EminemBirth name: Marshall Bruce Mathers IIIBirth date: October 17, 1973Birthplace: Kansas CityRaised In: Detroit, MichiganZodiac sign: LibraSchool: Lincoln Highschool 1986-89Height: 5'9"Music Influences: LL Cool J, Ice-T, NWA, Run DMCThe average rapper wouldn't be able to grace the pages of Rap Pages, VIBE, Rolling Stone, Spin, The Source, URB and Stress and go on a national tour months before their major-label debut album is released. Then again, Eminem isn't an average rapper. He's phenomenal.The impending release of the The Slim Shady LP, his first set on Aftermath/Interscope Records, already has underground hip-hop heads fiending for Eminem. Chock full of dazzling lyrical escapades that delve into the mind of a violently warped and vulgar yet extremely talented wordsmith, the 14-cut collection contains some of the most memorable and demented lyrics ever recorded.For Eminem, his potentially controversial and undoubtedly offensive songs will strike a chord with a multitude of hip-hop loyalists who believe they have little to lose and everything to gain."I'm not alone in feeling the way I feel," he says. "I believe that a lot of people can relate to my sh*t--whether white, black, it doesn't matter. Everybody has been through some sh*t, whether it's drastic or not so drastic. Everybody gets to the point of 'I don't give a f**k.'"Those words are more than just a slogan for the Detroit resident. "I Just Don't Give A f**k" and "Brain Damage" are the two songs comprising Eminem's initial single from The Slim Shady LP. Each tune is sure to paralyze meek listeners with their relentless lyrical assault. Produced primarily by long-time collaborators FBT Productions, the Slim Shady LP also features beatwork from Aftermath CEO Dr. Dre. The N.W.A. alum handled beats for "My Name Is" (the second single), "Guilty Conscience" and "Role Model."Dr. Dre was so impressed after hearing Eminem freestyling on a Los Angeles radio station that he put out a manhunt for the Michigan rhymer. Shortly thereafter, Dre signed Eminem to his Aftermath imprint and the two began working together. Thoroughly impressed with Eminem's previously released independent Slim Shady EP, Dre said they would include many of the EP's tracks on the album."It was an honor to hear the words out of Dre's mouth that he liked my sh*t," Eminem says. "Growing up, I was one of the biggest fans of N.W.A, from putting on the sunglasses and looking in the mirror and lipsinking to wanting to be Dr. Dre, to be Ice Cube. This is the biggest hip-hop producer ever."But like many other rappers, Eminem's rise to stardom was far from easy. After being born in Kansas City and traveling back and forth between KC and the Detroit metropolitan area, Eminem and his mother moved into the Eastside of Detroit when he was 12. Switching schools every two to three months made it difficult to make friends, graduate and to stay out of trouble.Rap, however, became Eminem's solace. Battling schoolmates in the lunchroom brought joy to what was otherwise a painful existence. Although he would later drop out of school and land several minimum-wage-paying, full-time jobs, his musical focus remained constant.

Eminem released his debut album, Infinite, in 1996. Desperate to be embraced by the Motor City's hip-hop scene, Eminem rapped in such a manner that he was accused of sounding like Nas and AZ."Infinite was me trying to figure out how I wanted my rap style to be, how I wanted to sound on the mic and present myself," he recalls. "It was a growing stage. I felt like Infinite was like a demo that just got pressed up."After being thoroughly disappointed and hurt by the response Infinite received, Eminem began working on what would later become the Slim Shady EP -- a project he made for himself. Featuring several scathing lines about local music industry personalities as well as devious rants about life in general, the set quickly caught the ear of hip-hop's difficult-to-please underground."I had nothing to lose, but something to gain," Eminem says of that point in his life. "If I made an album for me and it was to my satisfaction, then I succeeded. If I didn't, then my producers were going to give up on the whole rap thing we were doing. I made some sh*t that I wanted to hear. The Slim Shady EP, I lashed out on everybody who talked sh*t about me."By presenting himself as himself, Eminem and his career took off. Soon after giving the Rap Coalition's Wendy Day a copy of the Infinite album at a chance meeting, she helped the aspiring lyrical gymnast secure a spot at the Coalition’s 1997 Rap Olympics in Los Angeles, where he won second place in the freestyle competition. During the trip, Eminem and his manager, Paul Rosenberg, gave a few people from Interscope Records his demo and he made his major radio debut on the world famous Wake Up Show with Sway and Tech. Realizing that this was the opportunity of his lifetime, Eminem delivered a furious medley of lyrics that wowed his hosts and radio audience alike."I felt like it's my time to shine," Eminem says of that performance. "I have to rip this. At that time, I felt that it was a life or death situation."Eminem would soon record the underground classic "5 Star Generals." This record helped establish him in Japan, New York and Los Angeles. It also helped him earn a spot on the inaugural Lyricist Lounge tour, which took him to stages from Philadelphia to Los Angeles.Set to take the hip-hop world by storm with his unique lyrical approach and punishing production, Eminem and his The Slim Shady LP are sure to have listeners captivated."I do say things that I think will shock people," he says. "But I don't do things to shock people. I'm not trying to be the next Tupac, but I don't know how long I'm going to be on this planet. So while I'm here, I might as well make the most of it."

DISCOGRAPHY(Released Nov. 12, 2004)01. Curtains Up02. Evil Deeds 03. Never Enough04. Yellow Brick Road05. Like Toy Soldiers06. Mosh07. Puke08. My 1st Single09. Paul (Skit)10. Rain Man11. Big Weenie12. Em Calls Paul (Skit)13. Just Lose It14. Ass Like That15. Spend Some Time 16. Mockingbird17. Crazy In Love18. One Shot 2 Shot19. Final Thought (Skit)20. Encore / Curtains Down

(D12 WORLDReleased April 26, 2004)01. Git Up02. Loyalty03. Just Like U04. I'll Be Damned05. Dude (skit)06. My Band07. U R The One08. In The Morning09. How Come10. Leave Dat Boy11. Get My Gun12. Bizarre (skit)13. Bitch14. Steve's Coffee House (skit)15. D12 World16. 40 Oz17. Commercial Break18. American Psycho19. Bugz 97 (skit)20. Good Die Young21. Keep Talkin'

(8 MILE SDTKReleased Oct. 29, 2002)01. Lose Yourself02. Love Me03. 8 Mile04. Adrenaline Rush05. Places to Go06. Rap Game07. 8 Miles and Running08. Spitshine09. Time of Your Life10. You Wanna Be Me11. Wanksta12. Wasting My Time13. R.A.K.I.M.14. That's My Nigga Fo' Real15. Battle16. Run Rabbit Run

(THE EMINEM SHOWReleased May 26, 2002 )01. Curtains Up (skit)02. White America03. Business04. Cleanin' Out My Closet05. Square Dance06. The Kiss (skit)07. Soldier08. Say Goodbye Hollywood09. Drips10. Without Me11. Paul Rosenberg (skit)12. Sing For the Moment13. Superman14. Hailie's Song15. Steve Berman (skit)16. When the Music Stops17. Say What You Say18. Till I Collapse19. My Dad's Gone Crazy20. Curtains Close (skit)

(DEVIL'S NIGHTReleased June 26, 2001)01. Another PSA (skit)02. Shit Can Happen03. Pistol, Pistol04. Bizarre (skit)05. Nasty Mind06. Ain't Nuttin But Music07. American Psycho08. That's How (skit)09. That's How10. Purple Pills11. Fight Music12. Instigator13. Pimp Like Me14. Blow My Buzz15. Obie Trice (skit)16. Devil's Night17. Steve Berman (skit)18. Revelation19. Girls

(MARSHALL MATHERS LPReleased May 23, 2000)01. PSA 2000 (skit)02. Kill You03. Stan04. Paul (skit)05. Who Knew06. Steve Berman (skit)07. The Way I Am08. The Real Slim Shady09. Remember Me10. I'm Back11. Marshall Mathers12. Ken Kaniff (skit)13. Drug Ballad14. Amityville15. Bitch Please II16. Kim17. Under The Influence18. Criminal

(SLIM SHADY LPReleased Feb. 23, 1999)01. Public Service Announcement (skit)02. My Name Is03. Guilty Conscience04. Brain Damage05. Paul 06. If I Had07. '97 Bonnie & Clyde08. Bitch09. Role Model10. Lounge (skit)11. My Fault12. Ken Kaniff (skit)13. Cum On Everybody14. Rock Bottom15. Just Don't Give A Fuck16. Soap (skit)17. As the World Turns18. I'm Shady19. Bad Meets Evil20. Still Don't Give a Fuck

(SLIM SHADY EPReleased 1998)01. Slim Shady Intro02. Low, Down, Dirty03. If I Had...04. I Just Don't Give A Fuck05. Mommy06. Just The Two Of Us07. No One's Iller08. Murder Murder09. If I Had...10. Just Don't Give A Fuck

(INFINITEReleased 1996)01. Infinite02. W.E.G.O (interlude)03. It's OK feat. Eye-Kyu04. 313 feat. Eye-Kyu05. Tonite06. Maxine feat. Denaun Porter07. Open Mic feat. Thyme08. Never 2 Far09. Searchin' feat. Denaun Porter10. Backstabber11. Jealousy Woes II

DA HIP HOP WITCH (2000) Several well known hip hop artists go public disclosing their personal accounts with the "Black Witch in the Projects". None of the artists an fully explain the reason behind the attacks but all appear to be shaken by the experience. Meanwhile, five bored white kids from Framingham, Ma. take a joy ride to New York City to capture the witch and collect the reward money but end up lost and scattered in The Big Apple

HITZ & DISSES (2000) Motor Town Detroit is where he comes from and he's never left his roots. This is bad boy rapper Marshall Mathers' unauthorized biography. Told with never before seen clips, interviews, and performance footage of Eminem at the mic, this program attempts to paint a complete picture of the popular and rightfully controversial music star.

THE UP IN SMOKE TOUR (2000) The smoke hasn't settled yet, but there can be no doubt that this summer's 'Up In Smoke' tour had the biggest fire of any touring music show. This Hip Hop All-Stars show features Dr. Dre, Snoop Doggy Dogg, Eminem, Ice Cube and other special guests in a program offering many surprises, from onstage to backstage to scenes from the road shot by the artists themselves on home video cameras.

E (2000) Controversial Detroit rapper Eminem has rhymed about a wide range of offensive topics - from being stalked by a fan to killing his wife. Still, his charismatic personality, witty lyrics, and infectious beats have made him a supremely popular hip hop star. E features several of the director's cut music videos for his hit songs, including "The Way I Am," "The Real Slim Shady," and "My Name Is." In addition, the long form video of "Stan," Eminem's creepy dramatization of an obsessive fan gone of the deep end.

RESTLESS XPOSED (2001) Restless Xposed, featuring West Coast rapper Xzibit, is a scrapbook-style look at his tour in support of 2000's platinum-selling Restless. The program features performance, video, and interview clips plus a glimpse of the backstage antics involving friends and associates like Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Fred Durst, Kid Rock, and Dr. Dre. Highlights include a duet between Xzibit and Eminem on "Don't Approach Me" and a look at the making of the video for "X".

SLIM SHADY SHOW (2001) A take-off on the "character" that is rap star Eminem's alter ego, this animated spoof is hilariously saucy. The Slim Shady Show follows the antics of the tough-talking, trouble making homeboy with a talent for rhymes and a love of ladies! He is joined in his misadventures by his Aunt Sue, his best friend Marshall, and several other wacky cohorts. Plus, see behind the scenes footage from concert tours, interviews, and music videos from the zany world of Slim Shady.

BEHIND THE MASK (2001) This unauthorized biography chronicles the controversial, tumultuous career of rap star Eminem. The phenomenal career of the Detroit bad boy is explored through interviews with rock stars Bono, Dido, and Courtney Love, as well as family members, friends, and acquaintances. In addition, an illuminating interview with Slim Shady himself is included

ALL ACCESS EUROPE (2002) One of the most acclaimed an infamous rappers in America, Eminem lit out for a tour of Europe after the whirlwind success of his album The Marshall Mathers LP, and a camera crew tagged along to capture the action onstage and off. Eminem: All Access Europe features footage of Slim Shady himself in concert (including appearances by special guests Xzibit, Dido, and Marylin Manson), as well as Eminem and his crew relaxing in Hamburg, Oslo, Paris, London, and other European cities. Selections include 'Stan', 'Way I Am', 'Bitch Please II', and more.

8 MILE (2002) 8-Mile, a fictional feature film from Univeral Pictures and Brian Grazer, marks the debut of multi-platinum recording artist Eminem in the leading role of a motion picture. 8-Mile is a provocative examination of a critical month in young man's life as he searches for identity and a sense of purpose. Against a backdrop of familial indifference and community decay, he lears to express his anger, fears and frustrations as he stuggles to transcend his bleak circumstances. Curtis Hanson directs from an original screenplay by Scott Silver. The Cast members include Eminem, Kim Basinger, Brittany Murphy, Mekki Phifer, Eugene Byrd, and Taryn Manning.