Eminem - Blender

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Eminem

Eminem (born Marshall Bruce Mathers III in St. Joseph, Missouri, in 1974) was drawn to rap as a teenager in Detroit, where he fought to overcome the stereotypes associated with being a white rapper by winning MC battles in local clubs. He released his first solo album in 1996, Infinite, which didn’t garner much attention. That year he also broke up with his girlfriend, Kim, who forbid him to see their daughter, Hailie. These events ultimately fueled the creation of his dark, uncensored alter ego, Slim Shady. The Slim Shady EP, released in 1997, was a raging, violent, and often funny album that caught the attention of Interscope label president Jimmy Iovine at a freestyle competition. Iovine passed his tape along to Dr. Dre, who agreed to produce Eminem’s first major-label album. After a reconciliation with Kim, whom he married, Eminem released The Slim Shady LP on Interscope in 1999. The singles "My Name Is" and "Guilty Conscience" helped pushed the album to triple platinum over the next year. He followed up in 2000 with The Marshall Mathers LP, which became the fastest-selling rap album of all time and won him a Grammy for Best Rap Album. Success led to discord: Eminem faced criticism for his violent, homophobic lyrics and engaged in public battles with several artists, including Insane Clown Posse, Christina Aguilera and Everlast. He also faced legal action: His mother sued him for defamation of character, he was arrested for attacking a man and carrying a concealed weapon, and Kim divorced him. In 2001 Eminem reformed the rap group D-12, whom he had collaborated with early in his career, for a cross-country tour. That year he also began working on the film 8 Mile, directed by Curtis Hanson, which was loosely based on his life. "Lose Yourself," off the film’s soundtrack, went on the win the Academy Award for Best Song. In 2002 he released his third album, The Eminem Show, featuring the hit singles "Without Me" and "Cleaning Out My Closet."

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