Eminem short biography. Kim Mathers: The Real Life Story of Eminem's Ex-Wife

Marshall Bruce Mathers III was born on October 17, 1972. He went from an unknown rapper from the crime-ridden streets of Detroit, Michigan, to the best-selling artist in the United States in the 2000s. Eminem's success cannot be underestimated. He has sold over 172 million albums worldwide, making him one of the elite artists who have done it. Eminem is a dynamic rapper and an even better songwriter.

Eminem's career took off after the release of his debut album"Infinite" in 1996. Then came The Slim Shady LP in 1999 to great acclaim by fans, and the rest is history. Now Eminem gives concerts in stadiums around the world, which sell out in seconds. He has also collaborated with many other artists including Dr. Dre, 50 Cent, Kid Rock, Drake and other popular and talented rappers and singers. In addition to his talent as a rapper/songwriter, Eminem also produces music. The talented performer opened the record company Shady Records with his manager Paul Rosenberg.

Despite his talents, Eminem has recently attracted quite a bit of controversy. He even caught the attention of the US government in 2008 with his song "We As Americans." Words: “To hell with money! I don't rap for dead presidents, I'd rather see the president dead. This has never been said, but I am setting precedents,” made the security service worry. Inexplicably. Whether you love him or hate him, Eminem is very talented and interesting person and a powerful force in the entertainment industry. Below we will tell you about some little known facts about him.

10. Discovery - Evan "Kidd" Bogart

Many people know that Dr. Dre discovered Eminem and helped launch his career. While this is true and Dre did wonders for Eminem by taking the young rapper under his wing, he was actually discovered by a little-known white rapper. Evan "Kidd" Bogart, who was interning at Interscope at the time, was the first to discover Eminem. Bogart (son of legendary music producer Neil Bogart) was at a rap competition where Eminem was performing. He went back to Interscope and brought with him an Eminem record that eventually ended up in the hands of Dr. Dre. As soon as Dre heard the tape, he asked to find Eminem immediately, and the rest is history.

9. Childhood - Coma


Eminem grew up in a very disadvantaged area. He was a “kid from the streets” who lived in a predominantly black neighborhood. He was constantly beaten up for being one of the few lonely white kids who lived there. When he was 9 years old, one of the bullies was so hard on Eminem at school that he ended up in a coma for a week. The stay in the hospital turned out to be a very frightening experience for the poor white child and was not the last, as he constantly found adventures for himself.

8. Childhood idols – Comics


When Eminem was a child, his attention was not occupied by music and rap. As a child, he had completely different hobbies. He cherished the dream of drawing comics. Due to the fact that he was constantly surrounded by problems and troubles, Eminem dreamed of life in other worlds. His passion for comic books helped him develop his alter ego, Slim Shady, as well as the characters Eminem portrayed comically in music videos.

7. Opposite sex – marital problems


Eminem is not the only person in the world who has had problems in his marriage. Most of them were well covered in the lyrics of his songs. Eminem constantly raps about the hardships of his life and his two marriages to the same woman, Kimberly Anne Scott. He mentions Kim in his songs along with his daughter, Hailie. However, his grandmother Betty, who walked down the aisle 5 times, was married the most times. Eminem, who has only been married twice, must marry more than once to keep up with his grandmother.

6. Oscar Winner - 8 Mile


Few people expected Eminem to star in feature film. Even fewer people thought he would be good at it. The film "8 Mile" is based on Eminem's childhood. The film turned out to be a resounding success due to great game wonderful actors, including Eminem himself. Eminem was amazingly good in the film, which earned him a lot of positive reviews. In addition, the film turned out to be very successful in financially. In addition, his hit "Lose Myself" was used in the film and nominated for an Oscar. Even though Eminem didn't attend the ceremony (not his style), the world was shocked and delighted when he was awarded the Oscar. He got it after starring in just one film, to the envy of Leonardo DiCaprio, Glenn Close and Robert Downey Jr.

5. What are Daddy Warbucks?


Many people have heard about Eminem's difficult and troubled childhood. But did you know that Eminem's mother, Debbie Nelson, and father, Marshall Bruce Mathers Jr., were in a band together called Daddy Warbucks? The music-loving family almost fell apart when father Bruce left for California, leaving Eminem and Debbie behind. Debbie was an ardent music fan and took Eminem to concerts with bands such as Talking Heads and Stevie Nicks. However, it was Eminem’s uncle, named Ronnie, who instilled in the future star a love of hip-hop. Ronnie played Ice T's "Reckless" to a then 12-year-old Eminem in 1984, which is where it all started, and the rest is history.

4. Shady Records – Want to record here? Fight the owner


Eminem launched his record label, Shady Records, in 1999 with his manager Paul Rosenberg. The company signed a contract with 10 performers, and this moment There are five groups working there. Eminem began his career on the streets of Detroit, fighting in "Rap Battles" with other rappers. In order for you to have a chance to sign a contract with Shady Records, you will have to fight the master himself. Newcomers to the music world have to engage in rap battles against Eminem during the contract signing process. I wish I could listen to such battles!

3. Charity work - Generous Eminem


Many people who see and hear Eminem for the first time immediately think that he is evil and self-centered. However, despite the fact that Eminem is constantly busy resolving personal problems, he has found time to establish funds and support several charities. Eight Mile Boulevard Association, Marshall Mathers Foundation, ninemillion.org and Small Steps Project are just a few on the long list charitable organizations, which Eminem helps. The Marshall Mathers Foundation is especially dear to his heart because it works with disadvantaged teenagers in Michigan.

2. Courts - Your mother

Eminem often uses aggressive and offensive words in the lyrics of his songs. Some people like it, while others can't stand it. Some of his lyrics go too far and can be vulgar and offensive. Eminem's unapologetic style has offended some people close to him, including his mother. A woman who spent 70 hours giving birth to Eminem and nearly died is suing her son over lyrics she believes portrayed her in a negative light. In 2001, she received compensation in the amount of $1,600 during litigation. Debbie Nelson wrote the biography due to the somewhat negative public perception of her. In her biography, she tried to describe her side and role in Eminem’s childhood. Eminem recently apologized to his mother through music, so apparently they decided to bury the hatchet.

1.Drugs - The Dark Side


Eminem is a fantastic performer who travels and works tirelessly. Because of this, he is subjected to very great mental and emotional stress, which can devastate a person. He suffered from prescription drug addiction

Marshall Bruce Mathers III is better known to the general public as the American rapper, producer and composer Eminem

Date of Birth: October 17, 1972
Place of Birth: Saint Joseph, Missouri, USA
Zodiac sign: Scales

He was called "Mr. Contradiction", a heartthrob, Slim Shady, a renegade. Speaking about his ability to rhyme texts and the quick work of his mind, critics exclaimed with admiration: “He’s a genius!”, “He personifies all of America!” Eminem became the first white rapper to surpass blacks in their musical style.

“They told me: “You’re white, you don’t belong in rap, you can’t achieve anything because you’re the wrong color.” And I wanted to prove to people that I could do what I would do.”

Eminem biography

When he was born near Kansas City, rap as such did not even exist. Less than a year later, the father of the future artist left the family. Marshall grew up without a father and didn’t even know what it was like to grow up in a full family. He quietly envied those children who had both parents.
In 1980, 8-year-old Marshall and his mother Debi Mathers moved to the “Motor City” of Detroit.

His childhood could not be called stable: his mother and her son constantly moved from place to place, from trailer to trailer. And his surroundings also could not be called prosperous: he lived in a world of racial hostility and according to the laws of street gangs.

He could not live with his mother, because she could not even feed herself, let alone the child, so for some time Marshall lived with his grandmother. At school he was constantly beaten. One day he was beaten so badly that he almost died and even fell into a coma. The guy recovered, but feeling even more isolated, he plunged into the world of comics and TV shows.

The boy remained in this world until his uncle Ronnie Polkinghorne came to his aid. Maybe thanks to him, Marshall became interested in rap.

Carier start

The guy started participating in rap battles. He had a girlfriend, Kim, and success in local clubs, but there was poverty at home. To help his mother pay the bills, Marshall got a job as a cook in one of the local restaurants. And it was no longer he who depended on his mother, but she on him.

In 1986, Debi Mathers gave birth to another son, Nathan, who also had to be nursed by Marshall.

To fully devote himself to what he loves, Marshall even dropped out of school in 1989 and performed on stage in clubs with his band Bassmint Productions.
In the late 1980s, he was accepted into the Detroit hip-hop community. At this time, he came up with his pseudonym - Eminem.

In 1995, Eminem/Slim Shady joined a community called Dirty Dozen (D12). The group consisted of six guys (five black and one white), but each had their own alter ego: 12 in total. And already in 1996 the musician’s first album, Infinite, was released.

In 1999, the voice of a white rapper was heard on every radio. It must be said that before Eminem there was not a single white rapper who managed to become popular and earn the respect of critics. It was something like the discovery of America or the end of the world.

In 2000, Eminem's second studio album, The Marshall Mathers LP, was released, in which the rapper sang on his own behalf.

At the beginning of 2001, the rapper received three Grammys, but was still not satisfied.

That same year, Eminem accepted an offer to star in 8 Mile, a partially autobiographical film about a white rapper from Detroit trying to make it. And the rapper wanted to do it for real good film. In addition, in 2001, together with his fellow musicians (Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, rappers Xzibit and Ice Cube), he went on tour.

In parallel with touring and filming “8 Mile,” Eminem was preparing for the release of his third album, The Eminem Show. This album was a success with both the public and critics, and became his best work.

In 2004, Eminem released two albums as a member of the Dirty Dozen group - D12 World and Encore.

Then there was a long break of five years, and the rapper released his next solo collection of songs only in 2009 (Relapse). The tenth was released in 2018 solo album Eminem Kamikaze. Moreover, the rapper himself carefully hid the fact of the album’s release.

And the song Killshot, posted on September 14, 2018 on Eminem’s Youtube channel, received 38 million views in the first 24 hours.

Personal life

Kim Scott and Marshall Mathers met at school when they were 15 years old. They lived together for many years, but their family could not be called indicative, because Kim and Marshall constantly quarreled. In 1995, their daughter Hayley Jade was born. By the way, his daughter was the main motivating factor for him in working on several albums.

The couple divorced in 2001, but reunited again in 2006 for the sake of their daughter. And that same year, Kim and Marshall divorced again. In 2010, there were rumors that they decided to get back together, but Eminem categorically denied these rumors.

The film “8 Mile” was recognized by the Academy and nominated for an Oscar in the nomination for “Best Song” (Lose Yourself). But Eminem, following his image, missed the ceremony - he slept at home. He doesn't care about being appreciated in Hollywood.

Discography

1996 – Infinite
1999 – The Slim Shady LP
2000 – The Marshall Mathers LP
2002 – The Eminem Show
2004 – Encore
2009 – Relapse
2010 – Recovery
2013 – The Marshall Mathers LP 2
2017 – Revival
2018 – Kamikaze

Marshall Bruce Mathers III- rapper, actor, producer, composer, writer, songwriter.

Eminem was born on October 19, 1972, in St. Joseph, Missouri. Mother - Debbie Nelson, a little-known singer who, at the age of 15, married a fellow musician and gave birth to his son. The baby was named after his father, Marshall Bruce Mathers.

The father left the family when the baby was only six months old. The mother and the boy constantly moved and left him to live with relatives. For some time the family stopped in Detroit, where Marshall went to school. However, he studied poorly and often skipped classes. And when I attended school, I constantly organized rap freestyles and constantly won them myself. Later, a certain high school student began to terrorize the guy, so he had to change schools again.

In 1983 11-year-old Marshall was brutally beaten, causing him to remain in a coma for ten days. A year after this, he and his mother returned to their native land - to Kansas City.

Now, remembering the past, the famous rapper notes that it was his difficult childhood and years of suffering that influenced him so much and shaped his work. And having listened to other people's rap compositions in his youth, the future Eminem already knew then that he could do much better.

Since 1985 The 13-year-old boy is already starting to record his own rap, and he is so passionate about rap music that he cannot live a day without it. Therefore, already at school he gained a reputation as a capable rapper. It was then that the name Eminem appeared.

In 1987 15-year-old Eminem creates his own rap group. At the same time, he gets acquainted with his future wife- Kim Scott.

In 1989 17-year-old Eminem dropped out of school and began working in various low-paying jobs. Even then, he performs live on one of the local radio stations at night.

In 1995 Eminem makes his debut as part of the group "Soul Intent", which also included members DJ Butterfingers and Proof, Eminem's best friend and future member of the group "D-12". Little is known about this release today. Their CD included the track "Fucking Backstabber", which was dedicated to the African-American rapper Champtown. There was also the track "Biterphobia", which some call one of the best tracks of the aspiring rapper. The group's disc is almost impossible to find today, because its circulation was negligible, due to the group's lack of sponsors.

In 1996 Eminem made his solo debut with the album "Infinite". However, the album was received rather coldly due to the oversaturation of Detroit hip-hop. The guy was also accused of copying famous rappers. Today Eminem considers this disc as a demo.

This year the rapper had a daughter. Their young family lived in terrible poverty, and only through an effort of will did the rapper continue to work on the album “The Slim Shady EP”, hoping that his work would finally lead to success.

In 1997 Eminem's demo tape is accidentally found in the Interscope boss's garage by eminent producer, black rapper Dr. Dre. He will be interested in a young talented newcomer. As the rapper recalls, Dr. Dre literally saved his life, because his daughter was one year old, and she couldn’t even afford to buy diapers. Out of desperation, Eminem began to get hooked on drugs.

But the producer does not immediately sign a contract with Eminem. He's waiting for the rapper to win the "LA Battle."

In 1999 Dr. Dre insists on re-releasing "The Slim Shady EP", which becomes a bestseller. His success was bolstered by the "My Name Is" video, which blew up music channels.

This is how Eminem gained his first popularity, and with it constant controversy about his work, which many considered quite controversial. Some listeners also noted that the rapper’s lyrics are aimed at burning hatred towards certain sections of society.

This year, Eminem and his manager create his own record label, Shady Records.

In 2000 Eminem's second studio album, The Marshall Mathers LP, was released, which immediately caused a lot of controversy. All the rap on the album was read by the author not from a third person, but from his own name. Video clips for the composition also caused a lot of criticism and dissatisfaction from certain categories of the population. By the way, for one of the compositions, where Eminem spoke unflatteringly about his mother, she sued him.

Various people took up arms against the rapper public organizations. For example, the Gay and Lesbian Association is threatening to boycott the rapper's Grammy nomination.

In 2001 Eminem wins three Grammy awards at once. From the stage, the musician will thank all those who perceived his album as high-quality music, and not a reason for scandal.

In the same year, Eminem became a member of the group “D12”, releasing the group’s first album “Devils Night”. Some of the group's singles are gaining wild popularity, which ensures the group's future prospects.

In the same year, Eminem's book was published, which the singer called "Angry Blonde". It included the lyrics of almost all of his songs written at that time.

In 2002 The rapper's video for the promotional single "Without Me" is released. In it, Eminem takes on Limp Bizkit and Moby.

Already in July, “The Eminem Show” is released, the rapper’s third studio album, which sells more than 20 million copies and receives diamond status.

In October, the autobiographical film “Eight Mile” was released, in which the rapper appeared in the role of the penniless rapper Jimmy Smith. The film was received quite warmly by the public, and the soundtrack to the film brought Eminem an Oscar.

In 2004 Eminem appears only as part of "D12", which releases the disc "D12 World", which gained great popularity among the public.

This November, the rapper's next studio album, Encore, is released, but he does not receive a single Grammy award. Beats Eminem in all categories new star hip-hop Kanye West. The album will also be considered unsuccessful by critics, after which rumors will spread that this was the rapper's last album.

In 2005, at the end of the year Eminem will release Curtain Call: The Hits, a collection of his best songs, including three new compositions.

In 2006 Eminem releases a compilation of the best tracks on his own behalf and introduces new musicians in it: Boby Creekwater and Cashis.

In 2007, with T.I. Eminem records the song "TouchDown". After this, the white rapper will leave show business for more than 1.5 years.

In 2008 The second book "The Way I Am" is published. This is Eminem's autobiography, a kind of confession of the rapper about many things. The book becomes a bestseller. It also comes with a bonus disc.

In 2009 Eminem returns to the world of show business, recording with 50 cent and Dr. Dre track"Crack A Bottle", which conquers the Billboard Chart in a short time. It also becomes known that it will be released in May new album rapper. Since Eminem left the stage due to drug addiction, the promotion of the album "Relapse" was entirely devoted to the topic of drugs. In the wake of the success of the album, a clothing collection of the same name will also be launched.

The rapper also promises that by the end of the year “Relapse 2” will be released, which will include joint tracks with Jay-Z, Stat Quo and T.I.., but instead, at the end of the year a re-release of the sixth album will be released, entitled “Relapse: Refill” with joint tracks with Kanye West, Drake and Lil Wayne.

In 2010 Eminem's new album "Recovery" is released, which debuts at the top of the US charts and instantly receives gold status. The rapper's popularity is being revived. He is recognized as the "hottest MC of the year."

In 2011 the rapper receives two Grammys: for best rap album ("Recovery") and best solo performance (single "Not Afraid").

year 2012 Eminem is intensively preparing for the release of his new, eighth album. The title of the album and its release date are still unknown. But the rapper has already recorded several compositions for the album, two of which are collaborations with Lady Gaga and Pink.

Biography, life story of Eminem

CONTINUED BELOW

Eminem's successful work aroused not only the admiration of his talent from reputable musicians, but also the envy of many black rappers, who openly accuse Eminem of owing his success to the color of his skin. Eminem even had to make a statement: "I am white in the music born of black people. I do not ignore their culture, and I am not trying to throw anything out of it, but no one chooses where to grow up or what color of skin to have. Whether you a rich kid or a ghetto kid, you still can't control that circumstance, the only thing you can do is stay in the original position or get out of it... I've had problems with race all my life, starting from where. I grew up and ended up being a rapper. I've reached the boiling point. Anyone who pulls this card again will get it back in the face." Having turned out to be a new music star, Eminem immediately learned all the charm of his new position: firstly, his own father, whom Eminem had never seen before, unexpectedly appeared, and secondly, birth mother filed a $10 million lawsuit, arguing that Eminem's songs "caused her emotional distress, damaged her reputation, and caused her to lose her self-esteem." The protracted trial ended in her defeat - the court found that all the mother's claims against her son could be valued at $25,000, of which Debbie had to pay $23,000 to her lawyer. Eminem's personal life was under threat - having received a message from well-wishers that his wife Kim was having fun with a friend, Eminem staged a showdown outside a nightclub, threatening his wife's friend with a gun. The police intervened in the case and charged him with illegal use of weapons, and the impressionable Kim, despite the fact that the gun was unloaded, which became clear at the time of her husband’s arrest, after reflecting on his temper, she tried to commit suicide. When she was brought to her senses, she filed for divorce and also demanded money from him through the court, naming among her grievances the song "Kim" - a kind of prologue to "97 Bonnie and Clyde", an impressive monologue of her husband, complete threats and hysterics addressed to his wife. Creative achievements The musician also received not only awards. In Canada, an attempt was made to outlaw his songs, GLAAD members boycotted him, and his poetry was cited as an example at a US Senate hearing on the promotion of violence in the entertainment industry. “There is a censor on my records, so now let the parents take care of their children,” Eminem answered to all the indignant ones. In May 2000, Eminem's third album, “The Marshall Mathers LP,” was released, which he dedicated to the memory of Ronnie. The album immediately went to number one on Billboard, displacing Britney Spears, and sold 2 million copies in its first week. The video for the song The Real Slim Shady was awarded at the MTV Music Awards as "Video of the Year" and "Best male video ". By the way, they named the author of the song “Best Artist of the Year.” The song “Stan” gained even greater popularity, which once again confirmed that the rapper does not express personal feelings in his compositions, but is only trying to show people the world in which It’s not for nothing that he grew up. It was not for nothing that one of the most famous representatives of sexual minorities, Elton John, agreed to sing the song that angered most gays. The duet of two famous musicians was performed at the Grammy ceremony, where Eminem was awarded in three categories, including. including "Best Rap Album" for "The Marshall Mathers LP". Together with his group D12, Eminem goes on a long tour, which becomes one of the most successful in the history of America. In May 2002, Eminem releases his new album. entitled "The Eminem Show". The success of this work once again shocked the world of show business - from now on and forever Eminem has become a real voice of the generation. In all interviews, Eminem makes the same impression: an amazingly polite and quiet person. His modesty played a cruel joke on him more than once: witnesses talk about how security several times did not let him into the dressing room intended for him, how in a restaurant where he once worked, a waitress demanded from him a document proving his age in order to serve him alcohol. The most typical case occurred in San Francisco: there, on the street, Eminem came face to face with a teenager who demanded payment from him for passage through the territory. At first, he decided that it was a joke, but then the guy took out something that looked like a pistol. And then Eminem remembered how he had to defend himself in Detroit when he was such a teenager: when he was pulled away from the teenager, he was literally smeared on the asphalt. Eminem's life is very reminiscent of a movie - some kind of social or psychological drama. So, it is not surprising that Eminem came to the cinema. His first job was the role of a simple guy named Rabbit, who dreams of becoming a rapper, in the film 8 Mile. Together with director Curtis Hanson, Eminem tried to tell an almost autobiographical story from the screen. Co-star Brittany Murphy and director Curtis Hanson are delighted with his performance. Murphy stated: "Listen to one of his CDs, he plays multiple roles. If a man can do it, he can do it ten times better than most people on camera." Eminem's fantastic popularity as a musician entails not only a pleasant pastime and great opportunities for self-expression, but also a test of fortitude. Live in constant stress due to touring, performing and filming, and, most importantly, due to the constant interest in his person from the press or fans - this is what Eminem received as a reward for all the torment that he experienced as a child. This is probably why he looks so soberly at many things in life: “Fame is not what I’m looking for. I want to be respected. But, you know, fame is what comes with respect. And I I agree to it, because, you see, you can’t feed my daughter with respect, so let there be glory.”

Childhood

The birth was difficult and long - it lasted 73 hours and almost ended in the death of the mother. Six months after this, Marshall’s parents separated, his father moved to California, started a new family with two children - Michael and Sarah - and completely forgot about his eldest son. Later, as a teenager, Marshall tried to contact his father and wrote him several letters, but he did not even print them and sent them back.

Trying to arrange my personal life, the mother, following her father, left her son when he was not yet a year old, and from 1973 to 1977 the boy was raised by his great-aunt Edna. Then Deborah returned, but during her travels she became addicted to alcohol, and later brought home new stepfathers several times, none of whom stayed for long.

Marshall and Deborah moved constantly from place to place, mostly staying with relatives, and rarely stayed in the same house for more than a year. A few years later, the mother gave birth to another son, Nathan. Finally, when Marshall was 12, the family settled in the suburbs of Detroit. Acquaintances of that time remembered Eminem as “a generally happy child, but withdrawn.”

Life in the new place was complicated by the fact that the teenager was not accepted by local children, mostly black children from working families. The boy was constantly teased, he was attacked and beaten almost every day. Subsequently, these sad moments were reflected in the lyrics of Eminem, in particular, in the song “Brain Damage”: “I was harassed every day by fat DeAngelo Bailey - he was an eighth grader and behaved arrogantly because his dad was a boxer.”

In 1983, it was this teenager who once hit Marshall in the head so hard that he lay in a coma for 10 days, and doctors had little hope of his recovery. “Glorified” in the song, Bailey later admitted in an interview: “We had a whole gang, and we took him in... You know, bullied him and everything. One day we hit him right on the head, on the back of the head. When we saw that he was not moving, we ran away. And then they lied and said that he slipped on the ice.”

First creativity

Ronnie recorded several of his tapes for his nephew. “And I thought: damn, this is what I can do!” the artist recalled. In addition to rap, the boy liked to write stories and draw homemade comics.

The teenager created his first rap duet at the age of 14 together with his friend Mike Ruby, and at the same time he came up with the pseudonym “M&M” (based on the first letters of his first and last name), which later transformed into “Eminem”.

Youth

In 1991, Uncle Ronnie shot himself because of unhappy love, and for Eminem it was such a shock that he was speechless for several days.

The young man's mother, Deborah, was constantly in conflict with him. Marshall with early age she had to earn extra money to help her support her family, and yet she very often kicked him out of the house. She had a difficult character, which one of the social workers described as “increased suspicion, close to paranoia.” However, in 1987, she sheltered her son's runaway friend, Kimberly Scott, who later became Eminem's wife.

Later, the singer released information that Deborah, in addition to everything else, suffered from Munchausen syndrome - mental disorder, in which a person invents or deliberately causes a serious illness in someone close to him in order to benefit from increased attention, sympathy and help from others. For this reason, his perfectly healthy 9-year-old brother Nathan spent a whole year in the hospital. In the end, in order to stop this bullying and provide his mother with qualified help, Marshall was forced to testify against her in court, and then he began to raise his brother on his own. A difficult childhood and the trials of his youth gave a strong impetus to Eminem’s creativity.

Music career

Unreleased New Jacks album + photo of young Eminem

However, he was more interested in individual career, and already in 1996 he recorded his first solo album, “Infinite”. This disc did not arouse much interest from listeners, because Detroit at that time was already oversaturated with hip-hop.

Eminem was very upset by the failure of his debut album, but later he himself admitted that his own style had not yet developed at that time, and that recording was just a test of the pen. In addition, the main lyrical theme of this work was the singer’s worries about how to raise his newborn daughter with very little money - to which he received the response: “Maybe you’d be better off going into rock and roll?” And Eminem realized that the lyrics of his compositions should become sharper, caustic and with a hint of anger.

The singer's new mood led to the creation of a new stage image, a kind of alter ego under the pseudonym Slim Shady. Slim literally glorified violence, drugs and even murder with sadistic pleasure, but under this outer shell he also touched on deeper themes of social injustice, poverty, love and family problems.

This was the mood of his new album “Slim Shady EP”, recorded in the spring of 1997. The disc was ready, but lay without promotion, and Eminem went to the “Rap Olympics” - an annual national competition in the rap battle format, which took place in Los Angeles. In this largest battle, the artist took second place, and the organizers drew attention to the talented young man.

Eminem – The Real Slim Shady

One of them, Jimmy Iovine, listened to the album “Slim Shady EP” and gave it to the famous rapper and rap producer Andre Romell Young, better known under the pseudonym Dr. Dre. He immediately took Eminem “under his wing,” and in 1999, the album “The Slim Shady LP” was successfully re-released and became a bestseller: it managed to become triple platinum before the end of the year and brought the artist his first Grammy award.

Dr. Dre later recalled: “During all the time I worked in music industry I've never come across anything worthwhile on demos or CDs. But when Jimmy played it, I immediately said: Find him, now." Colleagues tried to reason with the producer and warn him against working with a white-skinned, that is, “fake” rapper, to which he replied: “I don’t care if he’s even purple. If he raps well, I'll be with him."

At the end of 1999, Interscope Records provided the artist with his own record label, under which not only he himself subsequently released works, but also artists friendly to him, such as Obie Trice, 50 Cent, Stat Quo, Cashis, Bobby Creekwater, Yelawolf, bands D12 and "Slaughterhouse", etc.

The next album, The Marshall Mathers LP, was released in 2000 and sold 1,760,000 copies in its first week. The disc received the title of the fastest-selling hip-hop album, breaking previous records of the albums “Doggystyle” by Snoop Dogg and “Baby One More Time” by Britney Spears.

The lyrics of some singles from this disc have attracted serious criticism for being homophobic, as well as for insulting famous artists: in particular, the song “The Real Slim Shady” contains controversial information about sex life Christina Aguilera, and in the composition and especially in the video “My Name Is” released shortly, Eminem harshly parodied the rock singer Marilyn Manson, with whom he, however, is on good terms.

Eminem – My Name Is

The most controversial was the video for the song “Stan” - Marshall played on the theme of his sudden popularity, depicting a crazy fan who killed his pregnant girlfriend and committed suicide. The song was named the "third best rap song" by Q magazine and was ranked number 296 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. As a result, at the 43rd Grammy ceremony, Eminem and “Stan” won in three categories at once.

Eminem ft. Dido – Stan (full version)

In 2001, the artist took part in the large-scale Up in Smoke Tour along with Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, rappers Xzibit and Ice Cube. Following this, he focused on releasing his next album, The Eminem Show, which was released in May 2002 and again rocketed to number one on the charts. And although the disc also attracted the now-familiar criticism for its "angry mood", for insulting women and for its abundance of dirty language, it sold more than 30 million copies worldwide and became the best-selling album of 2002.

After this, Eminem released the disc “D12 World” together with the rap group “D12”, and the next solo disc “Encore” was released in November 2004. By all accounts, this work was less successful than the previous one: sales in the first week were only about a third of those of previous albums. One of the reasons for the lukewarm reception was perhaps the more comical mood of the album and softer, not at all “evil” lyrics without the usual cruelty.

Eminem's intention to rid himself of his evil alter ego Slim Shady is emphasized by the design of the album's cover, which depicts his farewell bow. True, there was still some ridicule of the stars: the video for the song “Just Lose It” shines with satire of Michael Jackson.

Eminem – Just Lose It

While working on the Encore album, Marshall frequently used drugs, and then became somewhat confused about his creative plans. After recording this work, he decided to take a creative break. The calm was broken only by the re-release of past compositions in the disc “Curtain Call: The Hits” and the release of the collection “Eminem Presents: The Re-Up”, in which the artist introduced new musicians Boby Creekwater and Cashis to the public.

In 2007, Eminem recorded the song “Peep Show” for the new album “Curtis” by the famous rapper 50 Cent, and then again disappeared from musical life for a whole year and a half.

The silence was broken in February 2009 with the release of the song "Crack a Bottle" featuring 50 Cent and Dr. Dre; Following this, several more singles were released, and in May, Eminem’s new full-length album, “Relapse,” was finally released. The key theme of this disc and its advertising campaign was Marshall's recovery from drug addiction. The artist himself described this work as a return to the “good old days.”

Dre and I locked ourselves in the studio again, just like before. Dre would end up producing most of the tracks on Relapse. We're having fun again... So be it.

However, there were no less positive reviews, and the album brought the artist another Grammy Award. At the end of the year, the second part was released - “Relapse: Refill”, which included both famous compositions, and completely new ones, including the track “Forever”, performed together with rappers Drake, Kanye West and Lil Wayne.

Drake, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Eminem – Forever

In June 2010, another “sequel” was released - the “Recovery” disc. It turned out to be noticeably more successful than the previous one, and critics finally recognized the return of the “old” Eminem with his “dark, dramatic beat”, “trademark acrobatic rhymes” and “a growing quality of anger”.

After this, the artist recorded the album “Hell: The Sequel” together with his friend from his youth, rapper Royce da 5"9", teaming up with him in the duet “Bad Meets Evil” - with this composition they had already worked together once in 1997, but then their joint creativity was not widely known. The new album instantly took off in the charts and elevated both performers to new round glory.

The next album, “The Marshall Mathers LP 2,” was released in August 2013 and became one of the most anticipated discs in several years. It is called the most “atmospheric” of Eminem’s albums - it is permeated with the spirit of nostalgia for youth. Many famous artists were invited to record it, not only rappers, but also singers of other genres, including r’n’b singer Rihanna. The disc was again successful, and even the most demanding critics did not find any flaws in it.

In 2014, the recording company Shady Records, founded by the artist, released the double collection “Shady XV”. The first disc contains fresh tracks by Eminem himself, as well as groups with his participation and his friends: “Slaughterhouse”, “Yelawolf”, “D12”, “Bad Meets Evil”, etc. The second disk collected everything greatest hits over the label's 15-year history: it features artists such as Obie Trice, 50 Cent, Bobby Creekwater, Ca$his and Stat Quo. In 2015 – 2017, Eminem released several hits: “Campaign Speech”, “Kill For You”, etc.

In 2017, Eminem worked on a new album, Revival, his first solo disc since The Marshall Mathers LP 2, released in 2013. Earlier in 2017, he released a video in which he rapped with harsh criticism of US President Donald Trump.

Eminem produces his own fashion line, which can be purchased through his official website. One of his latest collections, “Camp Shady,” also contains equipment for hiking and sports tourism.

Film career and other works

His most significant film work was the lead role in the Curtis Henson drama 8 Mile (2002) starring Kim Basinger and Brittany Murphy. This film is about a young Detroit rapper nicknamed Rabbit, and for Eminem it is largely autobiographical.

Eminem – Lose Yourself (cut from “Eight Mile”)

The audience liked the film, and the artist’s performance was especially praised: “The genius of the Rabbit’s image is that he recognizes his own weaknesses,” and Eminem’s work is “pure magic.” Eminem also wrote and performed 5 songs for this film, including the title track "Lose Yourself", for which he was awarded an Oscar. In addition, for his work on the film, he received two MTV Movie Awards - in the categories "Male Breakthrough of the Year" and "Best Actor".

Eminem's personal life Haley Jade Scott was born in 1995

The couple officially got married in 1999, but divorced in 2001. In an interview at that time, Eminem swore: “I would rather give birth to a child through my penis than agree to get married again.”

However, in January 2006, she and Kim re-entered a legal marriage, but in April of the same year they separated again and finally divorced in December. Former spouses agreed on the joint upbringing of their common daughter Haley, and in addition, Marshall took sole custody of two other children whom he adopted: Alaina Scott (Kim’s niece, her sister’s daughter) and Whitney Scott (Kim’s daughter from another man).

After the divorce was final, he repeatedly stated that he no longer wished to enter into any relationship with anyone. love relationship because he can't trust anyone completely. Marshall fears that women may have ulterior motives for relationships, will not be completely honest with him and will not be able to remain faithful. In 2008, he briefly dated Tracy McNew, an employee of Shady Records, but nothing is known about his subsequent relationship.

Eminem's half-brother Nathan Kane, over whom he had custody, followed in his footsteps and also became a famous rapper. The artist still has a difficult relationship with his mother: she repeatedly sued him, and then published a book about him, “My Son Marshall, My Son Eminem,” in which, in particular, she said that he has suffered from bipolar mental disorder all his life .

Eminem now

In parallel with working on his material, he helped singer Nicki Minaj with the recording of her album “Queen”. Around the same time, Eminem broke his record for the fastest rapping, reading 123 syllables in 12 seconds. He rapped faster on Nicki's "Majesty" than on his own track "Rap God."