20 THINGS EMINEM WENT THROUGH BEFORE BECOMING G.O.A.T. A Recap to Shady’s Journey.
As we all know before success everyone has to go through some tough times, so did Eminem before becoming the Rap God. From Slim Shady to Rap God, Eminem has come a long way in his music career and personal life. Eminem was born Marshall Bruce Mathers III in Missouri in 1972 and had a difficult upbringing. He dropped out of school in ninth grade and pursued odd jobs before breaking through as a rapper in early 1999 with the release of The Slim Shady LP. Eminem won two Grammy Awards and four MTV Video Music Awards for the album, which reached multi-platinum. Eminem’s The Marshall Mathers LP was the fastest-selling album in rap history when it was released in 2000. He won an Academy Award for the song “Lose Yourself” from the semi-autobiographical drama 8 Mile two years later.
He began rapping in bars in Detroit, Michigan, at the age of 14, and when unexcused absences forced him to repeat ninth grade, he dropped out, determined to make it in hip-hop music. He built a reputation for himself in the hip-hop underground as Eminem, both as a solo artist and as a member of the D12 rap se*tet from Detroit (also known as the Dirty Dozen). However, his debut album, Infinite (1996), did not do well at the box office, and he continued to perform menial jobs.
When he came to LA to compete in the Rap Olympics in 1997, Eminem was given the opportunity to advance his career. Although Eminem came in second, his performance was excellent enough to catch the attention of Interscope Records officials, who introduced Eminem to Dr. Dre.
In 1988, he founded his first group, New Jacks, and recorded a self-titled demo tape with DJ Butter Fingers under the stage name MC Double M. They eventually joined Bassmint Productions in 1989, and in 1992, they formed Soul Intent with rapper Proof and other childhood pals. In 1995, they issued a self-titled EP with Proof. In 1992, Eminem made his debut appearance in a music video for Champtown’s song “Do-Da-Dippity.” Eminem and Proof later formed The Dirty Dozen (D12) with four other rappers in 1996, and their debut album, Devil’s Night, was released in 2001.
Recovery, his Grammy-winning album released in 2010, was a profoundly autobiographical attempt to come to grips with his issues on substance abuse and struggles.
But what challenges did he really face? Let’s have a look at things he had to go through before becoming one of the best and renowned rappers of all time.
20) DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL AT THE AGE OF 17
Yeah, you heard it right. Eminem did drop out of school at the age of seventeen. But from his early childhood, Marshall and his mother moved to different places which made him the ‘new kid’ at school and even more difficult for him to adjust to the new culture and environment. Initially, Eminem was a shy kid and was also an easy target for the bullies.
By the time Eminem came to high school, he was struggling with studies and his personal life. He failed the ninth grade thrice and at the age of 17 finally decided to drop out of school. But even though didn’t perform well at school he was always interested in learning new words, increasing vocabulary, and reading comics.
19) TOOK ODD JOBS TO MAKE ENDS MEET
As a high school dropout, it became extremely difficult for Eminem to get a decent job. Eminem started participating in rap battles at a small level but he was still not able to make the ends meet. After dropping out of high school, the rapper was thrown out of the house by his mother and he started living with this then-girlfriend, Kim Ann Scott. Though he did not leave his passion for Hip-Hop even in such difficult times. He started writing songs and made his stage name M&M.
During this period, Eminem also had to take care of his family. So, he started cooking at a restaurant and has even worked as a dishwasher. But he did not lose his hopes and continued to pave down his way towards success with hard work and dedication.
18) EMINEM HAD HIS FIRST DAUGHTER AT THE AGE OF 23
Born on Christmas, 25th December 1995, Eminem named his first daughter Hailie Jade Scott. He had Hailie with his then-girlfriend Kim Ann Scott at a relatively young age. At that time Eminem was still struggling with his career and did menial jobs to make sure there’s food on the table for his family. Marshall also discloses how they lived in a dangerous neighborhood and also about how their house was often robbed.
Also Read: Eminem Talks About Hailie “She Made Me Proud”
Not only was this but during this time Eminem was also fired from his jobs for various unknown reasons. Over a period of time, he wrote songs dedicated to his daughter. One such famous track is ‘Mockingbird’. No matter what came their way, Eminem always tried to be part of his daughter’s journey while growing up.
17) EM GREW UP IN A BLACK NEIGHBORHOOD
As we all know Eminem lived with his mother and she used to struggle with her finances and managing our household. They kept moving and changing the house in-between areas of Michigan and Missouri. This was one of the main reasons that Em had to change schools and was unable to make friends. Finally, they settled down in a neighborhood in Detroit and if the sources are to be believed then Eminem’s family was one of the three households that lived in that block. So, he grew up in a predominantly black neighborhood.
That area has ever since featured in Eminem’s videos and was even highlighted in his autobiographical film 8 Mile. There was also news about how Eminem was bullied and beaten by the people in the neighborhood. But he did not forget his roots and helped Detroit on various occasions.
16) EMINEM WAS ABANDONED BY HIS FATHER
Eminem has had a really rough childhood and one of the biggest reasons is that he was abandoned by his father at an early age. He was raised by his mother Debbie Mathers. Eminem also states in interviews about how they struggled with the finances, his mother not sticking long at a job, and other such issues. Eminem has also accused his mother of ill-treating him and facing issues in his personal life. Constant moving did not let Em make close friends.
Also Read: Eminem’s Father Died at the Age of 67.
In an interview with The Mirror, the Detroit rapper revealed that his father wanted to reunite but it was Eminem who did not show any interest and did want to meet his father. But what Em clearly states is that he is not interested in his father’s money and would be there for him in case he would need any help.
15) EARLIER HIS STAGE NAME WAS M&M
Well before becoming Eminem, Marshall Mathers was known by a number of stage names and one of them was M&M taken from initials of his first and his last name. He adopted this stage name in high school while taking part in rap battles during lunch. Another stage name that he used after dropping out of high school was MC Double M. Finally, he settled on Eminem and is now known worldwide by this name only.
14) EMINEM WAS A LONER
Even relatives and cousins of Eminem revealed that though he was a happy kid, he was still a loner. Again one of the reasons that are suspected is because of that missing male figure of the father in his life. Another evident reason could be the constant shifting and moving from place to place. It became difficult for Em to adjust to his new environment as he was a shy kid. Constant bullying and being brought down by his peers also had a major impact on his confidence as well as personality.
13) ASPIRED TO BECOME A PROFESSIONAL COMIC BOOK ARTIST
Though his inclination towards rapping has always been evident but while Eminem was growing up he aspired to become a professional comic book artist. He was keen on not only reading but also creating his own versions of storytelling. The art of story-telling is showcased through his verse in rap songs as well.
Also Read: Eminem reveals his favorite Super-Hero in a FB Q&A Session.
But slowly and steadily after discovering Hip-Hop, Eminem became more clear about his vision to become a renowned rapper. So, again he dropped the idea of becoming a professional comic book artist.
12) HE WAS A DISHWASHER BEFORE BECOMING A RAPPER
As stated earlier, Eminem did menial jobs to make the ends meet for his family. One of his jobs was as a cook at the restaurant and after that, he even became a dishwasher. It became difficult for him to find a proper job as he was a high school dropout living with his girlfriend.
Well, destiny had something different in store for him and Eminem did not lose his vision of becoming a renowned and famous rapper.
11) DID LUNCH RAP FREESTYLE BATTLES IN HIGH SCHOOL
If you have seen 8 Mile you would definitely know that Eminem took part in underground hip hop battles during his high school. He began rapping when he was only 14 years old and that’s the time when he came with his first stage name M&M. This helped Eminem build a reputation for himself.
Also Read: Fat Joe on Eminem “Nobody Wants To Battle Eminem, He is Such A Perfectionist”
He and his friend Proof would sneak into different schools and challenge fellow students during lunch. At this time Eminem was not only exploring but learning about the whole Hip-Hop culture that made him what he is today.
10) EMINEM’S FIRST ALBUM, INFINITE, WAS A COMMERCIAL FAILURE
Yes, you read that right, Eminem’s first album which came out in the mid-’90s did not receive positive feedback from the audiences. Though it was big deal for Eminem and he had high hopes with the release of ‘Infinite‘ but it did not prove to be one of his best works rather one of his worst. The negative response was given by the critics as well which resulted in the album being sold poorly.
It was after this release that the birth of Slim Shady (Eminem’s alter ego) took birth to vent out all the emotions that were pressed down inside him. Eminem was so disappointed by the album’s performance that he even tried to suicide but was unsuccessful.
9) READ SUPERHERO COMICS IN REHAB
Now well Eminem was in rehab he had a face where he would want to get back to taking drugs and drinking but he also knew that this journey was important for him and his family.
So what did he do? How did he fill that void?
Well, the Detroit rapper went to his old ways and started reading comic books so he could distract his mind from that stuff. That helped him recover and rediscover his old lost love for comic books.
8) EMINEM’S FIRST RUN-IN WITH THE LAW WAS AT AGE 20
Though his childhood was difficult still Eminem stayed away from trouble during his teenage years. But his first encounter with the law was at the age of 20 years. He was not even carrying a real gun but had a paintball gun for which he was arrested.
Also Read: 60 Interesting Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Eminem.
They did not even shoot the paintball gun at their victims. Em was then arrested and was even asked to show up at the court. But the case was dropped as the victim did not show up in court.
7) IN 1997, KIMBERLY ANN SCOTT LEFT EMINEM
The rollercoaster relationship of Ann Scott and Eminem has not been a secret. They have been dating from a really young age and also had Hailie together. It was in the year 1997 that their relationship hit rock bottom and Kimberly decided to leave with their child. She also forbade him to meet Hailie. This has a negative impact on Eminem as he started doing drugs and alcohol. It was during this time he was going through the phase of depression.
Also, this was another major reason that led to the birth of Slim Shady and then he released the album.
6) EMINEM WAS INTO DRUGS AND ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION
On various occasions, Em has been quite vocal about his struggles with drug and alcohol consumption. At a certain point, he was consuming a huge dose of drugs that was impacting his health as well as his personal life. Also, during his ongoing struggle with drugs, Marshall Mathers found comfort in food. This was the reason he gained immense weight and people were surprised too.
Also Read: Eminem Talks About His Recovery After 2007 Overdose.
5) HE WROTE LETTERS TO HIS FATHER
Though Eminem’s father has been missing from a really young age, he did not lose hope and still tried to contact him. As per reports, his father left the family and moved to California. Even after such treatment Eminem did not lose love for respect for him and wrote to him during his teenage years.
The sad part was that the letters never reached his father and came back to him with a ‘return to sender’ note. This was one of the moments when Eminem was unsuccessful in contacting his father. After that, he had spoken about it in his various songs.
4) EMINEM’S MOTHER STATED HE SUFFERED FROM BIPOLAR DISORDER
Eminem has battled and had his own share of the struggle for a very long time. It is also because the environment and the way he was raised in was a little unhealthy for him as a kid. His mother also stated that he was suffering from bipolar disorder.
Slim Shady is even a reflection of his other personality, per se alter ego. He has created various songs around that as well. Moreover, his album ‘Recovery’ and ‘Relapse’ showcase fluctuations and varying emotions.
3) EMINEM ASKED ELTON JOHN FOR HELP
This was the time when Eminem was battling his addiction to drugs and Elton John entered as an angel in his life to help him. He shared his personal stories and struggles with Eminem to motivate and support him. This helped Eminem beat his addiction to Vicodin and Ambien.
Also Read: Eminem Reunited with Elton John at the Oscars 2020.
Recently Eminem completed 12 years of sobriety and even paid for the food for Detroit medical helpers. Indeed this journey has been a success.
2) MARSHALL OFTEN SWITCHED SCHOOLS
This was a result of his mother constantly moving and shifting places that Eminem had to change school almost every two or three months. He was always the new kid at school and faced difficulty in adjusting and really making friends. This was another major reason that Em was tagged as a loner during his teenage years. He had lost his interest in school and studies but his inclination towards words and vocabulary never lagged.
1) STARTED PURSUING HIS CAREER AT THE AGE OF 14
At the age of 14, Eminem had shown his passion and inclination towards the Hip hop culture and music. He initially started with underground rap battles with kids from different schools. With his friend Proof, he tried to sneak into the music world and make a name for himself.
Also at 17, he was known by his first stage name M&M. Eminem had to face bullying and backlash for being one of the few white rappers in a black-dominated Hip-Hop culture at that time.
So, what he is known for today did not come easy to him. Before becoming the Rap God one of the best rappers had to face a lot and go fight his own inner demons. But fortunately, with hard work and dedication, he made it and changed the Hip hop culture.
One of His Best Friends was Shot: A disagreement over a pool game turned into a shooting that resulted in the death of one of Eminem’s closest friends. The buddy, who went by the alias Proof, served as best man during Eminem’s second wife to Kim Mathers. He was also well-known for his freestyle rap battle victories, including one in which he defeated several well-known rappers in a run of 30 consecutive victories.
Note: After receiving 73.5 million additional units, Eminem currently has 166 million single certifications and 61.5 million album certifications. The new certifications placed the Detroit rapper ahead of Drake (163.5 million), who previously held the record, and Rihanna (151.5 million).
He’s also one of just seven musicians to have three or more diamond-certified albums, which are awarded to acts that sell more than 10 million units in the United States. Garth Brooks has nine diamond albums, The Beatles have six, Led Zeppelin have five, and The Eagles, Shania Twain, and Whitney Houston each have three.
