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Who would
have guessed that a white boy from Michigan would be the one to move
today's jaded hip-hop world? Without any warning, Eminem burst onto the
rap scene spouting more vulgarity than ever with his first 14-cut
collection, The Slim Shady LP, distributed by Aftermath/Interscope
Records. "I Just Don't Give a F--k," the signature piece on his
demented album, and "Brain Damage," which literally did just
that to listeners, are the two most notable songs exhibiting for his dirty
mouth. So good, in fact, that legendary rap artist/producer Dr. Dre
scouted the angry chirpster after hearing him freestyle on the radio to
collaborate on Dre's own label, Aftermath. The impressed Dre did not
hesitate to include many of Slim's independently released EP tracks as
Eminem jumped at the offer to work with "the biggest hip-hop producer
ever."
As randomly offensive as his lyrics may seem, Eminem has mastered his
talent into a form of reclaiming his pride. He spent his childhood roaming
from his birthplace, Kansas City, to Detroit with his mother, never being
able to find a stable hometown and school. Hence he pursued a life and
identity in the hip-hop culture by releasing a debut album, Infinite,
in1996. Ironically, the response to his debut stifled his self-expression
as he was labeled as a Nas and AZ sound-alike. Ripe for revenge, Eminem
bombarded his critics with The Slim Shady EP, which not only gave the
rapper a chance at originality but also at stirring controversy with his
remorseless tunes of fury.
Yet it would do him no justice to dismiss him as a spiteful cursing
machine. His fascinating freestyle ability is easy to underestimate or
even recognize with the scorching flames blowing out of his mouth. At the
start of his rap career, Eminem personally sent a copy of his overlooked
debut album to Wendy Day from the Rap Coalition. Her nod of approval got
him into the Coalition's 1997 Rap Olympics in Los Angeles, where he was
honored with second place in the freestyle competition. With the help of
his manager, Paul Rosenberg, Interscope Records got ahold of his demo.
Finally Eminem decided that it was his "time to shine" on his
radio debut on the world-famous Wake Up Show with Sway and Tech by spewing
a most ferocious lyrical mix that literally slapped the faces of the hosts
and listeners wide awake. His underground classic "5 Star
General" stretched out to Japan, New York, and Los Angeles, which
also won him a spot on the inaugural Lyricist Lounge tour.
Before long, Eminem was a superstar and one of music's most
controversial figures. His shocking lyrics (both solo and with side posse
D12), his duet with Elton John, his public trials with his on/off wife and
estranged mother...all of these things and more kept him in the public eye
so often, he made Tommy Lee look like a social recluse. But Eminem's music
kept his profile high too, as his Slim Shady and Marshall Mathers LPs sold
by the millions; the latter was even nominated for several Grammys,
including album of the year. The Eminem Show was just as successful, and
now, with his star turn in the semi-autobiographical film 8 Mile (directed
by L.A. Confidential's Curtis Hanson), it looks like Eminem might rack up
an Oscar nomination as well.
In the age of bored and hungry hip-hopsters, Eminem, with his fiery
eyes and blazing lyrics, has broken into the rap and hip-hop dome by
melting the image of the sold-out Vanilla Ice. You may hate his anger, but
it's his only ammunition, and as long he is who he is, Eminem is going to
take nothing back.
| Eminem
Biography - 2 |
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| Name
at birth: Marshall Mathers Marshall Mathers, recording as Eminem, started rapping as a
teenager in Detroit, Michigan. His self-produced recording The
Slim Shady EP caught the attention of famed rapper/producer Dr.
Dre, who helped Eminem produce The Slim Shady LP. The
1999 record made Eminem a radio and video superstar, with a
reputation as a white rapper who wasn't afraid to be vulgar. His
fame was only heightened by troubles with the law and legal battles
with this mother and his first wife. In 2002 he released the
bestselling The Eminem Show and also starred in the Curtis
Hanson movie 8 Mile, a drama loosely based on Eminem's
early life in Detroit. In 2003 Eminem became the first rapper to win
an Oscar (for the song "Lose Yourself," from 8 Mile).
Extra credit: Eminem's 2000 hit "Stan" includes a
sample of the song "Thank You" by the singer Dido...
Some sources list Eminem's birthdate as 1973 or 1974... Dr. Dre and
Eminem helped 50 Cent
become a star.
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