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)
The Kiss
Eminem Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm gonna kill her
I'm going to fucking jail
'Cause I'm gonna kill this bitch
Yo man
What?
I don't know, I got a really, really bad feeling about this
Man, would you shut the fuck up Gary? You always got a bad feeling man
That's her car right there
Alright, let me park
Just park
I'm parkin'
Fuckin', turn the car off, dog
Aight
Alright, we wait
We wait for what?
We wait until she comes out and then I'm gonna fuckin' kill her
Man, you ain't gonna kill no one, what the fuck did you bring that for?
Man, shut the fuck up dog
Just shut up, fuckin' clip is empty
Man, don't point that shit at me
It's not even loaded, bitch, look
Dude, God I fucking hate when you do that shit
Yeah, but it's funny as fuck
Fuck around and kill me one of these days I swear
Gets you every time
Is that her?
Where?
Right there, motherfucker
Yeah
Alright get out, get out
Fuck, here we go again
Get out
What the fuck you want me to get under the car?
Yo, who's she walking with
How the fuck am I supposed to know, you told me to duck down
It's the fucking bouncer
Did she just kiss him?
I don't think so
Dog, she just fucking kissed him
No she didn't
She's kissing him, dog
No she's not
Oh shit
Come on
Marsh
The lyrics to Eminem's song "The Kiss" describe a violent and disturbing scenario where Eminem and his friend Gary are waiting in the car for someone to come out so that Eminem can kill them. Throughout the lyrics, Eminem's friend is hesitant and tries to talk him out of going through with the murder, but Eminem is determined to follow through with his plan. The tension builds as they wait for the person to come out, with moments of uncertainty as to whether or not they have identified the correct person. The final lines of the song reveal that the person they were waiting for was actually kissing a bouncer, leading to confusion and possibly an abandonment of their plan.
The lyrics to "The Kiss" offer a disturbing insight into Eminem's mindset and the prevailing themes of his music. The song touches on Eminem's history of violence and aggression, as well as his penchant for dark humor and shock value. Furthermore, the lyric's perspective on violence against women is extremely troubling, and it raises questions about the rapper's attitudes towards gender and sexuality.
Overall, the lyrics to "The Kiss" are an uncomfortable and uneasy listen. They offer bleak insights into Eminem's personal life and artistic sensibilities, highlighting his willingness to push boundaries and test the limits of what can be considered acceptable in music and art.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm gonna kill this bitch
I'm so angry at her that I want to take her life
I'm gonna kill her
I am resolved to put an end to this person's life
I'm going to fucking jail
I am aware that what I am planning to do is going to have serious consequences
'Cause I'm gonna kill this bitch
I am convinced that ending her life is the only solution to the current problem
I don't know, I got a really, really bad feeling about this
I have a sense of impending doom and fear that something is going to go wrong
Man, would you shut the fuck up Gary? You always got a bad feeling man
I dismiss Gary's concerns and chide him for always being negative
That's her car right there
We have located her vehicle
Alright, let me park
Let me find a spot to park the car
Just park
Park the car without drawing attention
I'm parkin'
I am in the process of parking the car
Fuckin', turn the car off, dog
Please turn off the engine, my friend
Alright, we wait
We need to be patient and wait for her to leave
We wait for what?
What exactly are we waiting for?
We wait until she comes out and then I'm gonna fuckin' kill her
We are waiting for her to exit the building so that I can carry out my plan and end her life
Man, you ain't gonna kill no one, what the fuck did you bring that for?
I doubt that you have the courage to go through with this violent act, why did you bring a weapon anyway?
Man, shut the fuck up dog Just shut up, fuckin' clip is empty
Stop talking and don't worry about the gun, the magazine is empty
Man, don't point that shit at me
Please do not aim the gun in my direction
It's not even loaded, bitch, look
The gun is not loaded, check for yourself
Dude, God I fucking hate when you do that shit
I despise when you mess around with weapons like that
Yeah, but it's funny as fuck
I find it hilarious
Fuck around and kill me one of these days I swear
Your carelessness with a gun is going to accidentally take someone's life someday
Is that her?
Do you see her?
Where?
Which direction should I be looking?
Right there, motherfucker
She is visible, look over there
Alright get out, get out
Exit the car immediately
Fuck, here we go again
I am frustrated that we have to deal with this situation once more
What the fuck you want me to get under the car?
What am I supposed to do, hide under the vehicle?
Yo, who's she walking with
Who is that person accompanying her?
How the fuck am I supposed to know, you told me to duck down
I have no idea, you told me to hide from view
It's the fucking bouncer
That person with her is the security guard from the bar/club
Did she just kiss him?
I think I saw her kissing him
I don't think so
I don't believe that's what I saw
Dog, she just fucking kissed him
I am certain that I witnessed her kissing that man
No she didn't
I'm sure she did not kiss him
Oh shit
I am reacting to the realization that the situation has taken an unexpected turn
Come on
Let's go, we need to leave now
Marsh
Eminem's alter ego, reminding himself that these are the dangerous situations he used to put himself in
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Jeffrey Irwin Bass, Marshall B. Mathers III
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@MASTERGRIEFS
Can't listen to this song without listening to the skit lmao
@Gofaqyaselves
fr i was looking for the full version for a solid 15 mins
@ludovico7801
Lol, same for me
@ChrisH9930
Facts
@sebastianrogue5071
X5
@tyrellbrown7593
fact
@scottlittle8050
Soldier aint the same without the skit
@thepistolguy859
This eminem best song right here gets me hyped
@VicThaGod7
Christopher Gibson9mm HIS BEST EVER!! (this & "Hailey's Song")
@Vernnan20
@@VicThaGod7 Till i colpase too