Raymond Scott (born July 18, 1965), better known by his stage name Benzino or Ray Benzino, is an American urbanmedia proprietor, television personality, rapper and record producer. Benzino produced records (as part of the production team Hangmen 3) and co-owned The Source magazine.[2]
Benzino is known for being involved since 2002 in a widely publicized feud with rapper Eminem; the feud began after his The Source magazine rated The Eminem Show as four mics out of five. Eminem blamed the magazine and its co-founder Benzino for what he considered an unfair rating. Benzino later released diss tracks towards Eminem, titled "Pull Your Skirt Up" (calling him "2003 Vanilla Ice")[4][5] and "Die Another Day", while Eminem released "The Sauce" and "Nail in the Coffin".[6] As a continuation of this animosity between the two, Benzino released the diss mixtape Benzino Presents: Die Another Day: Flawless Victory, further disparaging Eminem.[7][8][9]
On September 4, 2020, Benzino released a new single titled "The Bigger Picture" with an accompanying music video on YouTube.[10]
Personal life
Benzino's father Edward DeJesus was Puerto Rican and his mother Mary Scott was Black American and Cape Verdean. His sisters are Anita Scott-Wilson and Maureen Scott.[11] In 2021, the rapper fell out with his daughter, Coi Leray, after she dissed Benzino in her song "No More Parties".
[12]
Benzino has dated Karlie Redd and Althea Heart.[13] Benzino and Heart had a son together in November 2015, but they broke off their engagement shortly thereafter. They appeared together on Season 6 of the television show Marriage Boot Camp chronicling their broken relationship.[14][15]
On March 29, 2014, Benzino was shot after attending his mother's funeral in Duxbury, Massachusetts.[16] He was shot in the shoulder and back by his 36-year-old nephew Gai Scott, who was later arrested for shooting him.[16]
Legal issues
On April 16, 2019, Benzino was stopped in Brookhaven, Georgia and cited for driving an uninsured vehicle. He was not the policy holder responsible for insuring the vehicle.[17] On June 22, 2019, Benzino was arrested for a bench warrant in DeKalb County, Georgia, and was taken to police headquarters for booking and was later jailed. As he was being transported there, he launched a racist tirade against a police officer arresting him, who was of Vietnamese descent. The tirade involved multiple racial slurs and maternal insults.[18] On July 31, 2020, Benzino was arrested and charged with criminal damage to property. He was accused of damaging the Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck of a man who was in the company of Benzino's ex-fiancée Althea Heart.[19][20] On February 3, 2022, Benzino was arrested and charged with one count of second degree criminal damage to property, a felony.[21]
