"What's the Difference" is a song by American rapper
Dr. Dre from his second studio album ''
2001'' (1999). It features American rappers
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. Regarded as one of the greatest and most influential rappers of all time, he is credited with popula ...
and
Xzibit, and was produced by Dre and
Mel-Man.
Composition
The song is in the key of
B minor and contains a horn section in the instrumental,
as well as a sample of "
Parce Que Tu Crois" by
Charles Aznavour. Lyrically, the rappers talk about the differences between themselves and other rappers. Dr. Dre reflects on three of his friends,
Ice Cube,
The D.O.C., and
Eazy-E
Eric Lynn Wright (September 7, 1964 – March 26, 1995), known professionally as Eazy-E, was an American rapper who propelled West Coast rap and gangsta rap by leading the group N.W.A and its label, Ruthless Records. Eazy-E is often re ...
in his verse.
Eminem's verse sees him considering the hypothetical situation of killing his girlfriend Kim, rapping that he would put sunglasses on her corpse and drive around with her in the front seat.
He also defends Dre's legacy, threatening those who doubt him.
Critical reception
Roger Morton of ''
NME
''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming and culture website, bimonthly magazine, and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a "Rock music, rock inkie", the ''NME'' would be ...
'' praised Eminem's feature, describing him as "cutting through particularly effectively" on the track.
Frank Williams of ''
The Source'' called the song the highlight of ''2001''.
Jackson Howard of ''
The Ringer'' also praised Eminem's verse, which he described as "mesmerizing, equal parts performance art, battle rap, storytelling, and raw charisma".
Live performances
Dr. Dre, Eminem, and Xzibit performed the song live on March 16, 2000 at
MTV Spring Break.
Charts
Certifications
References
{{Authority control
1999 songs
Dr. Dre songs
Eminem songs
Xzibit songs
Songs written by Dr. Dre
Songs written by Eminem
Songs written by Xzibit
Song recordings produced by Dr. Dre
Song recordings produced by Mel-Man
Songs written by Charles Aznavour