After the release of his debut album Infinite (1996) and the extended play Slim Shady EP (1997), Eminem signed with Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment and subsequently achieved mainstream popularity in 1999 with The Slim Shady LP. His next two releases, The Marshall Mathers LP (2000) and The Eminem Show (2002), were worldwide successes and nominated for the Grammy Award for Album of the Year, the latter becoming the best-selling album worldwide of 2002. After the release of his next album, Encore (2004), Eminem went on hiatus, largely due to a prescription drug addiction. He returned to the music industry with the releases of Relapse (2009) and Recovery (2010), the latter becoming the best-selling album worldwide of 2010. He then released the U.S. number-one albums The Marshall Mathers LP 2 (2013), Revival (2017), Kamikaze (2018), Music to Be Murdered By (2020), and The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce) (2024).
Eminem was also a member of the hip-hop groups New Jacks, Soul Intent, Outsidaz, and D12, and has collaborated with fellow Detroit-based rapper Royce da 5'9" as the duo Bad Meets Evil. Eminem starred in the 2002 musical drama film 8 Mile playing a dramatized version of himself. "Lose Yourself", a song from its soundtrack, topped the Billboard Hot 100 for 12 weeks—the most for a solo rap song—and won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, making him the first hip-hop artist ever to win the award. He also co-founded Shady Records, which helped launch the careers of artists such as D12, 50 Cent, and Obie Trice, and established his own Sirius XM Radio channel, Shade 45.
Eminem is amongst the best-selling music artists of all time, with estimated worldwide sales of over 220 million records. He was the best-selling music artist in the United States for the 2000s, placing third for the 2010s. He was the first artist to have ten albums consecutively debut at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, and has had five number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100. The Marshall Mathers LP, The Eminem Show, Curtain Call: The Hits (2005), "Lose Yourself", "Love the Way You Lie", and "Not Afraid" have all been certified Diamond or higher by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). He has won numerous awards, including 15 Grammy Awards, eight American Music Awards, 17 Billboard Music Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and an MTV Europe Music Global Icon Award. Billboard named him the "Artist of the Decade (2000–2009)", and Rolling Stone named him one of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time" and "100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time". In 2022, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Early life
Marshall Bruce Mathers III was born on October 17, 1972, in St. Joseph, Missouri, the only child of Marshall Bruce Mathers Jr. and Deborah "Debbie" (née Nelson). His mother nearly died during her 73-hour labor with him. Eminem's parents were in a band called Daddy Warbucks, playing in Ramada Inns along the Dakotas–Montana border before they separated. His father abandoned his family when Eminem was a year and a half old, and Eminem was raised only by his mother, Debbie, in poverty. He wrote letters to his father, but Debbie said that they all came back marked "return to sender".
By the age of twelve, Eminem and his mother shuttled between states, rarely staying in one house for more than a year or two and mostly living with family members, moved several times and lived in St. Joseph, Savannah, Missouri, Kansas City, Warren, Michigan and Roseville, Michigan before settling in Detroit. For much of his youth, Eminem and his mother lived in a working-class, primarily black, Detroit neighborhood. He and Debbie were one of three white households on their block, and Eminem was beaten several times by black youths. His mother had a son named Nathan "Nate" Kane Samara.
Eminem frequently fought with his mother, whom a social worker described as having a "very suspicious, almost paranoid personality". When he was a child, a bully named D'Angelo Bailey severely injured Eminem's head in an assault, an incident which Eminem later recounted (with comic exaggeration) on the song "Brain Damage". Debbie filed a lawsuit against the public school for this in 1982. The suit was dismissed the following year by a Macomb County, Michigan, judge, who said the schools were immune from lawsuits.
Eminem was interested in storytelling, aspiring to be a comic book artist before discovering hip-hop. He heard his first rap song ("Reckless", featuring Ice-T) on the Breakin' soundtrack, a gift from Debbie's half-brother, Ronnie Polkingharn. His uncle was close to the boy and later became a musical mentor to him. Following Polkingharn's suicide in 1991, Eminem stopped speaking publicly for days and did not attend his funeral.
At age 14, Eminem began rapping with high-school friend Mike Ruby; they adopted the names "Manix" and "M&M", the latter evolving into "Eminem". Eminem snuck into neighboring Osborn High School with friend and fellow rapper Proof for lunchroom freestyle rap battles. On Saturdays, they attended open mic contests at the Hip-Hop Shop on West 7 Mile Road, considered "ground zero" for the Detroit rap scene. Struggling to succeed in a predominantly black industry, Eminem was appreciated by underground hip-hop audiences. When he wrote verses, he wanted most of the words to rhyme; he wrote long words or phrases on paper and, underneath, worked on rhymes for each syllable. Although the words often made little sense, the drill helped Eminem practice sounds and rhymes.
In 1987, Debbie allowed runaway Kimberly Anne "Kim" Scott to stay at their home. Several years later, Eminem began an on-and-off relationship with Scott. After spending three years in ninth grade due to truancy and poor grades, 17-year-old Eminem dropped out of Lincoln High School. Although interested in English, Eminem never explored literature, preferring comic books, and he disliked math and social studies. He states that he later received a GED.Eminem worked at several jobs to help his mother pay the bills, one of which was at Little Caesar's Pizza in Warren. He later said she often threw him out of the house anyway, often after taking most of his paycheck. When she left to play bingo, he would blast the stereo and write songs.
Alter egos
Eminem uses alter egos in his songs for different rapping styles and subject matter, including Slim Shady and Ken Kaniff, among others.
Slim Shady is the controversial and rebellious alter ego of Eminem, introduced in his 1997 extended play The Slim Shady EP. Conceived during a period of personal and professional struggle, Slim Shady allowed Eminem to express his darker, more aggressive thoughts through exaggerated and often violent lyrical content. This persona embodies the chaotic, satirical side of Eminem's music, pushing boundaries with provocative, sometimes offensive, themes, which blend fiction and reality. The use of Slim Shady is shown in The Slim Shady LP, The Marshall Mathers LP, The Eminem Show, Encore, Relapse, The Marshall Mathers LP 2, Kamikaze, Music to Be Murdered By, and The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce).
Slim Shady's influence on Eminem's career is significant. His shock-value content helped skyrocket the rapper to fame, but also attracted criticism and legal challenges, particularly due to songs like "'97 Bonnie and Clyde" and "Kim", where he addresses deeply personal and often disturbing subjects, such as family conflicts and imagined violence. Despite the controversy, the Slim Shady character is credited with much of Eminem's early success, but over time, the persona also contributed to the rapper's personal struggles, including substance abuse.
Another character is Ken Kaniff, a gay man who pokes fun at Eminem's songs. Ken was created and originally played by fellow Detroit rapper Aristotle on The Slim Shady LP, where Kaniff makes a prank call to Eminem. An argument after the album's release prompted Eminem to use the Kaniff character on The Marshall Mathers LP and later albums (except Encore and Recovery). Aristotle, angry with Eminem's use of his character, released a mixtape in his Kaniff persona ridiculing him.
Acting Career
After small roles in the 2001 film The Wash and as an extra in the 1998 Korn music video for "Got the Life" (during which he gave the band a demo tape), Eminem made his Hollywood debut in the semi-autobiographical 2002 film 8 Mile. He said it was a representation of growing up in Detroit rather than an account of his life. He recorded several new songs for the soundtrack, including "Lose Yourself" (which won an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2003 and became the longest-running No. 1 hip-hop single in history). Eminem was absent from the ceremony and co-composer Luis Resto accepted the award.
Eminem voiced an aging, corrupt, AAVE-speaking police officer in the video game 50 Cent: Bulletproof and guested on the Comedy Central television show Crank Yankers and a Web cartoon, The Slim Shady Show He was signed to star in an unmade film version of Have Gun – Will Travel, and was considered for the role of David Rice in the 2008 film Jumper. Eminem had a cameo appearance, arguing with Ray Romano, in the 2009 film Funny People. In a 2010 interview with Jonathan Ross, he stated "You know, I love music so much. This is my passion, this is what I want to do. Not saying that I won't do a movie ever again, but this is me."
He played himself in the Entourage season-seven finale "Lose Yourself" with Christina Aguilera. Although Eminem was offered the lead role in the 2013 science-fiction film Elysium, he turned it down because director Neill Blomkamp would not change its location from Los Angeles to Detroit. Eminem had a cameo appearance as himself in the 2014 film The Interview. During an interview with the main character, Dave Skylark (James Franco), Eminem satirically comes out as gay.
Books and memoirs
On November 21, 2000, Eminem published Angry Blonde, a non-fiction book featuring a commentary of several of his own songs, along with several previously unpublished photographs.
On October 21, 2008, his autobiography The Way I Am was published. The book was first published on October 21, 2008, by Dutton Adult. It is a collection of Eminem's personal stories, reflections, photographs, original artwork, and original lyric sheets from "Stan" and "The Real Slim Shady". It details his struggles with poverty, drugs, fame, heartbreak, family and depression, along with stories about his rise to fame and commentary on past controversies. The book is illustrated with never before published photos of Eminem's life. It also contains original drawings, previously unpublished lyric sheets, and other rare memorabilia. The autobiography is named after his 2000 song "The Way I Am".
An autobiography of Eminem's mother (My Son Marshall, My Son Eminem) was published the following month, in which Debbie Nelson describes her childhood and adolescence, meeting Eminem's father and her son's rise to (and struggles with) fame.
Discography:
Studio albums
- Infinite (1996)
- The Slim Shady LP (1999)
- The Marshall Mathers LP (2000)
- The Eminem Show (2002)
- Encore (2004)
- Relapse (2009)
- Recovery (2010)
- The Marshall Mathers LP 2 (2013)
- Revival (2017)
- Kamikaze (2018)
- Music to Be Murdered By (2020)
- The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce) (2024)
Collaborative albums
- Devil's Night (with D12) (2001)
- D12 World (with D12) (2004)
- Eminem Presents: The Re-Up (2006)
- Hell: The Sequel (with Bad Meets Evil) (2011)
- Shady XV (2014)
Greatest Hits albums
- Curtain Call: The Hits (2005)
- Curtain Call 2 (2022)
(2024) Eminem album houdini
Soundtrack albums
- 8 Mile (Music from and Inspired By the Motion Picture) (2002)
- Southpaw (Music from and inspired by the Motion Picture) (2014)
Reissued albums
- Relapse: Refill (2009)
- Music to Be Murdered By – Side B (2020)
Extended plays
- Slim Shady EP (1997)
Box sets
- The Singles (2004)
- The Vinyl LPs (2015)
- Eminem x Fortnite Radio (2023)
Remember Me?
Eminem Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Remember me? I have no remorse
Remember me? I'm high-powered
Remember me? I drop bombs like Hiroshima
For this one, they scream "X, you retarded?!"
'Cause I grab the mic and get down like syndrome
Hide and roam into the massesWithout boundaries, which qualifies me
For the term "universal" without no rehearsal
I leak words that's controversial
Like I'm not the one you wanna contest, see
'Cause I'll hit your ass like the train did that bitch
That got banned from TV, heavyweight getup
Hit you, watch your whole head split up
Loco is the motion, we comin' through
Hollow-tips is the lead the .45 threw
Remember me? Throw your guns in the air
Remember me? Slam, slam
Remember me? Nigga, back the fuck up
Remember me? Chka-chka-Onyx
Niggas that take no for an answer get told no
Yeah, I been told no, but it was more like "No! No! No!"
Life a bitch, met her, fuck you if you let her
Better come better than better to be a competitor
This vet is ahead of the shit, it's all redder, you deader and deader
A medic instead of the cheddars and credda
Settle vendetta with metal Beretta from ghetto to ghetto
Evidence, nope, never leave a shred of
I got the soul of every rapper in me, love me or hate me
My moms got raped by the industry and made me
I'm the illest nigga ever, I told youI get more pussy than them dyke bitches Total
Want beef, nigga? Pfft, you better dead that shit
My name should be Can't-Believe-That-Nigga-Said-That-Shit
Probably sayin' he ain't a killer, but I'm killin' myself
Smoke death, fuck bitches raw on the kitchen floor
So think what I'ma do to you, have done to you
Got niggas in my hood who'd do that shit for a blunt or two
What you wanna do? Cocksuckers, we Glock busters
'Til the cops cuff us, gon' start ruckus and drop blockbusters
Round the clock hustlers, you cannot touch us
I'm gettin' wires, niggas wantin' me dead
Wantin' my head, you think it could be somethin' I said?
Remember me? I just don't give a fuck
Remember me? Yeah, fuck you too
Remember me? I'm low down and I'm shifty
Remember me? I'm Shady
When I go out, I'ma go out shootin'
I don't mean when I die, I mean when I go out to the club, stupid
I'm tryin' to clean up my fuckin' image
So I promised the fuckin' critics
I wouldn't say "fuckin'" for six minutes
(Six minutes, Slim Shady, you're on)
My baby's mom, bitch made me an angry blonde
So I made me a song, killed her and put Hailie on
I may be wrong, I keep thinkin' these crazy thoughts
In my cranium, but I'm stuck with a crazy mom
(Is she really on as much dope as you say she's on?)
Came home and somebody must've broke in the back window
And stole two loaded machine guns and both of my trench coats
Six sick dreams of picnic scenes
Two kids, sixteen, with M-16s and ten clips each
And them shits reach through six kids each
And Slim gets blamed in Bill Clint's speech to fix these streets?!
Fuck that! Pfft, you faggots can vanish to volcanic ash
And reappear in hell with a can of gas and a match
Aftermath, Dre, grab the gat, show 'em where it's at
(What the fuck you starin' at, nigga?)
Don't you remember me?
Remember me?
Remember me?
Remember me? (Slim Shady!)
The lyrics to Eminem's song "Remember Me?", which features RBX and Sticky Fingaz, are intensely aggressive and somewhat disturbing. In the first verse, Eminem declares himself to be "high-powered" and capable of dropping "bombs like Hiroshima." He suggests that he is a controversial figure, leaking controversial words without rehearsal. The second verse features RBX and Sticky Fingaz, who continue the violent themes of the song. Sticky Fingaz even seems to suggest that he is willing to kill someone for a "blunt or two."
While the lyrics of "Remember Me?" might be seen as disturbing or overly violent, they are also thought to be an expression of Eminem's deep-seated anger and frustration. The song was released during a time when Eminem was at the height of his fame and constantly being criticized by the media and other musicians. Many people saw his lyrics as shocking and offensive, but others saw them as a reflection of the anger and disillusionment felt by many young people who were struggling to make it in a world that seemed increasingly violent and dangerous.
Line by Line Meaning
Remember me? Seven executions
Do you recall me? I've killed seven people
Remember me? I have no remorse
Do you remember me? I do not feel regret for what I've done
Remember me? I'm high-powered
Do you remember me? I have a lot of influence and power
Remember me? I drop bombs like Hiroshima
Do you remember me? I have a great impact and destroy everything in my path like the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima
For this one, they scream "X, you retarded?!"
For this song, people are excited and shout, "Did you do this, X? You're crazy!"
'Cause I grab the mic and get down like syndrome
Because I take hold of the microphone and perform in a way that is unusual, much like someone with Down Syndrome
Hide and roam into the masses
I blend into the crowd and roam amongst people
Without boundaries, which qualifies me
I have no limits or restrictions, which makes me standout
For the term "universal" without no rehearsal
I am deemed "universal," without any practice or preparation needed
I leak words that's controversial
I speak and reveal controversial opinions
Like I'm not the one you wanna contest, see
You do not want to challenge me
'Cause I'll hit your ass like the train did that bitch that got banned from TV, heavyweight getup
Just like the train that hit that woman in a video that was banned from TV, I will hit you hard with my powerful lyrics
Hit you, watch your whole head split up
I will strike you and watch your whole head break into pieces
Loco is the motion, we comin' through
Our actions are crazy and out of control as we make our entrance
Hollow-tips is the lead the .45 threw
The bullet in my gun is hollow-point, which is a more lethal projectile
Remember me? Throw your guns in the air
Do you remember me? Hold your guns up high
Remember me? Slam, slam
Do you remember me? Forcefully push back or attack
Remember me? Nigga, back the fuck up
Do you remember me? Step away, man, stop the aggressiveness
Remember me? Chka-chka-Onyx
Do you remember me? The sound of the guns being loaded
Niggas that take no for an answer get told no
People that accept rejection are more likely to be rejected
Yeah, I been told no, but it was more like "No! No! No!"
I have been told no many times, but it was more like a loud and emphatic refusal
Life a bitch, met her, fuck you if you let her
Life is challenging and can bring you down; I will disrespect anyone who lets life defeat them
Better come better than better to be a competitor
You need to come with your best to compete with me
This vet is ahead of the shit, it's all redder, you deader and deader
As a veteran in this field, I am ahead of the game and you are becoming more irrelevant and dead
A medic instead of the cheddars and credda
I should be in the medical field, helping people, instead of pursuing fame and money
Settle vendetta with metal Beretta from ghetto to ghetto
Solve disputes by using a gun and navigating various cities and neighborhoods
Evidence, nope, never leave a shred of
There will be no evidence left behind
I got the soul of every rapper in me, love me or hate me
I embody the essence of every rapper, whether you like or dislike me
My moms got raped by the industry and made me
My mother was exploited and mistreated by the entertainment industry, resulting in my existence
I'm the illest nigga ever, I told you
I am the best and most distinctive rapper, as I previously proclaimed
I get more pussy than them dyke bitches Total
I have more sexual encounters with women than even the lesbians in the group Total
Want beef, nigga? Pfft, you better dead that shit
You want to start something? Ha, you better stop it right there
My name should be Can't-Believe-That-Nigga-Said-That-Shit
I say things so crazy that my name should be disbelief in my lyrics
Probably sayin' he ain't a killer, but I'm killin' myself
People may say that I am not a killer, but I am actually destroying myself with my actions and lifestyle
Smoke death, fuck bitches raw on the kitchen floor
I smoke to the point of harm and have unprotected sex in a dirty area
So think what I'ma do to you, have done to you
Consider what I am capable of doing to you or have already done to others
Got niggas in my hood who'd do that shit for a blunt or two
I have people in my neighborhood who would commit harmful actions for very little reward
What you wanna do? Cocksuckers, we Glock busters
What do you want to do? Cowards, we are ready to shoot you with our guns
'Til the cops cuff us, gon' start ruckus and drop blockbusters
We will continue causing trouble and making hits until the police arrest us
Round the clock hustlers, you cannot touch us
We are always working and making money, and you cannot stop us
I'm gettin' wires, niggas wantin' me dead
I am receiving communication through secret channels, as people want to kill me
Wantin' my head, you think it could be somethin' I said?
People want to kill me, and I wonder if it's due to something I expressed in my songs
Remember me? I just don't give a fuck
Do you remember me? I genuinely do not care about anything
Remember me? Yeah, fuck you too
Do you remember me? Yeah, I don't like you either
Remember me? I'm low down and I'm shifty
Do you remember me? I am devious and sneaky
Remember me? I'm Shady
Do you remember me? I am a bad influence and a danger to society
When I go out, I'ma go out shootin'
When I go out, I will bring my guns and be prepared to use them
I don't mean when I die, I mean when I go out to the club, stupid
I do not mean when I die, I mean when I go out to nightclubs
I'm tryin' to clean up my fuckin' image
I am attempting to improve my public perception
So I promised the fuckin' critics
So I made a promise to the critics
I wouldn't say "fuckin'" for six minutes
I made a promise not to use the word "fuck" for six minutes
(Six minutes, Slim Shady, you're on)
(Six minutes, Slim Shady, you are ready to begin)
My baby's mom, bitch made me an angry blonde
My child's mother made me angry and upset
So I made me a song, killed her and put Hailie on
So I made a song about killing her and included my daughter's name in it
I may be wrong, I keep thinkin' these crazy thoughts
I may be incorrect, but I continue to have these bizarre ideas
In my cranium, but I'm stuck with a crazy mom
In my mind, but I cannot escape a mother who is insane
(Is she really on as much dope as you say she's on?)
(Is my mother truly using drugs to the extent I suggest?)
Came home and somebody must've broke in the back window
I arrived home and found out that someone had broken into my house
And stole two loaded machine guns and both of my trench coats
They stole two machine guns and both of my trench coats
Six sick dreams of picnic scenes
Six twisted fantasies about scenes of violence
Two kids, sixteen, with M-16s and ten clips each
Two teenagers, both with M-16s and ten rounds per clip
And them shits reach through six kids each
Their rounds can pierce through six kids each
And Slim gets blamed in Bill Clint's speech to fix these streets?!
And yet it's my fault, as Bill Clinton mentioned me in a speech attempting to fix societal problems?
Fuck that! Pfft, you faggots can vanish to volcanic ash
Forget that! You fools can completely disappear
And reappear in hell with a can of gas and a match
Show up in Hell with a can of gasoline and matches
Aftermath, Dre, grab the gat, show 'em where it's at
Aftermath label, Dr. Dre, grab the gun and remind people who is in charge
(What the fuck you starin' at, nigga?)
(What are you looking at, man?)
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Andre Young, Edwyn Collins, Kirk Jones, Marshall Mathers
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Noah
Remember me? S executions
Remember me? I have no remorse
Remember me? I'm high-powered
Remember me? I drop bombs like Hiroshima
For this one, they scream "X, you retarded?!"
'Cause I grab the mic and get down like syndrome
Hide and roam into the masses
Without boundaries, which qualifies me
For the term "universal" without no rehearsal
I leak words that's controversial
Like I'm not the one you wanna contest, see
'Cause I'll hit your ass like the train did that bitch
That got banned from TV, heavyweight getup
Hit you, watch your whole head split up
Loco is the motion, we comin' through
Hollow-tips is the lead the .45 threw
Remember me? Throw your guns in the air
Remember me? Slam, slam
Remember me? Nigga, back the fuck up
Remember me? Chka-chka-Onyx
Niggas that take no for an answer get told no
Yeah, I been told no, but it was more like "No! No! No!"
Life a bitch, met her, fuck you if you let her
Better come better than better to be a competitor
This vet is ahead of the shit, it's all redder, you deader and deader
A medic instead of the cheddars and credda
Settle vendetta with metal Beretta from ghetto to ghetto
Evidence, nope, never leave a shred of
I got the soul of every rapper in me, love me or hate me
My moms got raped by the industry and made me
I'm the illest nigga ever, I told you
I get more pussy than them dyke bitches Total
Want beef, nigga? Pfft, you better dead that shit
My name should be Can't-Believe-That-Nigga-Said-That-Shit
Probably sayin' he ain't a killer, but I'm killin' myself
Smoke death, fuck bitches raw on the kitchen floor
So think what I'ma do to you, have done to you
Got niggas in my hood who'd do that shit for a blunt or two
What you wanna do? Cocksuckers, we Glock busters
'Til the cops cuff us, gon' start ruckus and drop blockbusters
Round the clock hustlers, you cannot touch us
I'm gettin' wires, niggas wantin' me dead
Wantin' my head, you think it could be somethin' I said?
Remember me? I just don't give a fuck
Remember me? Yeah, fuck you too
Remember me? I'm low down and I'm shifty
Remember me? I'm Shady
When I go out, I'ma go out shootin'
I don't mean when I die, I mean when I go out to the club, stupid
I'm tryin' to clean up my fuckin' image
So I promised the fuckin' critics
I wouldn't say "fuckin'" for six minutes
(Six minutes, Slim Shady, you're on)
My baby's mom, bitch made me an angry blonde
So I made me a song, killed her and put Hailie on
I may be wrong, I keep thinkin' these crazy thoughts
In my cranium, but I'm stuck with a crazy mom
(Is she really on as much dope as you say she's on?)
Came home and somebody must've broke in the back window
And stole two loaded machine guns and both of my trench coats
Six sick dreams of picnic scenes
Two kids, sixteen, with M-16s and ten clips each
And them shits reach through six kids each
And Slim gets blamed in Bill Clint's speech to fix these streets?!
Fuck that! Pfft, you faggots can vanish to volcanic ash
And reappear in hell with a can of gas and a match
Aftermath, Dre, grab the gat, show 'em where it's at
(What the fuck you starin' at, nigga?)
Don't you remember me?
Remember me?
Remember me?
Remember me? (Slim Shady!)