Who is Behind Eminem? by Sandra Stammberger

According to Eminem himself, in the late 1990's, about a year before he signed with Dr. Dre, one of the baddest MCs in Detroit, Swift, pulled up in a car and rolled down his window. He asked Eminem: 'Yo, Don't you feel like, man, even if you never get [record] deals that you could just rap forever?'. Eminem replied: 'Yeah, I do. I feel like it's in my blood like'. That sums up why this skinny white guy was intent on breaking into the world of hip-hop and rapping. He certainly has done that, and much more, including joining the group that he produced, D12, after the murder of MC Bugz.

Eminem was once asked about his many personalities and answered: 'The best way that I can define it is, Slim Shady is the guy ... who is saying the most ridiculous stuff you can think of ...Then there's Eminem, who is conscious of the outcome and this is how he really feels. Then there's Marshall, who goes home at night and is the real person outside of entertainment, who struggles with the fame and dealing with going from where I really came from to now'.

Dr. Dre produced the Slim Shady LP in 1999, including the single 'My Name Is' which won the Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance. The album went triple platinum and, despite the controversy regarding Eminem's homophobic lyrics, won the Grammy for Best Rap Album.

Eminem silenced his critics by performing a duet with Elton John at the 2000 Grammy awards where his album 'Marshall Mathers' was nominated for several awards, including the first time a rap album had been nominated for a Grammy for Best Album of the Year. It became the fastest-selling rap album of all time and won the Grammy for Best Rap Album.

In 2002, Eminem's first film, '8 Mile' was released which was based loosely on his life and the struggles he had to endure to become a rapping superstar. The film earned more than $51 million in its first weekend. His song, 'Lose Yourself' won the Oscar for Best Song in 2003.

Author Resource: S. Stammberger is editor of Hip Hop 333.
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