kept him out of sight for a few years Marshall Mathers LP 2—that is, WHY following the release of 2004’s En- until October, when “The Storm,” When Eminem made core, but by 2008 he was back in his takedown of Donald Trump, his MTV debut in 1999 with “My the studio, ready to confront his de- was shown at the BET Hip-Hop Name Is,” it seemed as if the en- mons. His work on Relapse (2009) Awards and immediately went vi- tire country stopped to listen. The and, to a greater degree on Recovery ral. At a time when pop musicians man who referred to himself as (2010), revealed an enlightened, have struggled to make protest mu- 2018 Slim Shady was different, special. more mature artist able to scrutinize sic that resonates on a mass scale. It wasn’t just that he was a white his own shortcomings—to break Eminem’s blistering middle finger rapper, though that was part of it. “out of this cage” as he raps on that to the current administration broke

It was that he burst onto the scene album’s lead single, “Not Afraid.” through loud and clear. Just as we STEEZEDOGG MAGAZINE - 77 with a critical endorse- did all those years ago, the coun- WILL ment from his mentor, try once again stopped to listen. Dr. Dre. It was that his close-cropped, platinum hair felt as defiant as his BE smart-ass swagger. It Now 45, Eminem is was, most importantly, preparing to release his ninth that the man could spit. studio album, Revival. Before The Slim Shady LP, the that, he spoke on the phone album on which that from his studio in Detroit with song appeared, was a his longtime friend and out- HIS critical and commercial spoken supporter Elton John. smash, and went on to win a Grammy Award.

ELTON JOHN: Hi, Mar- BEST shall. As Eminem’s popularity grew in the EMINEM: How are you early 2000s, he devel- doing, cunt? oped a reputation for YEAR lampooning the arche- JOHN: I’m very well, you old type of the modern pop bastard. Are you in Detroit? star: his lyrics went after everyone from Chris- EMINEM: [laughs] Yeah. tina Aguilera to Moby, YET and he drew a particu- JOHN: You must be pretty larly grotesque portrait excited to have a new album of an obsessive fan in his coming out. Tell me about it. hit 2000 song “Stan.” Two years later, he put EMINEM: I’ve been working his flair for the dramat- on it for over a year. You know ic to good use in the how it is—you make songs, and semi-autobiographical as you make the new ones, the film 8 Mile. Directed old ones get old and you throw by Curtis Hanson, the them out. The album is called fictionalized version of the rap- “KNOCK KNOCK, Revival. It’s a reflection of where per’s beginnings in working-class I’m at right now, but also I feel like Detroit had a hugely successful what I tried to do was diversify. I’ve opening, and the soundtrack sin- LET THE DEVIL IN...”tried to make a little something for gle “Lose Yourself ” won the Acad- everyone. By Miranda Davenport emy Award for Original Song, making Eminem the first hip- - Eminem JOHN: You’re very good on col- hop artist to take home an Oscar. laborations. We first met through the Grammys, when you asked me HIS to do “Stan.” It was an amazing Although he continues event for me that I’ll never forget. Perhaps even more remark- to run Shady Records, which he able than his public antics is his co-founded 18 years ago with his EMINEM: I’ll never forget it willingness to disappear from the manager, Paul Rosenberg, Eminem either—and I was on drugs. spotlight altogether. His battles has been keeping a low profile since BIG with depression and drug addiction the release of his 2013 album, The COMEBACK PHOTO -- Eminem, the “RAP GOD” is back with a new album. PHOTO -- Eminem has been considered the “RAP DEVIL” since 1999