Wheelchair rapper Joe Ward met international rap star Eminem, and his friend and producer Denaun Porter, during his recent trip to Detroit.

"Keep on going, you got it".

Those were the words of international rap star Eminem, after hearing Canterbury's teenaged wheelchair rapper Joe Ward perform one of his original raps.

Nineteen-year-old Joe Ward is still buzzing after returning from a "life-changing" trip to meet his idol in the United States.

SUPPLIED The cap Eminem signed and gave to wheelchair rapper Joe Ward, whose rap name is Big Joe Green, during his recent trip to Detroit.

Ward, who has muscular dystrophy, spent 13 days in the US, where he visited Eminem in his home city of Detroit.

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SUPPLIED Joe Ward working on his originals.

The trip was organised by Make a Wish New Zealand in conjunction with Make a Wish America.

Travelling with his sister, her partner and a caregiver, Ward also visited Houston, Texas and Los Angeles.

The night before he met Eminem, Ward struggled to sleep because he was so excited.

"The morning was taking so long it come," he said.

After being transported to Eminem's private studio, he said, "I felt like I was still dreaming".

Once inside the group was taken to meet Eminem and his close friend and producer Denaun Porter.

Ward said his first words to Eminem were "Sup bro".

Eminem then walked up to him and went to shake his hand, however due to his condition Ward couldn't raise his hand enough to shake Eminem's so the rapper gave him knuckles instead, he said.

"I wish I could've shook his hand instead," he said.

Eminem spoke to the group about his personal life and the hardships he had endured to get to where he was today.

Ward asked what a line from his favourite Eminem song, Beautiful, meant. Eminem replied that he was in a terrible state of mind at the time he wrote the song and hated it because it reminded him of his bad times.

Ward said he told Eminem the song was very special and sentimental to him, and had helped him get through bad days.

"When I listen to that song on my bad days, it makes me feel great again," he said.

Having initially felt he did not deserve the trip, Ward said he now saw the trip as a sign that anything could happen and he was inspired to keep "pushing for more".

After having photos taken, Eminem asked Ward to rap for him.

Ward's nervousness caused him to forget a line of his own song Hater, Hate on Me. As he paused, hands trembling, Eminem told him "come on man, you got it" which gave Ward the courage to finish the rap.

"I killed it," Ward said.

An impressed Eminem told Ward to "keep on going, you got it", he said.

The rapper also organised a tour of places in Detroit, including an arcade and restaurant.

During a dinner at the restaurant, something very special occurred for Ward.

A conversation with the father of a young girl living with a brain tumour, which will slowly affect her ability to walk, talk and even breathe, almost reduced Ward to tears.

The father told him he inspired him because "...every time I saw you in your wheelchair, you always had a smile on your face".

Ward said it was a touching experience for him because he wanted to "inspire the people, the ones who are in the struggle".

Ward made his wish to meet the star two years ago but given his health, and the fact Eminem had not been touring recently, the wish proved difficult to grant.

With Make a Wish America organising a meet and greet with the rapper for some other children, Ward was offered the chance to join them.

But he faced a few hurdles before the trip was possible.

Faced with a 65 per cent chance he would not be allowed to travel, due to a lack of insurance, a friend of Ward's father recommended they seek the aid of Christchurch-based insurance advisor Fergus Smith.

"Many insurance companies weren't willing to help Ward out because he didn't meet company policies and because they didn't like the hard clients," Smith said.

However, he said he was aware of a policy which would cover Ward's pre-existing medical conditions as long as he was back within 21 days.

Ward and his family said they felt without the work of Smith, the trip would not have been possible.

Make a Wish co-ordinator Amber Landall, who had worked on granting the wish for two years, said she was delighted the trip had been a success.

"I am so happy, so excited, I was telling everyone all day ... I was so happy he finally got to meet his idol and that his wish came true."

Landall said she had been told Eminem and everyone in the room "loved" the lyrics Joseph had taken to share.