The rapper and record producer, 59, spoke about his collaborative relationship with Eminem and why he thinks the “Lose Yourself” icon, 51, can out-rap anyone else in the game — despite being a “white guy” — in a new interview on SiriusXM’s This Life of Mine with James Corden.

The pair’s conversation about Eminem began with Dre recalling how they met for the first time. “I was just starting this new thing, this new campaign with Aftermath Records, and I was working on my second solo album at the time, and it was just OK,” he explained.

During that period of the 1990s, Dre was spending “every Sunday” at record executive Jimmy Iovine’s house to watch movies and check out new music.

Eminem and Dr. Dre.
“We would go down to his garage, which he turned into a listening room, and he would just play demos,” recalled Dre. “He just said one day, ‘What do you think about this?’ And he played this artist — which was Eminem — and I had no idea he was a white guy at the time.”

Upon recognizing Eminem’s talent, Dre couldn’t get enough: “I took it home with me, and I could stop playing this s—. Couldn’t stop playing it, and Jimmy called me the next day and he’s like, ‘You know it’s a white guy, right?”

Dr. Dre and Eminem.
“I’m like, ‘Oh, OK,’ so long story short, I met Eminem at Jimmy Iovine’s office. We slapped hands, went to the studio and started recording,” said the former Death Row Records president. “I’m not sure if anybody knows this, but I think [Eminem’s] first four albums was just me and him and his writing and his delivery.”

Dre then declared his thoughts on Eminem’s position in the rap game. “His imagination is off the charts, and I don’t think anyone would disagree with that. I think he’s the best MC ever. Point blank, period,” he said. “Of course, there are going to be arguments about that because he’s a white guy. I don’t think anyone that’s rapping can touch Eminem on that microphone.”

Eminem and Dr. Dre in Los Angeles in February 2011.
Finally, Dre looked back on their first collaboration: 1999’s “My Name Is.” Released as the lead single of Eminem’s The Slim Shady LP, the song became his first top-40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and earned a Grammy Award for best rap solo performance.

According to the producer, the hit came together quickly. “We’re in the studio. I had a couple of things prepared before he got there,” said Dre. “Back then I was playing with the NPC, and I hit play on it, and he just went, ‘Hi, my name is.’ It happened that fast. No bulls—, and then we went from there, and that was the beginning of this relationship.”