Eminem’s career has spanned more than two decades, from his humble beginnings as an underground rapper to an international superstar who sold 100 million records worldwide, won 15 Grammy Awards and became the first artist to have eight consecutive chart-topping albums on the US Billboard 200 chart. He became one of the bestselling artists in the world and one of the best-selling artists of all time.
Childhood and Early Life
Eminem was born Marshall Bruce Mathers III on October 17, 1972 in St. Joseph, Missouri. As a teenager, he found some comfort in music and started writing songs. His mother died when he was just 15 and this experience had a profound effect on him. He dropped out of school at 17 and moved to Detroit to live with his aunt. There, he met rapper Proof who would become his best friend. They formed the rap group D12 (Devil’s Night) and recorded their first album together.
At 19, Eminem Singers bio became romantically involved with Kim Scott; they had daughter Hailie Jade together the following year. In 1996 he left Kim Scott for another woman named Kimberly Anne Kim Scott (nee Shante), whom he later married after they welcomed daughter Whitney Ann in 1997.
Career Development
Eminem didn’t release his first solo album until he was in his twenties. But the second time he stepped onto a stage, everyone in attendance knew who he was and begged for an encore. In 1997, while performing at Rap Olympics in Los Angeles, Eminem faced off against a young LL Cool J. He lost but was given the chance to freestyle rap during LL Cool J’s set. The Detroit emcee stole the show with hilarious jokes and rhyming skills that would eventually land him on national television with Def Comedy Jam later that year.
Personal Life
Eminem was born Marshall Bruce Mathers III in St. Joseph, Missouri on October 17, 1972 to Deborah Ritcher and Marshall Bruce Mathers Jr. His mother later remarried a man by the name of Robert Schaffer who legally adopted him in 1976. Eminem had an older brother Michael who tragically died when he was only 17 years old due to a fatal gunshot wound. He also has two half-brothers from his father’s side: Nathan and Matthew. When Eminem was 12 years old, his parents got divorced which left his mother with little money and they were forced to move into one of Detroit’s poorest neighborhoods; The East Side.
Awards and Accomplishments
Eminem has been named a Guinness World Record holder for fastest solo artist to reach 100 million singles sold, and holds the Guinness World Record for being the best-selling hip-hop artist in America. His 2002 release, The Eminem Show, is the fastest-selling rap album in history. He received Grammy Awards for Best Rap Album and Best Rap Performance, and has sold more than 100 million records worldwide. The 2010s have seen Eminem in resurgence with three consecutive #1 Celebrities Biography albums, by adding 93 million records with Revival (2017), Kamikaze (2018) and entering its platinum status; Marshall Mathers LP 2 (2013) also entered its platinum status.
