Eminem

Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem, is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and record executive whose identity is inseparably linked to the city of Detroit, Michigan. Born in St. Joseph, Missouri, Eminem was raised by his mother, Debbie Nelson Mathers, who settled the family in Warren, just outside Detroit, when he was 11. From there, he immersed himself in the city's underground hip-hop scene, eventually rising to become one of the most recognized artists in popular music. Called the best-selling hip-hop artist of all time, he is also one of the most popular rappers, and his story remains inextricably tied to the streets, neighborhoods, and culture of Detroit.

Early Life and Arrival in Detroit

Eminem and his mother shuttled among states, rarely staying in one house for more than a year or two and mostly living with family members. Locations included St. Joseph, Savannah (Missouri), Kansas City, Warren (Michigan), and Roseville (Michigan), before settling in Detroit when Eminem was 12. The family's life in the city was far from easy. For much of his youth, Eminem and his mother lived in a bungalow-style house in a working-class, primarily Black neighborhood in Detroit. Marshall was continuously bullied and beaten by neighborhood kids and schoolmates — the most famous incident being his encounter with D'Angelo Bailey. One bullying incident during recess caused "a cerebral hemorrhage and was in and out of consciousness for five days" according to his mother; he recounted this in his song "Brain Damage" on his 1999 Slim Shady album.

After spending three years in ninth grade because of truancy and poor grades, 17-year-old Eminem dropped out of Lincoln High School. Although interested in English, Eminem never explored literature, preferring comic books, and he disliked math and social studies. He states that he later received a GED. Eminem worked at several jobs to help his mother pay the bills, one of which was at Little Caesar's Pizza in Warren. He also cooked and washed dishes for minimum wage at Gilbert's Lodge, a family-style restaurant in St. Clair Shores. His former boss described him as becoming a model employee, as he worked 60 hours a week for six months after the birth of his daughter, Hailie Jade Scott Mathers.

In 2013, the State of Michigan demolished his childhood home after it was damaged by arson.

The Detroit Hip-Hop Scene and Early Career

Detroit's underground rap culture was the forge in which Eminem built his craft. At age 14, Eminem began rapping with high-school friend Mike Ruby; they adopted the names "Manix" and "M&M", the latter evolving into "Eminem". Eminem snuck into neighboring Osborn High School with friend and fellow rapper Proof for lunchroom freestyle rap battles. On Saturdays, they attended open mic contests at the Hip-Hop Shop on West 7 Mile Road, considered "ground zero" for the Detroit rap scene.

In 1988, he went by the stage name MC Double M and formed his first group, New Jacks, and made demo tape recordings with DJ Butter Fingers. In 1989, they joined Bassmint Productions, who later changed their name to Soul Intent in 1992 with rapper Proof and other Detroit artists. After rapping with more groups, including the New Jacks and Soul Intent, with whom Eminem released his first single in 1995, he was taken under the wing of the late Deshaun "Proof" Holton and became part of the collective known as D12.

In 1995, Eminem was signed to Jeff and Mark Bass' F.B.T. Productions and in 1995–1996 recorded his debut album Infinite for their independent Web Entertainment label. The album was a commercial failure upon its release in 1996. Detroit disc jockeys largely ignored Infinite, and the feedback Eminem did receive led him to craft angrier, moodier tracks. His fortunes changed dramatically when Dr. Dre discovered him. Dr. Dre signed Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Mathers III, in March 1998. Since then, the Detroit native has sold more than 200 million albums.

8 Mile: Detroit on Screen

Detroit's geography, culture, and economic struggles became the centerpiece of Eminem's 2002 film debut. 8 Mile is a 2002 hip-hop musical biographical drama film directed by Curtis Hanson from a script written by Scott Silver. It stars Eminem in his film debut, alongside Mekhi Phifer, Brittany Murphy, Michael Shannon, Kim Basinger, and Anthony Mackie. The film, which contains autobiographical elements from Eminem's life, follows Detroit rapper Jimmy Smith Jr. aka B-Rabbit and his attempt to launch a career in hip-hop, a music genre dominated by African Americans. The title is derived from 8 Mile Road, the road between the predominantly Black city of Detroit and the largely white suburban communities to the north that Eminem originally lived in.

To accurately reflect the life of Jimmy Smith Jr., aka B-Rabbit, the production used a variety of locales in Detroit, Michigan, as well as adjacent communities such as Sterling Heights and Warren. As the end credits proudly announce, the movie was "Filmed on location in the 313," the area code for inner urban Detroit, traditionally separated from the posher northern suburbs by the titular 8 Mile Road.

In 2003, Eminem won the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 75th Academy Awards, for his single "Lose Yourself" from the soundtrack of 8 Mile, becoming the first solo rapper ever to win an Academy Award. The soundtrack was released under the Shady/Interscope label and spawned Eminem's first number-one U.S. single, "Lose Yourself." The album debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 Albums Chart that year, with over 702,000 copies sold.

Business Ventures and Detroit Ties

Eminem has maintained significant business and creative connections to Detroit. He established his own company, Shady Records, featuring other rap acts such as D12, 50 Cent, and Detroit's Obie Trice. The company expanded into a clothing line, Shady Ltd., in 2003, which has since folded. In 2016, Eminem started another clothing line, E13, with local company Carhartt.

Eminem's connection to the city is also evident in his public appearances and endorsements. The television commercial "Born of Fire," also known as "Imported from Detroit," introduced the Chrysler 200 to the public. The commercial ran for the first time during Super Bowl XLV, and at two minutes long, it is one of the longest commercials ever shown during a Super Bowl. In the ad, Eminem drives the Chrysler 200 through the city to the Fox Theatre, passing by several neighborhoods and landmarks, arriving and walking inside the theater to the stage, where he says to the camera, "This is the Motor City, and this is what we do."

In more recent years, Eminem has continued to make notable Detroit appearances. He gave a surprise four-song performance at "Live From Detroit: The Concert at Michigan Central," a hometown event featuring Diana Ross, Big Sean, Jack White, and more to celebrate the grand reopening of Michigan Central Station. The event was executive produced by Eminem and his longtime manager Paul Rosenberg. Backed by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Em closed the evening with a medley of songs from his catalog, bringing out Jelly Roll to handle the hook on his Aerosmith-sampling single "Sing For the Moment" and enlisted local legend Trick Trick for "Welcome 2 Detroit."

Philanthropy and Community Impact

Eminem's commitment to Detroit extends well beyond music and entertainment. Eminem established the Marshall Mathers Foundation to aid disadvantaged youth. The foundation works in conjunction with a charity founded by Norman Yatooma, a Detroit attorney. The Marshall Mathers Foundation partnered with Michigan State University and Carhartt to help young Detroiters explore their creativity and expand their skills in songwriting, music production, and performing. Through the Verses Project, students learn to write lyrics, play instruments, and record their own music, all while developing their literacy skills.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Eminem's support for his city was tangible. He donated spaghetti meals to healthcare workers at Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, referencing the line "mom's spaghetti" from his song "Lose Yourself." Eminem and Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey joined forces to support the city of Detroit during COVID-19. After learning that Eminem would donate $250,000 through his Marshall Mathers Foundation, Dorsey pitched in an additional $750,000, resulting in $1 million in financial aid to Detroit.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction

In 2022, Eminem received one of music's highest honors. On November 5, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inducted its 2022 class in grand fashion; inductees included Dolly Parton, Eminem, Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo, Duran Duran, Eurythmics, Lionel Richie, and Carly Simon. It was Eminem's first year of eligibility.

Eminem, who was born in St. Louis but grew up and continues to live in Metro Detroit, joined a long list of Detroiters and Michigan artists who have entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a list that also includes Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, Jackie Wilson, the Supremes, the Temptations, Stevie Wonder, Bob Seger, Madonna, the Stooges, and Parliament-Funkadelic.

Longtime friend and collaborator Dr. Dre had the pleasure of inducting Eminem, recalling the first time Jimmy Iovine called to let him know that Eminem was a white guy. Eminem was introduced by his mentor, Dr. Dre, who spoke of the Detroit rapper's "undeniable gift," saying: "His raw, dark, and humorous lyrics coupled with an impeccable cadence stood out from anything I had ever heard before, and he was hungry."

In his acceptance speech, Eminem said: "I'm not supposed to be here tonight. One, I'm a rapper; two, I almost died from an overdose; and three, I really had to fight my way through… I'm a high school drop-out with a hip-hop education." Eminem's most recent album, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce), arrived in July 2024 and netted him an 11th No. 1 album atop the Billboard 200, with 281,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S.