On October 17, 1972, Marshall Bruce Mathers III (Eminem) was born in Saint Joseph, Missouri. Although Mathers is not a Detroit native, he moved to Warren, Michigan, when he was 12 years old.
Mathers’ interest in hip hop music was sparked by his purchase of the Beastie Boys album License to Ill. At the age of 14, he began performing in local freestyle battles in Detroit. Eventually, Mathers acquired the nickname “M&M,” which he would later change to Eminem.
Mathers was enrolled in Lincoln High School in Warren, but rarely attended; he eventually dropped out when he was 17. During his teenage years, many of the freestyle battles Mathers participated in were at Osborn High School on the east side of Detroit.
As a predominately African-American art form, Mathers struggled to gain acceptance in Detroit’s hip-hop scene. But, because of his obvious talent, he gradually became a part of rap community.
When Mathers was 23, he recorded his first album, Infinite. The record was produced in Ferndale, Michigan, by his mentors, the Bass Brothers. The album received mixed reviews; critics claimed Mathers’ sound copied other popular hip-hop artists like Nas and AZ.
In 1995, the same year Infinite was recorded, Mathers’ daughter, Hailie Jade was born. This life-changing event led Mathers to write and record numerous tracks, like “Hailie’s Song” and “My Dad’s Gone Crazy,” which explore the complexities of fatherhood and his adoration for his only daughter.
Hailie’s mother, Kim Scott, was married to Mathers twice. The two met in high school, but the relationship turned volatile and abusive. Kim is also the inspiration for many of Mathers’s songs, such as “97 Bonnie and Clyde” and “Kim.” He currently has custody of Kim’s daughter, Whitney Scott, even though he is not the biological father.
In 1997, Dr. Dre “discovered” Mathers when he won the Wake Up Show’s “Freestyle Performer of the Year” award. Soon after the two met, Dr. Dre signed Mathers to his lable, Aftermath Entertainment/Interscope Records. In 1998, the two began recording and producing tracks for Mathers’ “debut” album, Slim Shady LP.
The album was released in 1999 and went triple platinum by the end of the year. Mathers opened up the hip-hop world to a broader audience, from Detroit suburbanites to bullied white kids struggling to find their voices. Hi success did not come without controversy. Mathers’ lyrics are oftentimes sadistic and misogynistic, but this did not stop female fans from buying the album.
In 2002, Mathers’ stormed Hollywood with his semi-autobiographical movie, 8 Mile. The movie portrays a young rapper, trying to get out of the tough and gritty neighborhoods of Detroit. Mathers wrote songs for the film’s album, and the theme song, “Lose Yourself,” won an academy award, making it the first (and only) hip-hop song to win for Best Original Song.
Marshall Mathers LP debuted at number one in 2000. It became the fastest-selling hip-hop record of all time. His next album, The Eminem Show, was released in 2002 and has gone platinum eight times. In 2004, Mathers’ fourth album, Encore, featured the song “Just Lose It,” which pokes fun at Michael Jackson.
From 2005-2008, Mathers took a break from his hectic performance lifestyle. Rumors swirled. Mathers was finished rapping. Mathers’ solo career was over. He broke the silence on Detroit’s Channel 9.55 Mojo in the Morning Show. Mathers was not retiring, but he wanted to take a step back from his career and focus on his family and himself.
In 2009, Mathers released his sixth studio album, Relapse. In a formal statement, Mathers announced that he would release a follow up album called Relapse 2. But, in April 2010, Mathers shocked fans by tweeting that there would not be a Relapse 2, instead, he released the fresh-sounding Recovery.
In September, Mathers and Shawn Carter (Jay-Z) performed four concerts for their hometown fans: two shows in Detroit and two in New York City. As an Eminem fan, I was fortunate enough to attend the epic hip-hop concert at Comerica Park in Detroit. I must say, everyone in the stadium felt the Detroit love from Eminem.
But I didn't get to say it back: We love you too, Slim Shady.
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