In the 21st century, it would be difficult to find a rapper that is more successful and controversial at the same time, as Eminem. He is incredibly influential as well. His full name is Marshall Bruce Mathers III, born in 1972 in Missouri. He dropped high school in 9th grade and did jobs here and there until finally releasing The Slim Shady LP in 1999. It immediately earned two Grammy Awards and four MTV Video Music Awards. When he released The Marshall Mathers LP in 200, that album became the fastest-selling album in rap history. Recovery in 2010 also gained awards, which was a highly-autobiographical album that faced his struggle with addiction and rehabilitation. That was an incredibly honest and raw way to speak to his audience. Revival in 2017 and Kamikaze in 2018 followed, also highly-successful albums.
              Eminem never met his father, whose name was Marshall Mathers Jr. His father had left the family when Eminem was a baby. It must have been difficult for Eminem growing up concerning the topic of fatherhood, because his father ignored and actively avoided and turned away all of Eminem’s attempts to connect with his father. Deborah Mathers, Eminem’s mother, is highly criticized by Eminem concerning the way she raised him. The lyrics in his songs have revealed difficult-to-cope-with episodes of his early life that have to do with his mother, like her abuse of prescription drugs and her emotional and physical abuse on Eminem. In turn, Deborah has denied all accusations. The fight became so involved and aggressive that filed a $10 million lawsuit against her son, but the case was settled with Eminem paying her $25,000. What a sad history of the relationship with his mother, unfortunately. There are harsh remembrances concerning his mother, however. He remembers having to switch schools multiple times a year because his mother could not keep a steady job and kept having to switch which public housing they stayed in. The impact was inevitable upon Eminem. With no close friends, keeping to himself, it was no surprise to hear from him in later years reflecting on how he would get beat up in the bathroom, hallways, and shoved into lockers.
              Although as mentioned before he dropped out of high school (after failing the 9th grade in the same school three years in a row), Eminem has always been incredibly intelligent. He has a deep interest and love for languages, and had no problem plowing through comic books, and he even studied the dictionary! He states that although he was not great ever with his grades, he always loved English. He says he wants to have words at his disposal when the time calls for them. That intrigues him.
              At 15 he met 13-year-old Kim Ann Scott at a house party and they started dating. Kim says that he has been abandoned by her father and never knew him, and that she was also sexually abused by her stepfather. Consequently, she came to live with Eminem and his mother. When Eminem dropped out of school, Deborah threw Kim and Eminem out of the house. In 1995, they had a little girl that they names Hailie Jade Scott. After many breakups and getting back together over and over again, they got married in 1999 right before Eminem’s first major music tour. Unfortunately, it was short-lived and they divorced in 2000. But that wasn’t the end! They continued with an off-and-on relationship until 2006, when they actually remarried. Then, they divorced again within a few months. Hailie was then forced into a super complicated custody war between her parents. Despite the tumult between her parents, Hailie has done well. She rose above complications and graduation from Michigan State University with a degree in psychology and she has now become an Instagram influencer. Eminem often writes about his daughter in his work.
Eminem's current net worth is estimated to be between $210 million and $250 million.Â