Eminem Research Paper
Professor Portony
Engl-152
24 October 2012
The Real Slim Shady
Marshall Mathers, widely known as Eminem, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor, who is recognized as one of the most controversial and best-selling artists of the early 21st century (“Eminem”). Marshall writes most of his lyrics through his personal life experiences while adding a comical “I don’t give a S***” vibe to them. He struggled through a rough and lonely childhood, had relationship issues, became a father at a young age, and worked hard with dedication and persistence to get where he is today.
Marshall’s mother, Deborah Mathers, was only fifteen when she had him and had struggled raising him. She never managed to hold down a job for more than several months at a time, so they moved frequently between Missouri and Detroit, Michigan, spending large chunks of time in public housing projects. "I would change schools two, three times a year," Marshal later recalled. "That was probably the roughest part about it all." (“Eminem”).
Marshall did not have any close friends, was alienated at each new school and kept mostly to him self. He constantly fell victim to bullies; one instance in particular was almost fatal. He suffered a severe concussion and a temporary loss of vision in one eye. The bullying caused Marshall’s nightmares and he became even more anti-social; but he got his revenge against his bully in 1999, when he out-ed him as DeAngelo Bailey in a rap song called "Brain Damage". In this song, he described himself as a “corny lookin white boy, scrawny and always ornery…” and illustrated a particular instance in a restroom that he sustained injuries to his head, face, back and legs. The lyrics go, "…he banged my head against the urinal till he broke my nose/ Soaked my clothes in blood, grabbed me and choked my throat…" (Brain Damage Lyrics, Siemaszko). Marshall remembers many instances of being beat up in the bathroom, beat up in the
Engl-152
24 October 2012
The Real Slim Shady
Marshall Mathers, widely known as Eminem, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor, who is recognized as one of the most controversial and best-selling artists of the early 21st century (“Eminem”). Marshall writes most of his lyrics through his personal life experiences while adding a comical “I don’t give a S***” vibe to them. He struggled through a rough and lonely childhood, had relationship issues, became a father at a young age, and worked hard with dedication and persistence to get where he is today.
Marshall’s mother, Deborah Mathers, was only fifteen when she had him and had struggled raising him. She never managed to hold down a job for more than several months at a time, so they moved frequently between Missouri and Detroit, Michigan, spending large chunks of time in public housing projects. "I would change schools two, three times a year," Marshal later recalled. "That was probably the roughest part about it all." (“Eminem”).
Marshall did not have any close friends, was alienated at each new school and kept mostly to him self. He constantly fell victim to bullies; one instance in particular was almost fatal. He suffered a severe concussion and a temporary loss of vision in one eye. The bullying caused Marshall’s nightmares and he became even more anti-social; but he got his revenge against his bully in 1999, when he out-ed him as DeAngelo Bailey in a rap song called "Brain Damage". In this song, he described himself as a “corny lookin white boy, scrawny and always ornery…” and illustrated a particular instance in a restroom that he sustained injuries to his head, face, back and legs. The lyrics go, "…he banged my head against the urinal till he broke my nose/ Soaked my clothes in blood, grabbed me and choked my throat…" (Brain Damage Lyrics, Siemaszko). Marshall remembers many instances of being beat up in the bathroom, beat up in the