Marshall Mathers III (Eminem)

Marshall Mathers III Better known as Eminem was born into a poor, working-class family on October 17, 1972 in St. Joseph, Missouri. After being born in Kansas City and traveling back and forth between KC and the Detroit metropolitan area, Eminem and his mother moved into the Eastside of Detroit when he was 12. Switching schools every two to three months made it difficult to make friends, graduate and to stay out of trouble.  Battling schoolmates in the lunchroom brought joy to what was otherwise a painful existence. Although he would later drop out of school and land several minimum-wage-paying, full-time jobs, his musical focus remained constant. Originally taking on the stage name M&M (later changed to its current spelling), at age 14 he became a battle rapper, competing against other Detroit MCs in local clubs. After a short stint with a rap act called New Jacks, in 1995 he made his recording debut with a group called Soul Intent, which introduced him to a rapper named Proof, who appeared on that single's B-side. Eminem and Proof soon started D12 who remained virtually unknown until recently. Eminem released his debut album, Infinite, in 1996. Desperate to be embraced by the Motor City's hip-hop scene, Eminem rapped in such a manner that he was accused of sounding like Nas and AZ. In many of his songs, Eminem talks about the difficult time he had not only growing up, but also as a young man who was constantly battling with girlfriend, then wife, now ex wife Kim Mathers, as well as the battles he faced with his mother. Mathers was at such a low point in his life that it seemed there was nowhere to go but up.  But like many other rappers, Eminem's rise to stardom was far from easy. Rap became Eminem's solace.  Then in 1997 he independently released The Slim Shady EP, which featured the dark, disturbing, angry lyrics he has become famous for.  Dr. Dre was so impressed after hearing Eminem freestyling on a Los Angeles radio station that he put out a manhunt for the Michigan rhymer. Shortly thereafter, Dre signed Eminem to his Aftermath imprint and the two began working together. Thoroughly impressed with Eminem's previously released independent Slim Shady EP, Dre said they would include many of the EP's tracks on the album.  Shortly after that, Eminem became one of the most famous rappers in the world.

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