Eminem Back From The Dead

He is referred to as Eminem or Slim Shady, but what a lot of people don’t know is that he’s about to take over rap. Marshall Mathers is back from the trenches and has overcome a drug problem that nearly took his life three years ago. Now, the 38 year-old rapper has one of the biggest-selling records of 2010 and isn’t looking back.

“Guess who’s back, back again? Shady’s back, tell a friend.” These lyrics are from the song called “Just lose it” off of the Curtain Call album that hit the radio in 2005. This album sold 1.2 million albums in the first three weeks of its release.

The only difference now is Eminem is actually back and is looking to take over the music industry. Throughout his twelve-year rap career, Eminem has sold 32 million albums, the most of any artist. The Beatles were the runner up in album sales not even coming close to Slim Shady. Eminem is also up for 10 Grammies, including album of the year, song of the year, and record of the year.

But it wasn’t an easy path to success for Eminem. From 2002 to 2008 the rapper was addicted to prescription drugs, including Vicodin, Ambien and Valium. His life was on a tailspin that was going down.

In an attempt to get clean in 2006, Eminem’s best friend Proof was shot and killed. The death of his childhood friend sparked a relapse, during which Eminem was found on a bathroom floor on the verge of death. According to an interview in Rolling Stones Magazine, the rapper said, “ The doctors told me I’d done the equivalent of four bags of heroin. They said I was two hours from dying.”

The painkillers were not only affecting Eminem’s body, but also his song writing. Around 2004, his songs were beginning to not make sense and reeked of stupidity and foolishness. Eminem has saved every piece of writing from the time he was on drugs, storing the influenced writing in a closet. According to Rolling Stone when asked why he does this, Eminem uses it as a tool of motivation. It reminds him of a place where he never wants to revisit. Eminem just celebrated his second year of sobriety.

The once bleached-blonde rapper, who was against everyone and anyone who didn’t support him, has matured. He is a rapper in the recording studio and a father at home. He has custody of three girls, two who are not biologically related to him. He lives with his 14-year-old daughter Haile, and two adopted daughters, 8-year-old Whitney and 17-year-old Alaina.

Life is full of second chances and Eminem made it known to the world that he is taking every advantage of being alive. The rapper has begun to go on tour. In September, he performed in New York City and in his hometown of Detroit. His hard work in the studio and in sobriety is paying off for Eminem. After it’s all said and done, Eminem could be labeled as one of the five greatest rappers to ever have picked up a microphone.