Eminem Says Nas, Naughty By Nature's Talent Nearly Stopped Him From Rapping

Eminem famously went from performing in hole-in-the-wall clubs to emerging as the best-selling rapper EVER -- but he's admitting a couple of icons who came before him almost made him trash his old rhymes!!!

Slim Shady revisited his humble hip hop beginnings for The New York Times' 50-year celebration of the genre ... which also features testimonies from marquee rap stars like 50 Cent, Krayzie Bone, Bun B and Trina.

Em credited his Uncle Ronnie and Aunt Edna for fostering his rap stan-dom and remembered being enamored by LL Cool J, Run-DMC and Kool G Rap ... all of whom eventually inspired him to rap.

But, when Nas and Naughty By Nature hit the scene in the early '90s, Em says he became unsure of himself ... and almost quit the dream that made him a legend.

Em says he bumped NBN's self-titled debut album all summer, so much so, Treach's rhyme skills gave him a serious case of writer's block.

When Nas' debut, "Illmatic," dropped a year later, Em memorized it front to back -- but, again, he says the Source's "5-mic" rating gave him anxiety ... he worried he'd never measure up.

Em recalls being jaded about rapping for several years before he started crushing local open mic nights in Detroit ... and obviously went on to sell a bazillion records.

There's no shame in "Illmatic" giving any young MC nerves -- it's widely considered one of the greatest albums ever, and is even being preserved in the Library of Congress!!!

We actually just spoke to Treach, and he basically alluded to NBN powering through a bit of infighting, but says he's still rapping with the same intensity Em loved back in the day.