Born in 1974, Marshall Bruce Mathers III, or Eminem as he’s more commonly known, was raised in the poor white trash city of Detroit by his single mother, Debbie Mathers-Briggs. Marshall’s father abandoned the family early on, leaving his mother to support him and his younger sister alone. His childhood was littered with emotional abuse from his unstable mother and frequent bullying from kids at school, making it difficult for young Marshall to find solace anywhere he went. The Incredible Life of Eminem
Table of Contents
Early Career
Eminem was born on October 17, 1972 in St. Joseph, Missouri. He moved with his family to Detroit when he was a toddler. He began rapping at age 14 and performed in local Detroit underground rap groups before signing with Dr. Dre’s Aftermath Entertainment label in 1996.
| Name | Eminem |
| Born | Marshall Bruce Mathers IIIOctober 17, 1972 (age 49) St. Joseph, Missouri, U.S. |
| Other names | Slim ShadyDouble MM&M |
| Occupation | Rapper song writer record producer actor |
| Years active | 1988–present[ |
| Agent | Paul Rosenberg |
| Spouse(s) | Kimberly Anne Scott (m. 1999; div. 2001) (m. 2006; div. 2006) |
| Children | 3 |
| Origin | Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Labels | Aftermath Shady Interscope Web |
| Associated acts | Bad Meets EvilD12OutsidazSoul Intent50 CentThe AlchemistDina RaeDr. DreLil WayneLiz RodriguesNate DoggObie TriceRihannaSkylar GreyTrick TrickYelawolfWestside GunnConway the Machine |
Success through Hard Work
Mathers was born Marshall Bruce Mathers III on October 17, 1972 in Saint Joseph, Missouri to Deborah R. Nelson and Marshall Bruce Mathers Jr. The first family he knew was that of his mother’s abusive boyfriend; a man who violently abused him and his mother while they were still together. When his mother eventually escaped her violent partner, she sought help from her parents; it was then that young Em went to live with them.
Fight with the Relapse
Following up on Relapse, one of Eminem’s most personal albums and a commercial failure, Recovery was full of strong singles that restored his reputation and reestablished him as one of hip-hop’s preeminent stars. As its title suggests, Recovery tackles addiction in both overt and subtle ways. The Incredible Life of Eminem
A Second Chance
After his father walked out on him at a young age, Marshall Mathers III was forced to move with his mother from Missouri to Detroit. It’s here that he would begin writing music and developing a style that would soon get him into trouble. After being arrested for possession, he decided it was time to clean up his act, get sober and make something of himself.
Recovery and Aftermath
After serving two years for a probation violation, Marshall was released in December 1999. During his second stint in rehab, he rededicated himself to music. He soon signed a recording contract with Interscope Records, and his 2001 major-label debut album, The Slim Shady LP , catapulted him to fame. Critics praised its complex production and lyrical technique, which established Eminem as one of hip-hop’s most controversial and best-selling artists.