Some people may be here for Eminem’s disdain for the new generation of rap, but Justin Bieber is not one of them.
The Purpose singer took to social media on Wednesday to call out the rap titan for dissing young rappers like Tyler The Creator, Lil Pump, Lil Xan, Lil Yachty, and Machine Gun Kelly in his recent songs — and, ironically, dissed Slim Shady in the process.
In the message, shared on Biebs’ Instagram Stories, the 25-year-old suggested that the Lose Yourself performer was only shading these younger rappers because he’s too old to “understand” their artistry.

“I JUST LIKE EMS FLOW BUT DON’T LIKE THAT HE’S DISSING NEW RAPPERS… I LIKE THE NEW GENERATION OF RAP. HE JUST DOESN’T UNDERSTAND IT.”

Fair point, Biebs. Though it can be argued that Justin doesn’t understand the artistry of Marshall Mathers.
After all, celebrity disses have always been a staple of the rapper’s songs.

In this new age of rap, however, disses have largely been replaced by introspective commentary on mental health and the artist’s personal struggles — a deviation that has made Em’s more recent shady musings seem comparably nastier to some listeners. (Like Justin.)
In the hip-hop veteran’s 2018 song The Ringer, for example, he raps:

“Lil Pump, Lil Xan imitate Lil Wayne / I should aim at everybody in the game, pick a name / I’m fed up with being humble / And rumor is I’m hungry / I’m sure you heard bumblings / I heard you wanna rumble like an empty stomach / I heard your mumbling, but it’s jumbled in mumbo-jumbo.”

Bieber has also received his share of Slim Shade in the rapper’s freestyle track Kick Off, in which he spat:

“Justin Bieber in a Catholic school / Selling dust and reefer when your back is to him.”

Of course, no one’s been subjected to more Eminem hate as of late than Machine Gun Kelly, who Em said “sound[ed] like a bitch, bitch” on his track Killshot, rapping:

“Stan, Stan, son, listen, man, dad isn’t mad / But how you gonna name yourself after a damn gun and have a man bun?”

Though, to be fair, this track was released after Kelly dissed the 46-year-old in his song Rap Devil.
While Eminem is far from the only rapper who still throws barbs at his rivals, JB clearly wants him to leave his disses in the ‘90s and early ’00s where he thinks they belong — or at least wants him to start picking on people his own age.

The comments definitely fall in line with Justin’s recent fight against negativity, which he continued elsewhere on social media the next day.
Justin is positive that negativity isn’t the answer. / (c) Justin Bieber/Instagram
On Thursday, the Canadian posted a new selfie (above) on Instagram alongside a lengthy dissertation about positivity, in which he encouraged fans to “fight for what [they] love and who [they] love” and not to “let fear and anxiety win.”
Using his own personal struggles as an example, he wrote:

“Don’t stop fighting the battle has already won.. fight for what you love and who you love don’t let fear and anxiety win..god has not given us a spirit of fear but of power love and of a sound mind! I [haven’t] believed the truth about myself I haven’t believed I am loved I haven’t believed I am forgiven it’s a hard thing for me to wrap my head around. I hang my head in shame and I wallow in [sadness] about the the people who have betrayed me. Jesus has given me freedom and the [pursuit] of getting to know his character is never ending. [God’s] character never changes he is the same yesterday now and forever. He is always good!. I won’t be afraid to be vulnerable before him.. his power is made strong in our weakness. God isn’t afraid of your pain and your brokenness he actually welcomes it. Come to me all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest! these are words from Jesus! There is hope and it’s in him.!! He loves and cares for you! For god so loved the world that he gave his only son so that whoever believes him wont die but have eternal life! You are that whoever and he accepts you as you are!! He loves and forgives you and welcomes you into his arms every time you mess He is a perfect and loving god who adores you!”

Sure, some might feel that Justin’s comments about Em are a bit snowflake-y — especially since the rap game has always been full of dissery — but it’s still nice to see how serious he’s gotten about spreading positivity and evolution.
What do U think about Biebs’ message?