Eminem reveals real reason he invented his ‘Slim Shady’ persona

Mathers blames his alter-ego for almost losing his career, family, and life

Eminem has revealed the real reason he invented his notorious alter ego, Slim Shady.

The rapper released his new album, The Death Of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce) on 12 July, after a gory trailer teasing the death of the character that made him a household name.

In a new interview with Complex, the 51-year-old whose real name is Marshall Mathers, is seen interviewing an AI version of his younger self as he reviews the entirety of his career, along with its many controversies.

“Remember we made you, you almost f***ing killed our career,” the rapper hits out at Slim.

As Slim blasts the “Lose Yourself” singer for his “apology tour” following the release of his album Relapse, which he described as “an entire album in f***ing accents”, Mathers reminds him who’s boss.

“And then I made our biggest radio record ever, without you. You don’t get it do you? You were literally born while I was taking a sh*t. I invented you because my life was f***ed up, my music was going nowhere and I was broke.”

His persona seems to take the comment as a compliment, as he agrees “Exactly”.

“But you didn’t fix anything you actually made that sh*t worse. I couldn’t even [go to] the bathroom without someone standing by it. You’re the reason I had to self-medicate. Because of you I almost lost my career, my family, my life.”

As Slim appears unimpressed and unmoved, he offers Eminem a drink.

Mathers interviewed an AI version of his alter-ego (Complex)

“I’m 16 years sober, life’s been great since you’ve been gone”.

The pair appear to reach a kind of truce as Mathers concludes, “We both made Eminem, he’s the best of both of us, it’s not about me or you, it’s about him and the fans.”

In a two-star review of The Death Of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce), The Independent’s Stevie Chick wrote: “In the past decade or so, critics have suggested Eminem has been outpaced by new young rap talent. But the only emcee Marshall Mathers has really been competing against is his younger self.

“The Slim Shady alter-ego behind his 1999 breakthrough LP and the many hits that followed – most notably the brattish, bombastic ‘I’m Back’ – was Mathers’ id, minus the ego. A malevolent clown persona through which the Detroit rapper felt free to indulge every forbidden thought that crossed his transom, every misogynistic fantasy, homophobic zinger, and drug-addled boast. The sort of thing, we’re told, you couldn’t get away with today. Though not for lack of him trying.”