To celebrate CelebMix’s fifth anniversary, we have taken a closer look at some of our favourite celebrities, and the different aspects that we love about them.
For this article, we have decided to share with you five reasons why we love Eminem so much!
1. His awesome rap skills
There’s no denying how critically acclaimed Eminem is as a musician. We think he’s up there as one of the most versatile, divisive and talented rappers to come out of the hip hop scene.
His incredible flow is evident in many songs, and there is no denying how FAST he can be at times. His supersonic speed (no pun intended) was first noted in his single “Rap God” (2013), where he delivered 101 words in a whopping 16.45 seconds halfway through the song – and he later topped that in the final verse in his recent offering, “Godzilla” (2020).
And it’s not just his ability to rap – but his lyrics are epic too. Throughout his songs, he has spoken about his struggles, discussed controversial topics and told stories – which are brought to life by imagery and metaphors. There’s a reason why so many call him a poet!
2. His love for his daughters
Eminem may seem like such an angry person on his records, but he’s proven time and time again how much of a family man he can be. He has one biological daughter, Hailie Jade Scott (born 25 December 1995), and two adopted daughters: Alania Marie Mathers (born 23 May 1993) and Whitney Scott Mathers (born 16 April 2002).
Eminem has shown his love and devotion to Hailie, as well as Alania and Whitney, several times throughout his career, on tracks such as “Hailie’s Song” (2002), “Mockingbird” (2004), “When I’m Gone” (2005) and “Castle” (2017).
In a recent interview, Eminem also admitted how “proud” he was of Hailie, who is a graduate from Michigan State University.
3. How he’s overcome his past struggles
Eminem has not had it easy over the years. He had a difficult upbringing: his father left him shortly after birth, and he and his mother, Debbie Mathers, would constantly move house, eventually settling in one of the poorest neighbourhoods of Detroit. He was also frequently bullied in school, and one nasty encounter left him in a coma at the age of nine.
Following the release of his fifth studio album, “Encore” (2004), Eminem experienced drug addiction amid a series of personal struggles. In 2006, he remarried ex-wife Kimberly Scott, only to divorce her several months later. In April that year, his best friend, DeShaun “Proof” Holton, was shot and killed. He also experienced a period of writers’ block, struggling to come up with fresh ideas for his music. His drug abuse culminated with a near-fatal overdose in late 2007.
However, he we have to applaud Eminem for fighting his demons, and for coming back stronger than ever, despite all the hardships he has faced along the way. 2020 marks Eminem’s 12th year of sobriety from drugs and alcohol, and he has continued to experience success and acclaim following his struggles.
4. He’s outspoken
Eminem is no stranger to rapping a controversial lyric or two. His lyrics have been accused of being violent, misogynistic and homophobic. However, we have to remember that these are just song lyrics, and most of the time he has rapped about violence in his songs, it’s usually just fictional scenarios. However, we love how he says it how it is and does not care what others have to say about him. That’s what makes him so raw.
It’s not just his lyrics – but also, his political views. Eminem has been very open about his views on the state of the world, and in particular, US politics. He showed his disapproval towards President George Bush in the early and mid 2000s, with tracks such as “White America” (2002), “Square Dance” (2002) and “Mosh” (2004). In “Mosh”, he urges voters to take a stand against Bush and not vote for him in the 2004 US presidential election, and also expresses his disapproval at the Iraq War.
More recently, Eminem has spoken about his great dislike of the current US president, Donald Trump. He notably launched a scathing attack against Trump on his freestyle, “The Storm” at the 2017 BET Hip Hop Awards, and again on the song “Like Home” (featuring Alicia Keys) from his ninth studio album, “Revival” (2017).
5. He’s a very charitable person
Although Eminem does not often show it, he has done so much for charities and other similar organisations. He has his own organisation, The Marshall Mathers Foundation, which helps to give aid to disadvantaged youth in Detroit and surrounding areas.
As well as his foundation, Eminem has also given his support to other organisations such as the Elton John AIDS Foundation and youth programmes in Detroit.
Recently, Eminem donated pots of spaghetti – named “Mom’s Spaghetti” after the iconic line in his hit “Lose Yourself” (2002) – to frontline workers at the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
What do you love the most about Eminem? Let us know over on Twitter @CelebMix!