00:05He is widely considered one of the best hip-hop artists of all time. But in the very same breath,
00:12he was possibly the most controversial of the bunch. His dysfunctional and trauma-filled home
00:18life became fuel for his music. Let's take a look back at how Eminem's shady past inadvertently
00:25created a rap superstar. Being raised by a teenage mother, living in poverty with no positive
00:32male influences in sight, led to quite the troublesome upbringing for Marshall in his
00:37formative years. He would be a front-row witness to crime, drug abuse, and violence that became
00:44all too frequent in his surroundings. Being introverted and one of the few Caucasian kids
00:49in the area. He was seen as an outsider, that soon became a target for bullying. He was teased often
00:56about trivial things, but the bullying didn't stop with just jokes. Some encounters quickly turned
01:02physical, and fist fights would follow. But thankfully the family wouldn't stay in one bad
01:08area for very long. For years switching schools, and homes became the norm for mothers, as his mother
01:14continued to see constant eviction notices. The move to Detroit would be more of the same issues
01:20for Marshall unfortunately. But things slowly, but surely improved, for the introverted outsider
01:27trying to find his way. Over time Marshall became more confident in his own skin, and he would become
01:34socially accepted by many of his peers. His new friendships turned him on to the growing hip-hop culture
01:40starting to take over the music industry. The introduction inspired him to start writing
01:46lyrics of his own. The new hip-hop hobby, quickly developed into a serious passion.
01:52He would improve leaps and bounds very quickly with each page he scribbled on.
01:57Being a loner for so many years prior, and relying on books for entertainment, seemed to have really paid
02:03off in this regard. Now having a better experience socially, and creatively engulfed, things started
02:10to look up for Marshall. He even found himself a girlfriend. Kim was two living a tough life,
02:17looking for acceptance, and a community of her own. The troubled teens bonded over their childhood trauma,
02:24and began dating. The two were known to break up and make up quite often, in the eyes of their
02:30social
02:30circle. While juggling his toxic relationship, Mathers continued to work on his music aspirations,
02:37now starting to envision it as a way out of poverty as he got older. He put the wheels in
02:43motion and
02:43began working with a local production duo the Bass Brothers to help produce his first studio project.
02:49He was finally chasing his dream, but outside of the studio things were still troublesome for Mathers.
02:56In his home life, Kim and Marshall would introduce a new addition to the family. Raising a newborn seemed
03:03to only add fuel to the already toxic relationship. Many arguments arose over money, substance abuse,
03:11and accusations of child neglect regarding their newborn. Marshall would channel all of his stress
03:17into his lyrics for his upcoming album. The project was far more personable than one would expect.
03:24Many of the songs recorded were riddled with depression undertones. When the album finally
03:30released, it failed to resonate with listeners and critics across the board. In the meantime,
03:36Mathers had to work dead-end jobs to help support his family. Money was so tight, they even resorted to
03:43moving back in with his mother. Being low on funds, losing his job, the constant relationship drama,
03:50living with his mother again, and his album bombing. It was a lot to take on all at once.
03:57Dealing with so much hopelessness in the moment, the struggling rapper even contemplated taking his own
04:02life. However, Mathers would overcome his situation very soon with a new idea.
04:10After listening to all the negative feedback surrounding the debut album,
04:15Mathers went back to the lab and decided to change his approach to music. He created a
04:21new persona for himself called Slim Shady. The new alter ego was angry, very sadistic,
04:27and much more violent than he ever was before.
04:31Met a retarded kid named Greg with a wooden leg. Snatched it off and beat him over the head with
04:36the peg. Go to bed with the keg. Wake up with the 40. Mix it with Alka-Seltzer and Formula
04:4140-40.
04:42Forget an acid tab, I strapped the whole sheet to my forehead. Waited till it absorbed in and fell to
04:46the
04:46floor dead. No more said case closed in the discussion. We blowing up like spontaneous human combustion.
04:52Leaving you in the aftermath of Holocaust and traumas. Crossed the bombers. We blowing up your house.
04:57Killing your parents. Coming back to get your foster mommas. And I'm as good with the promises
05:02north of the diamonds. Cause I ain't making no more threats. I'm doing drive-bys and tenant corvettes
05:07on Vietnam war vets. I'm more or less sick in the head. Maybe more cause I smoked crack today,
05:12yesterday and the day before. Saboteur. Walked the block with a labrador.
05:16Strapped with more corral for war than El Salvador. Foul style galore. Verbal cow manure.
05:21Coming together like an eyebrow will now be sore.
05:28With the change in direction, Eminem began working on the Slim Shady EP with the Bass Brothers.
05:34And looking to showcase his new style to a large audience and gain more recognition.
05:40Marshall traveled to Los Angeles to participate in a battle rap competition featuring some of the
05:45best unknown lyricist in the country. Mathers finished in second place, which was quite the
05:51accomplishment proving to himself the new style worked. To add a cherry on top of the successful
05:57showing, an intern for the Innscope music label was in attendance. He liked what he heard and requested
06:04an early copy of the soon to be released Slim Shady EP. His new controversial style seemed to be just
06:11what
06:11the doctor ordered. Eminem was now generating buzz around the music industry. The popular Source magazine
06:19even featured him as unsigned hype. When the EP finally made its way to Innscope, it was played for
06:25hip hop legend Dr. Dre. The super producer was in the process of starting his own music label,
06:31under the Innscope umbrella, and looking to sign new talent. Dre saw the vision of what Eminem could
06:38possibly become, and was ready to do a lucrative deal. After months of collaborating, they produced
06:44the Slim Shady LP. Eminem would not pull any punches on the project. The rapper took personal
06:51shots at his mother and his longtime girlfriend on the introductory album. Not just once or twice,
06:58but over and over again. On many occasions, claiming they abused drugs, were unfit mothers,
07:04and he even expressed violent thoughts targeted towards them both. The suggested lengths he would
07:11go to protect his daughter from his family, were quite heartwarming, but also rather psychotic.
07:29Shady quickly gained tons of attention for the album, after his first single released around the
07:34world. The music video showcased the wild and weird imagination of Marshall, and the cosign from a hip hop
07:41legend helped a ton. The Slim Shady LP went on to become one of the top-selling albums of the
07:47year,
07:47and a superstar was born. Despite all the bad-mouthing on songs about his longtime girlfriend,
07:55Mathers still decided to propose to Kim, and the toxic couple would actually tie the knot.
08:00But the unflattering lyrics directed toward his mother and new bride did in fact cause issues for the
08:06family. Crazed stans took Eminem's comical slander to heart, and sided with the rap star.
08:13Some supporters would even send death threats to his mother, after hearing his album.
08:18The comments that Eminem made during interviews and on his songs, led his mother to file a 10
08:23million defamation suit, as she felt her name was wrongfully dragged through the mud.
08:28The odd family drama didn't stop there, she even made an EP of her own, attempting to denounce the slander.
08:36When it came to his new bride, things were still quite toxic in his marriage,
08:40due to his offensive lyrics directed her way. Kim recounts a specific moment that drove her over
08:46the edge.
08:48He is just supposed to be the man that loves me and is supposed to protect me, you know,
08:50from being hurt. And here he is, completely and totally disrespecting me, in the worst way possible,
08:56in front of millions of people. And in front of our kids, my family, my friends. And now it just
09:02makes
09:02me angry because of what everyone thinks of me. And the fact that now I realize, you know,
09:07there must not not have been much love there, you know, for him to do that. And I wasted
09:11so many years thinking there was.
09:13The newlyweds would get divorced shortly after his follow-up album released.
09:18On the project, he continued the lyrical onslaught directed toward his family.
09:23Eminem also expanded his insults towards other public figures, creating more controversial
09:29moments. Oddly, Kim would later remarry Mathers after their initial divorce. But the toxic couple
09:35would divorce once again, after just a few months of rekindling their flame.
09:41As the rapper grew older and matured a bit more, he began to show some remorse for his past actions,
09:48even attempting to mend some of his past relationships. Many fans think his music has
09:54suffered because of the tonal shift. Before his mother Debbie passed away, she left her son a
10:00heartfelt message.
10:26Eminem is still considered one of the best hip-hop artists of all time for his earlier work.
10:31But what do you guys think about this story? Were you a fan of Eminem? Did you find his
10:38lyrics too extreme? Leave a comment below and let me know.
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