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© Getty Images
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Nickname - When Eminem was young, his relatives called him Mickey because of his big ears.
© Getty Images
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Artistic name - Eminem is made up of the rappers initials. His birth name is Marshall Mathers, and he originally started rapping under the name M&M. He eventually changed it to Eminem, which was probably for the best due to potential future copyright issues.
© Getty Images
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High school dropout - The rapper failed ninth grade three times before finally dropping out completely at the age of 17.
© Getty Images
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Bullying - When he was only nine years old, the rapper was beaten up so badly that he was in a coma for over a week.
© Getty Images
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Captured the attention - Eminem was discovered after placing second in the Rap Olympics. Someone from Interscope records brought his demo tape in, with Dr. Dre eventually giving it a listen. Eminem was then signed to Dr. Dre's label, Aftermath.
© Getty Images
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Influences - Eminem has revealed that he looks up to the band Beastie Boys. He even used them as inspiration for his song 'Kamikaze.'
© Getty Images
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Comic books - The rapper is a huge comic book fan, and his collection has been called "otherworldly," containing numerous rare comics.
© Shutterstock
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Comic books - In a combination of business sense and fandom, the rapper has his own comic book called 'Eminem/Punisher: Kill You,' which served as a promo for the release of 'Relapse.'
© Getty Images
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Addictions - The rapper revealed that, before becoming sober, he used to take about 20 tablets of Valium, Ambien, and Vicodin per day.
© Getty Images
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Addictions - Eminem fought for several years against his addiction to Vicodin, Ambien and Valium. When he decided to get sober, the rapper called Elton John, who helped him beat the addiction.
© Getty Images
10 / 30 Fotos
Slim Shady - Reportedly, the rapper thought up his alter ego, Slim Shady, while he was on the toilet!
© Getty Images
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Going up
- His first album 'Infinite' reportedly sold less than a thousand copies, while his second album, 'The Slim Shady LP,' hit no. 2 on the US Billboard charts.
© Getty Images
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'The Eminem Show' - His 2002 album was his third album in four years that won a Grammy for Best Rap Album.
© Getty Images
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'8 Mile' - Reportedly, Universal and Interscope wanted the main theme of '8 Mile' movie to be 'Cleanin Out My Closet.' However, the rapper thought it was too personal and wrote 'Lose Yourself' instead.
© BrunoPress
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Oscar - The song chosen by Eminem eventually won the Oscar for Best Original Song, and it became the first rap song to win a golden statuette.
© Getty Images
15 / 30 Fotos
The Oscars ceremony - Supposedly, the rapper refused to perform at the Oscars ceremony that year because the Academy wanted him to sing a censored version of the song 'Lose Yourself.' So you can imagine everyone's shock when he finally performed the song at the 2020 Oscars.
© Getty Images
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'Recovery' - His 2010 album was one of the best-selling albums of the year, second only to Lady Gaga's 'The Fame Monster.'
© Getty Images
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King of Hip-Hop - Rolling Stone dubbed Eminem the King of Hip-Hop back in 2011.
© Getty Images
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Rap battles - Rumor has it that all those who want to join the production company Shady Records have to do a rap battle against Eminem.
© Getty Images
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Bullying - Eminem was sued by his childhood bully for US$1 million after the rapper mentioned a beating he gave him in his song 'Brain Damage.' The Michigan court did not approve DeAngelo Bailey's lawsuit and Eminem won.
© Getty Images
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Relationship - The rapper has alleged that he had a relationship with Mariah Carey, even claiming it in some of his songs. However, the singer has always denied it.
© Getty Images
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Grammys - The rapper has won 15 Grammys throughout his career.
© Getty Images
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'The Marshall Mathers LP' - The rapper revealed that the title of one of his most critically acclaimed albums could have been different. He considered the title 'Amsterdam,' because he wrote much of the album in that city.
© Getty Images
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Study - Eminem told Anderson Cooper that one of the ways that he widens his vocabulary is by reading a dictionary.
© Getty Images
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Fake deaths - Over the years, the rapper has been the target of several fake news stories about his death. One of the ways people have claimed he's "died" is by car accident.
© Getty Images
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'Southpaw'
- The role of Billy Hope in 'Southpaw' was written with Eminem in mind, and he even initially accepted it, but he ended up pulling out to work on his album. Jake Gyllenhaal ended up with the role.
© BrunoPress
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Another rejected film - Eminem was also supposed to be the main character in the movie 'Elysium,' but he declined as the director couldn't film in his hometown of Detroit.
© BrunoPress
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Technology - As of 2010, Eminem claimed that he didn't know how to use a computer. However, considering he has a Twitter account now, we think he's probably figured it out since.
© Getty Images
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Daughters
- Eminem sings about his daughter, Hailie, in many of his songs. But he also has two adopted daughters, who are Hailie's half-sisters.
© Getty Images
29 / 30 Fotos
© Getty Images
0 / 30 Fotos
Nickname - When Eminem was young, his relatives called him Mickey because of his big ears.
© Getty Images
1 / 30 Fotos
Artistic name - Eminem is made up of the rappers initials. His birth name is Marshall Mathers, and he originally started rapping under the name M&M. He eventually changed it to Eminem, which was probably for the best due to potential future copyright issues.
© Getty Images
2 / 30 Fotos
High school dropout - The rapper failed ninth grade three times before finally dropping out completely at the age of 17.
© Getty Images
3 / 30 Fotos
Bullying - When he was only nine years old, the rapper was beaten up so badly that he was in a coma for over a week.
© Getty Images
4 / 30 Fotos
Captured the attention - Eminem was discovered after placing second in the Rap Olympics. Someone from Interscope records brought his demo tape in, with Dr. Dre eventually giving it a listen. Eminem was then signed to Dr. Dre's label, Aftermath.
© Getty Images
5 / 30 Fotos
Influences - Eminem has revealed that he looks up to the band Beastie Boys. He even used them as inspiration for his song 'Kamikaze.'
© Getty Images
6 / 30 Fotos
Comic books - The rapper is a huge comic book fan, and his collection has been called "otherworldly," containing numerous rare comics.
© Shutterstock
7 / 30 Fotos
Comic books - In a combination of business sense and fandom, the rapper has his own comic book called 'Eminem/Punisher: Kill You,' which served as a promo for the release of 'Relapse.'
© Getty Images
8 / 30 Fotos
Addictions - The rapper revealed that, before becoming sober, he used to take about 20 tablets of Valium, Ambien, and Vicodin per day.
© Getty Images
9 / 30 Fotos
Addictions - Eminem fought for several years against his addiction to Vicodin, Ambien and Valium. When he decided to get sober, the rapper called Elton John, who helped him beat the addiction.
© Getty Images
10 / 30 Fotos
Slim Shady - Reportedly, the rapper thought up his alter ego, Slim Shady, while he was on the toilet!
© Getty Images
11 / 30 Fotos
Going up
- His first album 'Infinite' reportedly sold less than a thousand copies, while his second album, 'The Slim Shady LP,' hit no. 2 on the US Billboard charts.
© Getty Images
12 / 30 Fotos
'The Eminem Show' - His 2002 album was his third album in four years that won a Grammy for Best Rap Album.
© Getty Images
13 / 30 Fotos
'8 Mile' - Reportedly, Universal and Interscope wanted the main theme of '8 Mile' movie to be 'Cleanin Out My Closet.' However, the rapper thought it was too personal and wrote 'Lose Yourself' instead.
© BrunoPress
14 / 30 Fotos
Oscar - The song chosen by Eminem eventually won the Oscar for Best Original Song, and it became the first rap song to win a golden statuette.
© Getty Images
15 / 30 Fotos
The Oscars ceremony - Supposedly, the rapper refused to perform at the Oscars ceremony that year because the Academy wanted him to sing a censored version of the song 'Lose Yourself.' So you can imagine everyone's shock when he finally performed the song at the 2020 Oscars.
© Getty Images
16 / 30 Fotos
'Recovery' - His 2010 album was one of the best-selling albums of the year, second only to Lady Gaga's 'The Fame Monster.'
© Getty Images
17 / 30 Fotos
King of Hip-Hop - Rolling Stone dubbed Eminem the King of Hip-Hop back in 2011.
© Getty Images
18 / 30 Fotos
Rap battles - Rumor has it that all those who want to join the production company Shady Records have to do a rap battle against Eminem.
© Getty Images
19 / 30 Fotos
Bullying - Eminem was sued by his childhood bully for US$1 million after the rapper mentioned a beating he gave him in his song 'Brain Damage.' The Michigan court did not approve DeAngelo Bailey's lawsuit and Eminem won.
© Getty Images
20 / 30 Fotos
Relationship - The rapper has alleged that he had a relationship with Mariah Carey, even claiming it in some of his songs. However, the singer has always denied it.
© Getty Images
21 / 30 Fotos
Grammys - The rapper has won 15 Grammys throughout his career.
© Getty Images
22 / 30 Fotos
'The Marshall Mathers LP' - The rapper revealed that the title of one of his most critically acclaimed albums could have been different. He considered the title 'Amsterdam,' because he wrote much of the album in that city.
© Getty Images
23 / 30 Fotos
Study - Eminem told Anderson Cooper that one of the ways that he widens his vocabulary is by reading a dictionary.
© Getty Images
24 / 30 Fotos
Fake deaths - Over the years, the rapper has been the target of several fake news stories about his death. One of the ways people have claimed he's "died" is by car accident.
© Getty Images
25 / 30 Fotos
'Southpaw'
- The role of Billy Hope in 'Southpaw' was written with Eminem in mind, and he even initially accepted it, but he ended up pulling out to work on his album. Jake Gyllenhaal ended up with the role.
© BrunoPress
26 / 30 Fotos
Another rejected film - Eminem was also supposed to be the main character in the movie 'Elysium,' but he declined as the director couldn't film in his hometown of Detroit.
© BrunoPress
27 / 30 Fotos
Technology - As of 2010, Eminem claimed that he didn't know how to use a computer. However, considering he has a Twitter account now, we think he's probably figured it out since.
© Getty Images
28 / 30 Fotos
Daughters
- Eminem sings about his daughter, Hailie, in many of his songs. But he also has two adopted daughters, who are Hailie's half-sisters.
© Getty Images
29 / 30 Fotos
Curious facts you didn't know about Eminem
The rapper turns the big 5-0 this October 17
© Getty Images
Eminem has been a part of the music scene for more than 25 years, and he has the accomplishments and controversies to prove it. Beginning with his true breakout 'The Slim Shady LP,' the rapper has gone through numerous ups and downs throughout his career, both in his personal life and with his music. But how much do you actually know about the real Slim Shady?
Click through this gallery and learn more about the iconic rapper.
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