him to stay

    75

    Locked in his own office

    76

    Afraid of the softest, fakest, wanna be gangsta in New York

  20. 77

    And it's pitiful 'cause I would have never said shit if you'd

    78

    Have kept your mouth shut, bitch, now what?

    79

    Hit it, Clue, spit it, Slay, new shit, exclusive

    80

    Yo, Lantern, yo, Whoo Kid, you know what to do with this

    Block noteUses a pointed question as an accusation

    TargetBenzino

    MeaningWhat it means: In “Have kept your mouth shut, bitch, now what?,” Eminem puts Benzino's conduct on trial through a question that is meant as a challenge, not a neutral request for information. Why it was said: The song belongs to Eminem's public conflict with Benzino and The Source, which produced multiple response records in the early 2000s. The question shifts the burden onto Benzino: any answer must accept the premise raised in the lyric or explain why that premise is false.

    ContextThe song belongs to Eminem's public conflict with Benzino and The Source, which produced multiple response records in the early 2000s.

  21. 81

    Use it, I'm through, this is stupid

    82

    I can't believe I stooped to this bullshit to do this

    83

    And who you callin' a bitch, bitch?,

    84

    You owe me

    Block noteUses a pointed question as an accusation

    TargetBenzino

    MeaningWhat it means: In “And who you callin' a bitch, bitch?,,” Eminem puts Benzino's conduct on trial through a question that is meant as a challenge, not a neutral request for information. Why it was said: The song belongs to Eminem's public conflict with Benzino and The Source, which produced multiple response records in the early 2000s. The question shifts the burden onto Benzino: any answer must accept the premise raised in the lyric or explain why that premise is false.

    ContextThe song belongs to Eminem's public conflict with Benzino and The Source, which produced multiple response records in the early 2000s.