Slim Shady born from career slump, says rapper Eminem

Rapper Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Bruce Mathers III, recently disclosed that he created his Slim Shady alter ego during a period when his music career seemed to be faltering. The 51-year-old artiste, who achieved global fame with his 2000 hit single The Real Slim Shady, discussed the origins and impact of this persona in a video titled Slim Shady vs Marshall Mathers: The Face-Off for a popular magazine. In the video, Eminem reflected on how his Slim Shady character emerged as a response to his stagnating career and financial struggles. He told a younger, AI-generated version of himself, “I invented you because my life was falling apart, my music was going nowhere, and I was broke.”

However, Eminem expressed regret over creating Slim Shady, revealing that the alter ego did not solve his problems but instead exacerbated them. He admitted, “You didn’t fix anything. You actually made things worse. You’re the reason I had to self-medicate. Because of you, I almost lost my career, my family, and my life.” This candid reflection highlights the turmoil Slim Shady brought into his life, contributing to his well-documented struggles with addiction.

According to a media organisation, Eminem, who has since achieved sobriety, has released his latest studio album, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce). Prior to the album’s release, he took to X (formerly Twitter) to inform fans that the album is conceptual. He warned, “Public service announcement: the Death of Slim Shady is a conceptual album, therefore, if you listen to songs out of order, they might not make sense. Enjoy.”

Eminem also shared an obituary for Slim Shady, symbolically declaring the character’s death ahead of the album’s launch, marking a significant departure from his past persona.