Eminem's Early Life

Early Life and Childhood

• Born Marshall Bruce Mathers III on October 17, 1972, in St. Joseph, Missouri.
• His parents, Marshall Bruce Mathers Jr. and Deborah Rae Nelson (Debbie), were in a band called Daddy Warbucks.
• His father abandoned the family early on, which greatly impacted Eminem's life and music.
• He and his mother moved frequently between Missouri and Michigan before settling in a predominantly Black, low-income neighborhood in Detroit.
• He faced bullying and racial conflict as one of the few white children in the area.
• He struggled academically, repeating the 9th grade three times and dropping out at age 17.

Discovery of Rap

• He discovered hip-hop around age 9 through Ice-T’s "Reckless" on a breakdancing tape from his Uncle Ronnie.
• He began writing lyrics, freestyling, and expanding his vocabulary.
• He participated in rap battles under the name M&M, later stylized as Eminem.
• Eminem joined rap groups like New Jacks, Soul Intent, and D12 in his late teens and early 20s.
• He worked minimum-wage jobs to support himself and his daughter, Hailie Jade, born in 1995, living in near-poverty.
• His personal life was tumultuous, marked by a volatile relationship with Kim Scott and struggles with drug and alcohol abuse, including multiple suicide attempts.

The Slim Shady Persona

• He released an independent album "Infinite" in 1996, which flopped and drew criticism for sounding like other rappers.
• Eminem created the alter ego Slim Shady, resulting in a darker, edgier persona.
• In 1997, he released "The Slim Shady EP," which caught the attention of Jimmy Iovine, who played it for Dr. Dre.
• Dr. Dre signed Eminem to Aftermath Entertainment, leading to the release of "The Slim Shady LP" in 1999.
• The single "My Name Is" became a hit, and the album went triple platinum.

Mainstream Success

• "The Marshall Mathers LP" (2000) sold 1.76 million copies in its first week, becoming one of the fastest-selling rap albums.
• He faced controversy for alleged homophobia, misogyny, and violence in his lyrics.
• His 2002 album, "The Eminem Show," included hits like "Without Me" and "Cleaning Out My Closet."
• He starred in the film "8 Mile" (2002), and "Lose Yourself" won an Academy Award for Best Original Song.

Addiction and Setback

• By the mid-2000s, Eminem struggled with fame, the death of Proof, and addiction to prescription drugs.
• His 2004 album, "Encore," received mixed reviews.
• Following Proof's death in 2006, he withdrew from public life and heavily abused drugs, overdosing in 2007.

Recovery and Comeback

• He entered rehab in 2008 and began his journey to sobriety.
• Eminem returned in 2009 with "Relapse," an album about addiction and recovery.
• "Recovery" was released in 2010 to critical acclaim, featuring songs like "Not Afraid" and "Love the Way You Lie."
• He released "The Marshall Mathers LP 2" in 2013, a sequel to his classic album, featuring hits like "Rap God."

Later Career

• Eminem became more selective with releases, dropping "Revival" (2017), which received mixed reviews, and "Kamikaze" (2018), a response to critics.
• In 2020, he surprise-released "Music to Be Murdered By," featuring "Godzilla."
• He has focused on his daughter, sobriety, and creative endeavors.

Legacy

• Eminem is considered one of the greatest lyricists and rappers.
• He has sold over 220 million records.
• He has earned 15 Grammy Awards, an Oscar, and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022.
• His life story reflects resilience, talent, and turning pain into art.