Eminem – Concert for Valor in Washington, D.C. Nov. 11, 2014 (2) (Cropped).jpg Photo by DoD News Features – Wikimedia Commons

Top 10 Amazing Facts about Eminem


 

He was born in October 17, 1972 as Marshall Bruce Mathers III in St. Joseph, Missouri to Marshall Bruce Mathers Jr. and Deborah Rae otherwose known as Debbie (née Nelson). He is of English, Scottish, German, German Swiss, Polish and Luxembourgish ancestry. He is an American rapper and record producer. He is credited with popularizing hip hop in middle America and is critically acclaimed as one of the greatest rappers of all time. Eminem’s global success and acclaimed works are widely regarded as having broken racial barriers for the acceptance of white rappers in popular music. While much of his transgressive work during the late 1990s and early 2000s made him widely controversial, he came to be a representation of popular angst of the American underclass and has been cited as an influence for many artists of various genres.

He is among the best-selling music artists of all time, with estimated worldwide sales of over 220 million records. He was the best-selling music artist in the United States of the 2000s and the best-selling male music artist in the United States of the 2010s, third overall. Billboard named him the Artist of the Decade beyween 2000 to 2009. He has had ten number-one albums on the Billboard 200, which all consecutively debuted at number one on the chart, making him the first artist to achieve this and five number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100.The Marshall Mathers LP, The Eminem Show, Curtain Call: The Hits 2005, Lose Yourself, Love the Way You Lie and Not Afraid have all been certified Diamond or higher by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Rolling Stone has included him in its lists of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time and the 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time. He has won numerous awards, including 15 Grammy Awards, eight American Music Awards, 17 Billboard Music Awards, an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award and an MTV Europe Music Global Icon Award. In 2022, Eminem was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

1. The Stage Name MC Double M

Eminem live in 2018.jpg Photo by Snowdrop Productions – Wikimedia Commons

In 1988, he went by the stage name MC Double M and formed his first group New Jacks and made a self-titled demo tape with DJ Butter Fingers. In 1989, they later joined Bassmint Productions who later changed their name to Soul Intent in 1992 with rapper Proof and other childhood friends. They released a self-titled EP in 1995 featuring Proof.  Eminem also made his first music video appearance in 1992 in a song titled, “Do-Da-Dippity”, by Champtown. Later in 1996, Eminem and Proof teamed up with four other rappers to form The Dirty Dozen (D12), who released their first album Devil’s Night in 2001. Eminem had his first run-in with the law at age 20, when he was arrested for his involvement in a drive-by shooting with a paintball gun. The case was dismissed when the victim did not appear in court.

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2. Political Views

Eminem has expressed his politcal views in multiple songs, however, he has refrained from direct endorsements of politicians. He has focused more on criticisms instead, his song Mosh was released 2004, a few weeks before the 2004 United States presidential election. The song was highly critisied and he didn’t express his political view again until the 2016 United States presidential election when he released Campaign Speech. 

In the following year, he released The Storm, in the freestyle, he expressed support for former San Francisco 49ers quaterback Colin Kaepermick and the U.S national anthem protests. In his song Darkness, he heavily refrences the 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting, and at the end of the music video he expresses his support for gun control. 

The week before the 2020 United States presidential election, he approved his song Lose Yourself was used in a campaign video for Joe Biden. After the United States Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Eminem posted a tweet to his Twitter expressing his displeasure for the decision

3. His Unique Different Rapping Styles

Eminem DJ Hero.jpg Photo by Ninafortner – Wikimedia Commons

He uses alter egos in his songs depending with the subject matter. However, there are those styles that he is well known for like Slim Shady which first appeared on the Slim Shady EP and was the The Slim Shady LP, The Marshall Mathers LP, The Eminem Show, Encore, Relapse, The Marshall LP2, Kamikaze and Music to Be Murdered By. Of importance to note is that his songs are violent and dark usually with a comic twist.

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4. He has Own Many Awards

He has won numerous awards, including 15 Grammy Awards, eight American Music Awards, 17 Billboard Music Awards, an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award and an MTV Europe Music Global Icon Award. In 2022, Eminem was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

5. His Own Channel

He established his own channel known as Shade 45 that plays only uncut hip hop music. He also began a lively new morning show that airs at 8am every Monday to Griday known as Morning in the Morning with Sway Calloway. He promoted the station in a 2004 mock national convention the Shady National Convention at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City, in which the former President of the United States, Donald Trump endorsed him during the time of his album Revival in 2017. However, he expressed his regret at having a collaborated with him rapping, and wished he had not shaken his hand.

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6. He owns a Restaurant

Together with Union Joints, they opened a restaurant called Mom’s Spaghetti Restaurant on September 29, 2021 at 2131 Woodward Avenue in Detroit. There is also a little Eminem gift shop on the inside for customers called The Trailer. However, the meals are delicious and there is a excellent evening atmosphere. The restaurant offers a fast service  and the best place to visit for a cheap and quick bite while visiting Detroit. In addition, the restaurant was very instrumental in providing food to healthcare givers in 2020 during the pick of COVID-19 pandemic.

7. Charity Work During COVID-19

He Established a Charity Foundation to help the less fortunate youth in the society called Marshall Mathers Foundation. However, at the pick of COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, he donated a pair of Air Jordan 4 Retro Eminem Carhartt shoes, a very unique and rare pair to be raffled off. The proceeds were to go to COVID-19 relief. His restaurant, Mom’s Spaghetti provided food to healthcare workers at Henry Ford Health Systems in Detroit.

8. His Amazing Acting Career

Eminem Up in Smoke Tour (cropped).jpg Photo by Johnny Wilbank – Wikimedia Commons

In the video game 50 Cent: Bulletproof, he voiced an aging corrupt, Ebonics-speaking police officer while he was guested on the Comedy Central television show Crank Yankerrs and a Web cartoon, The Slim Shady Show. He was signed to star in an unmade film version of Have Gun Will Travel. He was considered for the role of David Rice in the 2008 film Jumper.  He has a cameo appearance, arguing with Ray Romano in the 2009 film Funny People. In addition, he played himsled in the Entourage season-seven finale Lose Yourself with Christina Aguilera. He turned down an offer to be a lead actor in the 2013 science-fiction film Elysium just because it was to be filmed in Los Angeles and not his home town Detroit, a decision the film director Neil Blomkamp could not change. He was a Cameo appearance as himself in the 2014 film The Interview.

9. Hip Hop Legacy

Eminem at Voodoo 2000.jpg Photo by Nicholastbroussard – Wikimedia Commons

He is known to have popularized hip hop music in the middle American audience. His unprecedented global commercial success and acclaimed works for a while rapper is widely recognized for breaking racial barriers which accepted white rappers in popular music. Actually, his music was in support of the America’s underclass. He has participated and influence various artists of different genres.

10.    Elton John Praised him

An English singer Elton John was fascinated by his performances. In actual fact, his rehearsal during the 2001 Grammy Awards, Elton was thrilled by the way he made intrance for the Stan because he was very good. The most interesting thing about Eminem is that Elton described him as a true poety of his time because he told stories in a very powerful and distinctive ways. Elton compared Eminem with Bob or rather Dylan where he said vulnerability and humor came out very clear.

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