Eminem isn't just one of the best rappers working right now, he's arguably one of the best rappers of all time. The man redefined rap in his early game and continued to do it as he evolved and matured. He changed how it was perceived by the mainstream; he brought shock rap to the masses while preaching some important messages.
The guy has had a crazy and phenomenal stint in the rap game. After fighting his way to the top in underground hip hop clubs of Detroit, he rose to win an Oscar and became one of the most well-known rappers of his time. He's danced with death, had a best friend die, then came back stronger and better than ever. Eminem is a force of nature and he doesn't seem to be slowing down any time soon.
But who is Eminem? Who is this notoriously private and shy rapper (regardless of his loud persona and even louder lyrics)? We've poured through interview after interview for some of the best Eminem stories that really paint a picture of the man, compiling Eminem trivia, quotes, anecdotes, and history. Consider this your own personal Eminem Wiki page!
This list covers stories about the ladies in his life, from his Mom to Kim to his Haley. Interested in his debilitating drug addictions? His eclectic group of friends? Where his different personas all came from? These facts are some of the pieces that shape the complicated, enigmatic, artist. These are fun facts you didn't know about Eminem! Vote up your favorite facts.
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His Different Names Represent Different Personas
He told Spin Magazine, "Slim Shady is the name for my temper or Anger. Eminem is just the rapper, Slim Shady is the attitude behind him, and Marshall Mathers is who I am at the end of the day."
Source: Google Books
Eminem's Mother Sued Him for 10 Million Dollars
The fall before the Slim Shady LP was released, Marshall's Mother, Debbie Mathers-Briggs, sued the rapper for $10,000,000 siting a defamation of character (and to this day, claiming everything Eminem said on his records was untrue, and that he grew up in a drug free household). The court eventually settled on $250,000.
"How does it feel? It feels like $hit. How would you feel? One thing I can tell you is that every single word I said about my mother and my upbringing was true."
Source: LA Times
He Has the Biggest Vocabulary on the Pop Charts
After looking at 93 top artists in over 25 genres of music, Eminem had the greatest vocabulary. Coming in hot at a whopping 8,818 unique words used, Eminem topped Jay Z (6,899 unique words), Tupac (6,569 unique words), Kanye (5,069 unique words), and Bob Dylan (4,883 unique words). The study also looked for lyrical density and new word interval.
Source: CNN
He Squatted in His Old Apartment the Night Before He Was Discovered by Dre
Eminem experienced what every musician dreams of... happenstance discovery. He was at the LA RapOlympics and was noticed by someone in the mailroom at Interscope, who then managed to get it to Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre. The two loved it (and mixtapes rarely ever turn into much).
What's even crazier is that the night before he had to break into his own place that he'd just been evicted from. "I had to break in," he says. "I didn't have anywhere else to go. There was no heat, no water, no electricity. I slept on the floor, woke up, went to L.A. I was so pissed."
Source: Rolling Stone - Eminem Blows Up
He Wrote "Lose Yourself" on Set of 8 Mile
Everyone knows "Lose Yourself" - it's not just one of Eminem's best songs... it's one of the best rap songs in history. Apparently, he cranked it out in one take. He cut the song during a brief break from filming. "He came in and laid down all three verses in one take," recalled engineer Steven King. "Jaws dropped – we were like, 'Oh, my God!' This story had been building up in him." There is an alternate demo version of the song as well which is amazing.
Source: 50 Greatest Hip Hop Songs Ever
Elton John Is His Unofficial Sobriety Sponsor!
He told Rolling Stone "I speak to Elton [John]. He's like my sponsor. He usually calls me once a week to check on me, just to make sure I'm on the up-and-up. He was actually one of the first people I called when I wanted to get clean. He was hipping me to things, like, "You're going to see nature that you never noticed before." Shit you'd normally think was corny but that you haven't seen in so long that you just go, "Wow! Look at that fucking rainbow!" Or even little things – trees, the color of leaves. I fucking love leaves now, man. I feel like I've been neglecting leaves for a long time."
Source and Photo Credit: Rolling Stone - On the Road Back from Hell
He Was Named Soundscan's Artist of the DECADE
Soundscan (which tabulates the billboard charts) announced in late 2009 that Eminem was their artist of not just the year, but the decade. His albums, just domestically, have sold over 32 million copies!
Source: MTV
He's a Classic Video Game Fiend
In addition to loving Comic Books, Eminem also has a soft spot for classic video games. His studio lobby is littered with full size classic arcade machines. Including but not limited to: Frogger, Donkey Kong, and Space Invaders. He became obsessed after watching the King of Kong documentary and even has two of his machines signed by the doc subject/record holder Steve Wiebe.
Source: Rolling Stone
His Favorite Movie Is Superbad
Eminem befriended Jonah Hill on the set of Funny People (which was also directed by Judd Apatow) and admitted that Superbad was his favorite movie ever. Jonah told MTV “Eminem says his favorite movie is Superbad, ever of all time, And he said to me, I’m not kidding — this is not like me being, ’I’m cool’ — he said if there was an award for best movie ever, he thinks Superbad should win. He quotes all the scenes to me.”
Source: MTV
Before He Cut His First Album, He Made $5.50 an Hour
Back in 1992, Eminem signed with FBT records for years after barely scraping by, trying to make ends meet. For a time, he worked as a cook and dishwasher at Gilbert's Lodge, a small family restaurant in Michigan, making a mere 5.50 an hour.
Soon after releasing Infinite in 1996, he was fired from the restaurant 5 days before Christmas, on his daughters birthday. He wrote "Rock Bottom" right after that.
Source: Rolling Stone