Eminem
Rapper Eminem performs at the 2010 BET Awards in Los Angeles Reuters

He may be considered one of the best rappers alive but Eminem has lost thousands of fans after footage emerged of him threatening to punch singer Lana Del Rey.

In the new rap freestyle video, to promote new compilation Shady XV, the 42-year-old hip hop star can been heard saying that he would physically attack the Young and Beautiful songstress. He also makes reference to the now infamous Ray Rice domestic violence scandal.

"I may fight for gay rights, especially if they dyke is more of a knockout than Janay Rice/Play nice?" he raps.

"Bitch I'll punch Lana Del Rey right in the face twice, like Ray Rice in broad daylight in the plain sight of the elevator surveillance/'Til her head is banging on the railing, then celebrate with the Ravens."

Although Del Rey has not commented on the controversial verse, her fans have leapt to her defence slamming Eminem as "vile"

"Violence against women, Ray Rice, Eminem This is vile. Even for Eminem," one critic said.

Fellow rapper Azealia Banks also added her two cent, telling Del Rey on Twitter: "But does Eminem know that I will personally punch him in his mouth?!" She has since deleted the post.

Del ray is likely to feel a little offended by the derogatory comments considering she previously counted herself a fan of the Slim Shady hitmaker and even crediting him for changing her life.

"I didn't know music could be intelligent. He wasn't just rhyming for rhyme's sake," she told RnBjunk.com earlier this year. "That made me think I could actually talk about the way things actually were. He's a genius."