Slim ShadyMim Udovich once said of Eminem: "There are millions who are just like him, who swear like him... they dress like him, they walk, talk and act like him and, based on his sales, I feel like him That is: they feel incredible anger…. But the fact that these millions exist and that Eminem speaks for them is probably what it is at the same time truly subversive and truly threatening of his success.” (qtd. in Mattern 33). Eminem is one of the most successful rappers of all time. His lyrics that inspire and stir up controversy have really brought Mathers fame controversy with his lyrics addressing topics such as politics and homophobia ("Eminem"). Eminem also defeated the stereotype of all African-American hip-hop artists Marshall Mathers influenced music with his carefree attitude, his meaningful songs and his dedication to hip-hop and will continue to be influential for generations to come. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Eminem's childhood was tough, inspired him to follow his dreams, and shaped him to become an influential American musical artist. Mathers was born on October 17, 1972 in St. Joseph, Missouri. When Mathers was 2 years old his parents divorced (Mattern 15). His father, Marshall Bruce Mathers II, abandoned Mathers and his mother (Lane 14) and moved to California (13). Subsequently, Eminem's mother began using drugs, forcing her to abuse and neglect her son (16). They were both constantly in and out of homes, schools, and towns, making it difficult for Mathers to have consistent friends (Mathers 141). Due to his lack of stability and ability to make and keep friends, Eminem was bullied at school. One particular time Mathers was beaten and almost killed at school when he was nine years old (78). Mathers says of the situation: “My brain was actually bleeding from my ear. It wasn't like I was in a coma, but I was losing consciousness and waking up occasionally for a couple of days. When I finally came out of it, my first words were, “I can write elephant.” I think I felt like a Ringling Brother” (Mathers 78). Due to his father's absence and bullying, Mathers developed self-esteem and anger management issues (lane 19). When Mathers started high school, he and his mother stopped moving and he attended Lincoln High School in Detroit, Michigan. Mathers never succeeded in high school, failing out three times in sixth grade and then dropping out (Mattern 17). Eminem always lived in predominantly African-American areas growing up, which introduced him to black culture and music (Mattern 17). interest in hip-hop began with his uncle Ronnie's introduction to the genre (18). His love for music inspired him to start writing and rapping songs himself. Mathers' biggest influences and favorite rappers were LL Cool J, Ice-T, the Beastie Boys and the Fat Boys (Lane 17). Mathers and his girlfriend at the time, Kimberly Scott, had a daughter named Hailie Jade Scott on December 25. , 1995 (lane 18). His daughter had a big impact on his life, appearing in the lyrics of his songs and encouraging him to work harder. In 1996, he and his girlfriend separated and she denied Mathers the right to see his daughter, causing him to attempt suicide (Mattern 21). After his failed suicide attempt, he realized that he needed to continue chasing his dreams and turning them into reality to support his family and be truly happy. Eminem's youth years were difficult, but they havealso introduced him to rap music and influenced him to become the man he is today. Many things have contributed to Eminem's fame, including his dedication to music, his controversial and meaningful lyrics, and his crazy attitude. Eminem began following his dreams and trying to break into the rap music industry by joining rap groups, entering contests, and recording demo CDs. Mathers began his real hip-hop career as a battle MC at a small music store in Detroit called Hip Hop Shop (Mattern 19). Eminem joined a rap group called "Soul Intent" with his best friend in 1995. The group split up and Eminem and his friend separated and formed another group called "D-12". “D-12” featured MCs Eminem, Proof, Bizarre, Swift, Kon Artis and Kuniva (“Biography: Eminem”). Mathers has recorded music both alone and with his group "D-12". In 1997, Eminem competed in the Rap Olympics in Los Angeles, California. He placed 2nd (Aretha 28) which he believes was done unfairly because he was white (29). After the competition, Mathers was recognized for his skills and introduced to hip-hop producer and artist, Dr. Dre (30). Dr. Dre was immediately amazed by Eminem's skill (32). They began recording together and Mather's first studio album was released in 1999, called "The Slim Shady LP". That's when Mathers' fame took off. Mathers says of his original song “My Name Is,” “What if that song never came out? Where would I be now?” (Mathers 58). Mather's lyrics offended many and caused much controversy, contributing greatly to his popularity. Author's opinion: "Eminem's lyrics stand out from many other rap artists, as his raps are honest, vivid and full of memories of his difficult childhood, his difficult relationships with his mother and wife, his use of drugs and his love for his daughters" (Matthew 31-32). Eminem angered many gay and lesbian people with his anti-gay lyrics ("Eminem"), which were a constant theme in many of his songs spoke about drugs and substance abuse, which affected many teenagers who wanted to rebel. Equally controversial, it included profanity and glorified violence against women (Mattern 10). and threatened the president at the time, George W. Bush ("Biography: Eminem"). Mathers' unique upbringing, outrageous songs and crazy alter ego "Slim Shady" interested many people and influenced his popularity. According to the author: "Eminem has a unique triple identity, consisting of the real person Marshall Mathers, the entertainer Eminem, and the delinquent Slim Shady" ("Eminem"). His Slim Shady character created many violent and homophobic songs, including "Kill You", "Who Knew", and "Fight Music". In one specific case, Mathers' song “Kim,” written about his fantasy of killing his ex-wife, pushed Kim to attempt suicide (“Eminem”). Other songs of his, however, are not so vulgar and disturbing. For example, "Lose Yourself" was a song written for his film 8 Mile, and was the first rap song to win an Academy Award (Aretha 8). Eminem's second album, "Marshall Mathers LP," sold 2 million copies in its first two weeks, making it one of the best-selling rap albums of all time ("Biography: Eminem"). Due to the popularity of his second album, Mathers stated that he could not leave the house without being attacked (Mathers 59). Adding to his fame, Mathers starred in the hit film 8 Mile (101). The film was more or less inspired by his life, the plot consists of the struggles of a young aspiring rapper in Detroit. Mathers' desire to be different and to be a controversial artist contributed heavily to his success. Through",.