How Eminem’s Blend of Reality and Fiction Propelled Him to Stardom: Controversy Sells

Will Drebitko

AADS2204.01 Music and Social Justice

Shannon Jacob Dorman

Introduction

To understand Eminem, one must understand his three identities, how they interact, and

how they complement each other. Marshall Mathers/Eminem/Slim Shady is one of the most

iconic figures in the history of hip-hop because of the controversy that surrounded him. In his

music, he drew on his early experiences to present emotional truths, like being bullied on Brain

Damage1; and gruesome exaggerations, like the death of his ex-wife in Kim2. His intricate

rhymes and flows were often simultaneously violent, homophobic, and steeped in reality,

deeming it difficult to distinguish between fact and fiction: Which thoughts were Eminem’s?

Which were Shady’s? This rendered Eminem very controversial, but he leveraged the negativity

directed at him as an inspiration for more music. It helped that Eminem had a special talent for

lyricism, considered by many the best wordsmith ever. Thanks to his ambiguity, retaliative spirit,

and sheer talent, Eminem was able to walk the tightrope between controversial, intriguing, and

respected, paving the way for other artists to do the same.

“Slim” - Sparking Controversy

The story of Eminem would not be possible without the introduction of Slim Shady, his

evil counterpart. In 1991, Eminem’s close friend and fellow rapper, Proof, proposed they start a

rap collective called D123. The group was composed of 6 members, so in order to justify the

“12” in their name, they each created an alter-ego. Eminem came up with Slim last, but it proved

to be worth the wait4. Slim Shady became a way for Eminem to vent his frustrations while

1
"Eminem – Brain Damage Lyrics - Genius." https://genius.com/Eminem-brain-damage-lyrics. Accessed
14 Oct. 2023.
2
"Eminem – Kim Lyrics - Genius." https://genius.com/Eminem-kim-lyrics. Accessed 14 Oct. 2023.
3
"D12 | Shady Records." https://www.shadyrecords.com/artist/d12-2/. Accessed 14 Oct. 2023.
4
"Who is the REAL Slim Shady? | Eminem's Alter Ego Explained." 30 Nov. 2021,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g12qL-dXzq8. Accessed 14 Oct. 2023.
separating himself from them. Slim also allowed him to unlock new intonations and rhyme

schemes with violent undertones.

Eminem’s breakout album, 1999’s The Slim Shady LP, was almost exclusively spoken

from the point of view of Shady. In As the World Turns, he spoke as a rapist and sexist; In 97

Bonnie and Clyde, he talked about killing his wife and disposing of her in the ocean; In My

Name Is, he encouraged kids to be vulgar5. To some extent, Slim Shady became so violent

because Eminem didn’t know he was going to become famous, so he didn’t care about how the

public perceived him6.

To his surprise, Slim Shady was the reason Eminem became famous, and the LP was

certified triple platinum by the end of the year7. Although some people were horrified by the

content of Eminem’s raps, others could relate to his subliminal messages. Take As The World

Turns, which at first listen seems to be promoting rape, murder, and bullying. What it actually

does is show us an example of how bad circumstances can cause someone to fall into these

patterns and change for the worse. His stories also resonated with lower-class America, because

he often spoke about his tragic upbringing. On Brain Damage, he raps “[My mom] beat me over

the head with the remote control…Opened a hole and my whole brain fell out of my skull.” The

song ends with “I said fuck it, took it and stuck it back up in my head…Then I sewed it shut and

put a couple of screws in my neck.” Eminem alludes to child abuse and then preaches resilience

by showing Shady getting back up despite his repeated beatdowns throughout the song1.

5
"Eminem - The Slim Shady LP Lyrics and Tracklist - Genius." 23 Feb. 1999,
https://genius.com/albums/Eminem/The-slim-shady-lp. Accessed 14 Oct. 2023.
6
"Eminem explains his song "Stan" - YouTube." 7 Apr. 2013,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2R6yvdKPqA. Accessed 14 Oct. 2023.
7
"Eminem - Wikipedia." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eminem. Accessed 14 Oct. 2023.
“Em” - Rebutting Controversy

With his newfound success came obsessive fans and critics alike. It was Eminem’s ability

to respond to and draw from these fans and critics that made his later music so brilliant.

In a 2000 interview, Eminem remarked that some people take his lyrics too literally, so he was

inspired to write a song to explain to them not to6. This idea became Stan, one of his biggest hits,

and one of the best songs ever written8.

The song begins with a fan (Stan) writing a letter addressed “Dear Slim.” Immediately,

we can see his confusion–he believes Slim Shady and Eminem are the same person. This is

further confirmed by the fact that Stan writes “If I have a daughter… I'ma name her Bonnie”

followed by “I read about your Uncle Ronnie too, I'm sorry.” Bonnie is Shady’s fictional

daughter from 97 Bonnie and Clyde, while Ronnie is Eminem’s real uncle who committed

suicide over a breakup9.

In the next verse, Stan says, “See, I'm just like you in a way: I never knew my father

neither–He used to always cheat on my mom and beat her–I can relate to what you're sayin' in

your songs–So when I have a shitty day, I drift away and put 'em on.” This section touches on

how much of an influence Eminem has. Stan idolizes him, but this bar makes it seem healthy.

This is how an artist like Eminem would want their fans to interact with their music: a source of

healing.

But that image is quickly broken down when Stan elaborates, “Sometimes I even cut

myself to see how much it bleeds.” This refers to the many mentions of cutting oneself or others

that Eminem makes in his songs. Here we see that Stan’s relationship with Em is the opposite of

8
"The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time - Rolling Stone." 15 Sep. 2021,
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-songs-of-all-time-1224767/jimi-hendrix-purple-haze-2
-1225088. Accessed 14 Oct. 2023.
9
"Ronnie Polkingharn: Uncle whose death scarred Eminem." https://celebcritics.com/ronnie-polkingharn/.
Accessed 14 Oct. 2023.
healing and borders on idolatry. He is unable to distinguish fact from fiction, believing

“everything [Em says] is real.” This misinterpretation ultimately leads to the death of Stan, as he

goes crazy and drives himself and his girlfriend off of a bridge.

Eminem responds to Stan in the last verse, reminding him that he does not always tell the

truth in his lyrics: “I say that shit just clownin', dawg, come on, how fucked up is you?” Eminem

makes the argument that perhaps if you believe what he is saying, you are the “fucked up” one,

not him. This message is not just addressed at Stan but at all overzealous fans and critics alike:

He wants people to have an emotional connection to his music, but they shouldn’t take it

literally10.

In Without Me, released in 2002 album The Eminem Show, Em elaborates on his

argument from Stan. He says “I've created a monster - 'Cause nobody wants to see Marshall no

more, they want Shady, I'm chopped liver.” Here, he references the fact that his rise to fame was

due to The Slim Shady LP, and the subsequent appearances of Shady in his music11. His songs

with Slim Shady in them are more popular, so evidently he will keep making more–In fact, later

he tries to kill Slim in his 2005 song When I’m Gone (“find a gun on the ground, cock it–Put it to

my brain, scream, "Die, Shady!" and pop it”), but realizes he can’t, because Shady has become

such a large part of him12.

He then comments on his popularity, attributing it to his race saying “I am the worst thing

since Elvis Presley - To do Black music so selfishly - And use it to get myself wealthy.” Just like

Elvis infiltrated a primarily black Rock n’ Roll to become the star of that genre, Eminem did the

same with Hip-Hop, becoming the best-selling artist of the 2000s7. In White America, he explains

10
"Eminem – Stan Lyrics - Genius." https://genius.com/Eminem-stan-lyrics. Accessed 14 Oct. 2023.
11
"Eminem – Without Me Lyrics - Genius." https://genius.com/Eminem-without-me-lyrics. Accessed 14
Oct. 2023.
12
"Eminem – When I'm Gone Lyrics - Genius." https://genius.com/Eminem-when-im-gone-lyrics.
Accessed 14 Oct. 2023.
that “If I were black, I would’ve sold half.” Not only does he criticize himself to mock critics'

disapproval of him, but he also criticizes society for allowing him to become more famous than

black rappers despite his controversial lyrics. In writing this in song, he is actively “[getting

himself even more] wealthy,” a genius deflection of negativity that he utilizes time and time

again13.

“Marshall” - Human Controversy

But who is Eminem really? By enclosing a persona within a stage name, Marshall

Mathers is able to mask his real identity. Growing up, he was not the antagonist Shady portrays

him to be. As he touched on in Without Me and White America, one of his biggest difficulties

was gaining traction as a white artist in a predominantly black field. In a genre of music where

the more authentic the hardships you face usually correlates to your success, Eminem wasn’t

taken seriously, because his skin color indicated he was more privileged than he portrayed

himself to be. Although it is true that “poor blacks have always held a smaller share of their

race’s income than have poor whites” (313 Werner), Eminem was an exception, having grown up

in a predominately black neighborhood14. Regardless, it is fair to say that the black community

was still weary of white artists like Elvis Presley, who they perceived as “the incarnation of

white oppression” (263). So, Eminem had to rely on sheer talent, and it just so happened that the

catchphrase of his era, as coined by President Clinton, was “If you work hard and play by the

rules you should be given a chance to go as far as your God-given ability will take you,” no

matter your background (310). Marshall did just that, as his God-given ability was nothing short

13
"Eminem – White America Lyrics - Genius." 28 Feb. 2018,
https://genius.com/Eminem-white-america-lyrics. Accessed 14 Oct. 2023.
14
"A Change Is Gonna Come: Music, Race & the Soul of America." Craig Werner. Accessed 14 Oct.
2023.
of exceptional. Eventually, like “Elvis created a music that was profoundly subversive of the

racial divisions still legally enforced during his youth,” Eminem was able to evolve his genre

into something multi-racial, making way for collaboration and acceptance unheard of before his

era (264).

His actions also often directly contradicted his raps. At the 2001 Grammys, Mathers

performed Stan, with Elton John taking the part of Dido in the chorus. Elton John is the only

person to have had a top 10 single in each of the last 6 decades, and he is a prominent LGBTQ+

advocate15. By uniting on one of music’s biggest stages, they were able to clarify Mathers’

indifference to John’s sexual orientation. In fact, Mathers has openly supported gay marriage

stating “I think if two people love each other, then what the hell”16? In 2002, Mathers founded

the Marshall Mathers Foundation with the goal of “providing assistance to disadvantaged and

at-risk youth” in the Detroit, Michigan area17. Through this foundation, Mathers supports

organizations that are personal to him, like Families Against Narcotics, Gleaners Community

Food Bank, and Common House. He also started the Verses Program at Michigan State

University’s Community Music School, which “teaches the fundamentals of literacy through

song and lyrics”18.

15
"Elton John becomes first solo artist with UK Top 10 singles in six ...." 13 Oct. 2021,
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/oct/13/elton-john-first-artist-uk-top-10-singles-six-decades.
Accessed 14 Oct. 2023.
16
"Eminem speaks out in favour of gay marriage - The Guardian." 18 Jun. 2010,
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2010/jun/18/eminem-gay-marriage. Accessed 14 Oct. 2023.
17
"MARSHALL MATHERS FOUNDATION - Eminem." 21 May. 2020,
https://www.eminem.com/news/marshall-mathers-foundation/. Accessed 14 Oct. 2023.
18
"Eminem | Inside Philanthropy." https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/glitzy-giving/eminem.html.
Accessed 14 Oct. 2023.
Conclusion

This trifecta of personalities allowed Eminem to maximize his expression, catalyzing his

rise to becoming one of the greatest rappers of all time. Eminem’s trajectory is as relevant now as

it was in the 1990s, and he serves as a case study for one of the many ways to “make it” in

today’s ever-evolving music business. Take Lil Mabu/Mattew Peter Deluca, an emerging NYC

drill artist who recently made his debut on the Billboard Hot 10019. Like many rappers, Mabu is

known for his use of violent or illegal imagery. In his song No Snitching, he touches on robbery,

speeding, drugs, and murder20. What sets him apart, however, is that his real-life directly

contradicts his written stories. He is a high-achieving, recent high school graduate who chose to

pursue a college education rather than focusing on music full-time like most other artists with his

level of success21. What's more, in his most popular song to date, Mathematical Disrespect, he

refutes the critics while making fun of himself by saying “I cap in my raps I’m an innocent

tweep, keep a teddybear when I sleep,” almost exactly how Eminem deals with criticism22. Just

like Eminem’s power is “the perspective to explain the poor behavior of his other personalities,”

Deluca’s “vulgar driller” and “relatable student” personas culminate in Mabu, the clever

contrarian23. Eminem’s existence revolutionized hip-hop–but by breaking down cultural stigmas,

he ultimately facilitated the evolution of an entire industry and redefined the meaning of

self-expression.

19
"Lil Mabu Debuts on Hot 100 With 'Mathematical Disrespect' - Billboard." 16 May. 2023,
https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/lil-mabu-hot-100-debut-mathematical-disrespect-1235330364/
. Accessed 14 Oct. 2023.
20
"Lil Mabu – NO SNITCHING Lyrics - Genius." 30 Jun. 2022,
https://genius.com/Lil-mabu-no-snitching-lyrics. Accessed 14 Oct. 2023.
21
"Lil Mabu - Wikipedia." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lil_Mabu. Accessed 14 Oct. 2023.
22
"Lil Mabu – MATHEMATICAL DISRESPECT Lyrics - Genius." 4 May. 2023,
https://genius.com/Lil-mabu-mathematical-disrespect-lyrics. Accessed 14 Oct. 2023.
23
"Shady Agonistes: Eminem, Abjection, and Masculine Protest - jstor."
https://www.jstor.org/stable/23414941. Accessed 14 Oct. 2023.
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