I'm enjoying the hyperbolically titled "The Dark Story of Eminem", by Nick Hasted. Considering the the lack of pith to the whole Eminen story, the book compares favorably to the last great rock bio I read, Grail Marcus' The Last Gang in Town (The Clash). The Eminem book has lots of details on the initial meeting with Dre, the work done by the Bass Bros. before Dre, the adolescent beating up stories, including D'Angelo Bailey, etc, etc. One funny thing is that at least half of the references and quotes are footnoted from weird, tiny sources, incl many fanzines and internet-only publications. The early rap battles seem to match pretty well with the scenarios we all saw in the movie 8 Mile.
Hasted notes, tantalizingly, that there is an entire album out there, from 1996, full of completely different sounding stuff than the "Hi, My Name Is..." album we all know as Em's debut. This apocryphal release, "Infinity", is available as a bootleg only.
The ass-whupping from D'Angelo Bailey was actually worse than described in the song. It led to a concussion and hospitalization where the 12-year old Marshall Mathers fell into a 5-day coma! "Everything in the song is true. He beat the shit out of me. Came running from across the yard and hit me so hard into this snowbank that I blacked out." Rolling Stone tracked down the adult Bailey who noted "We was having fun. Sometimes he'd fight back -- depend on what mood he'd be in. Yeah we flipped him right on his head at recess. When we didn't see him moving we took off running."
The biography has some nice early photos:
Marshall Bruce Mathers II,
Marshall Bruce Mathers III, and
Debbie Briggs.
Eminem, Age 14, sporting an Alf T-Shirt.
And the childhood home, 8427 Timken Street in Warren, Mich.
WOW, he's so better looking, ;D.........just kidding!
Posted by: Jhayesh | October 24, 2007 at 05:35 AM
He is the sexiest most talented rap artist alive!!!! from Lancaster Pa's finest! get at ya gurl!
Posted by: SssooDaayUHMssof | March 14, 2008 at 06:37 PM
the Alf "Hey Mr. Underpants" photo is the single best thing in that book.
Posted by: dbrown | March 20, 2008 at 03:25 PM
man i would love to see more good info. about my favourite raper(eminem) more offin. its better then hearing about all the bad things ppl say about him.
Posted by: sanfach | June 11, 2008 at 01:30 AM
haha.. how funny looking was he when he was 14 :), seriously though, hes had an intresting life and its good to hear more stuff about him apart from the fact that he is a white rapper from detroit :)
Posted by: olivia | July 04, 2008 at 05:43 PM
Dude looks exactly like his dad
Posted by: Vik | July 15, 2008 at 05:46 PM
he is gay bitch
Posted by: Naruto Uzamaki | November 17, 2008 at 10:36 AM
hey im joking man your the best my parents don't even know i swear but seriously your the best but people say you r a begfriend but i the only person who knows your music man. Hey marshall you look funny when you were young
Posted by: Naruto | November 17, 2008 at 10:38 AM
ticka ticka ticka slim shady im sicka him!!
Posted by: maddey | November 29, 2008 at 03:24 AM
Eminem you the best rapper alive from Denmark aka. Iraq
Posted by: Sajad | December 10, 2008 at 05:31 PM
Marshall Bruce Mathers III i love you!
mockingbird when 1am gone
Posted by: chinese | December 28, 2008 at 08:23 AM
I loooooovvvveeee eminem! There is something about him that is better than any other rapper! I will always love him, just wish he eye smile!
Posted by: Billie jean | March 01, 2009 at 11:06 PM
My friend and I have started our own small website and internet marketing the site to attract some visitors to buy products from our clients. This can really help make good money.
Posted by: Jeff Paul Scam | March 13, 2009 at 01:08 AM
All you FAG BAGS talkin shit about Em......Let's see anyone of u get up and battle him.....I got a grand on it that at you all run back to your suburban hell lifestyles with your tails between your legs like a bunch of spoiled little BITCHES!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Aaron Barton | June 06, 2009 at 01:54 PM
Hey em.. I give you ton's of respect for what you have gone through to get where your at. Man your on top of the world. I can remember the first time i herd of you. I traded my rush hour sound track for your LP. Mom and dad kicked my ass but i kept playing it. didnt know who you were, but you sounded convincing. You are the person who produced my favorite music. ThankYou...
Posted by: Patrick Banks | August 24, 2009 at 02:23 AM
he's brilliant. i love the way he puts comedy in there and tells us all to fuck off. fuck you too, marshall! ha ha. i'm just kiddin, i love you.... seriously brilliant.
Posted by: melissa | November 01, 2009 at 03:08 PM