Eminem (/mnm/; often styled as EMINM) is the stage name of American rapper Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972). He’s widely considered one of the best rappers of all time and is credited with bringing hip hop to the mainstream in middle America. [2] Many people believe that Eminem broke down boundaries for white rappers by virtue of his worldwide fame and critically praised works. Although most of his provocative work in the late ’90s and ’00s earned him widespread controversy, he eventually became a symbol of the frustration felt by the American working class and was an inspiration to artists working in a broad variety of disciplines.

After gaining some notoriety with the releases of his first album Infinite (1996) and the extended play Slim Shady EP (1997), Eminem joined with Dr. Dre’s Aftermath Entertainment and hit it big with 1999’s The Slim Shady LP. The Marshall Mathers LP (2000) and The Eminem Show (2002), his subsequent albums, were both critically acclaimed and commercial triumphs throughout the globe. As a result of his prescription drug addiction, Eminem took a break in 2005 after the release of his second album, Encore (2004). [3] He made his musical comeback four years later with the release of Relapse (2009), followed by Recovery (2010). 2010’s Recovery was the best-selling album in the world, making it Eminem’s second consecutive album to achieve this feat (his first being 2002’s The Eminem Show). The Marshall Mathers LP 2 (2013), Revival (2017), Kamikaze (2018), and Music to Be Murdered By (2019) all debuted at number one in the United States (2020).

As a fictionalized version of himself, Eminem made his feature debut in the musical drama 8 Mile (2002), for which the song “Lose Yourself” from the film’s soundtrack became the first hip hop song to win an Academy Award for Best Original Song.

[4] Eminem has appeared in many cameo roles, including the movies The Wash (2001), Funny People (2009), and The Interview (2014), and the television show Entourage (2010). Along with manager Paul Rosenberg, he co-founded Shady Records, which was instrumental in the early success of musicians like 50 Cent, D12, and Obie Trice. Additionally, he has launched Shade 45, his own own station on the premium music service Sirius XM.

Even before he became famous as a solo artist, Eminem was a member of the groundbreaking hip hop trio D12. In addition to his solo career, he is famous for his work with fellow Detroit rapper Royce da 5’9.

With over 220 million albums sold globally, Eminem is one of the most successful musicians of all time. On the American charts, he dominated the 2000s and dominated the male charts in the 2010s, ranking third overall. He was honored by Billboard as their “Artist of the Decade” for 2000-2009. He is the first musician to have ten albums launch at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, and he has also set a record with five number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100. [6] A number of Eminem’s albums and singles, including The Marshall Mathers LP, The Eminem Show, Curtain Call: The Hits (2005), “Lose Yourself,” “Love the Way You Lie,” and “Not Afraid,” have received Diamond or higher certification from the RIAA (RIAA). [7] He is in Rolling Stone’s lists of the 100 Greatest Artists and 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time. Among the many accolades he has received are 15 Grammys, 8 American Music Awards, 17 Billboard Music Awards, an Oscar, a Primetime Emmy, and an MTV Europe Music Global Icon Award. As of that year’s November, Eminem was officially admitted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.