20 Eminem Facts We Never Knew

Eminem was born Marshall Mathers III in Detroit in 1972. After a childhood of poverty and depression, he found his passion in rapping. His albums have sold 59 million copies, with 45 singles selling 58 million copies. We’ve compiled the most interesting Eminem facts from around the web in the sections below.

1. Eminem’s Net Worth is $243 Million

According to a deep dive into album sales, singles sales, acting income, concerts, producing, YouTube, endorsements, merchandise and business deals, Eminem’s net worth is $243 million. The star has earned $451 million but paid out over $322 million in taxes and expenses.

Eminem Net Worth

2. He Was a Victim of Bullying

In the interview below with 60 Minutes, Eminem talks about being a victim of bullying. He was “beat up in the hallways” for being the new kid. Unfortunately for him, he was always the new kid as he moved around a lot. He suffered intense depression. Fortunately, his talent gave him something the bullies didn’t have.

3. Eminem’s House is Worth $4 Million

Searching “Where does Eminem live?” The answer is, in a mansion worth $4 million in Rochester Hills, Michigan on the outskirts of Detroit. He bought the house in 2003 for $4.75 million. It has six bedrooms and ten bathrooms. After the real estate bubble burst in 2009 the home’s value dropped to $1.5 million. It has since recovered its value to about $4 million.

eminem-house

Image credit: Detroit.Curbed.com

4. He Wanted to Be a Comic Book Artist

Eminem’s childhood dream was to be a comic book artist. Though his life took a different path, he did get to see himself in comics, in an issue of The Punisher and on the cover of a Mighty Avengers issue. He also has an impressive comics collection, and comic book characters figure heavily in his lyrics.

eminem-comic-book-cover

5. Eminem Makes $21 Million Per Year

Even way past the peak of his musical career, Eminem still rakes in $14 million a year. That’s his 2016 salary, but his average salary through the years comes to $21.8 million a year. With a lower annual earnings now, that means he made a lot more in the past. His biggest year was 2010, when he pulled in $66 million thanks to his very lucrative Recovery Tour.

Eminem net worth through time

 

6. He Was the First Rapper to Win an Oscar

Eminem’s Oscar came when his hit single Lose Yourself won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. The song headlined the soundtrack for the 2002 movie 8 Mile, but Eminem didn’t show up to claim his prize. Far from an act of snobbery, the star’s Oscar absence came from humility. According to reports, the rapper thought the nomination was a mistake because he isn’t an actor.

7. Eminem Lives in Rochester Hills, Michigan

Unlike many stars who strike it rich and then head for the Hollywood Hills, Eminem still lives within a few miles of his childhood home. Though he grew up in a Detroit slum, he now lives in a mansion within the city limits.

eminem-lives-in-michigan

8. He Doesn’t Know How to Use a Computer

Eminem has famously said he has no idea how to use a computer or the internet. In an interview with MTV he said, “If I learn how, I’m going to be on that bitch all day looking at comments about me, and it’s going to drive me crazy.”

eminem-at-night

9. Eminem is 5’8″ Tall

How tall is Eminem? 5’8″. His slender frame may make him look tall, but in fact he’s two inches below average. That makes him shorter than Drake and Snoop Dogg, but taller than Lil Wayne.

eminem-in-do-rag

10. Eminem’s Favorite Song

What is Eminem’s favorite song? We don’t have the answer to that, but we do know his favorite dance song is Busta Rhymes’ Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See. That’s according to CelebrityInside.com. According to that same site his favorite movie is Scarface and his eye color is blue.

11. He Was Offered the Lead Role in Elysium

Anyone who’s seen the sci fi movie Elysium knows it stars Matt Damon, but it almost starred Eminem. The rapper was director Neill Blomkamp’s first pick for the lead role. Eminem said he’d take the part as long as Blomkamp set the movie in his hometown of Detroit. Blomkamp insisted on L.A. as the prime location and picked Damon instead.

12. Eminem’s Favorite Food is Tacos

Eminem’s favorite food: Tacos. According to Foodbeast he has an “irrational” Taco Bell addiction. That news comes from rapper Tony Yayo, who has worked in close quarters with Eminem. Yayo says, “Every time we around Em and you backstage, there’s, like, Taco Bell everywhere. Shout out to Taco Bell, but sometimes you want something a little different.”

13. He Failed 9th Grade Several Times

Eminem flunked the 9th grade three times. The third time wasn’t the charm either. According to interviews with the star, after his fourth failed attempt at finishing his freshman year, he dropped out for good. He went to Lincoln High School in Warren, Michigan in Detroit.

eminem-blue-eyes

14. Eminem’s Best Friend Was Killed in 2006

Eminem’s best friend was the rapper Proof, who was killed in 2006. Proof and a Desert Storm veteran were killed in a shooting incident at the end of Detroit’s 8 Mile Road. The two argued violently moments before the shootings, though details of the fight are sketchy. Eminem was distraught at the funeral, repeatedly hugging his dead friend’s mother and sisters.

15. His Own Mother Sued Him for $10 Million

Eminem’s mother sued him for $10 million. Why? Because Slim called her out in his song My Name Is. In that song, the singer quips, “My mom smokes more dope than I do.” Eminem’s mom reportedly took umbridge at that line and issued the lawsuit. She only got $1,600 from the suit, which she later dropped, claiming she never agreed to file it in the first place.

16. Eminem’s Agent is Cara Lewis

Eminem’s agent is Cara Lewis. She’s been called “the most feared woman in music” because of her reputation for cutthroat fury. A college dropout at age 17, Lewis made her fortune representing underground artists like rappers that other agents dismissed. She has worked for rappers like Run DMC, LL Cool J and Public Enemy. Eminem’s manager is Paul Rosenberg.

17. Eminem’s Record Breaking Song

Eminem is in the Guinness Book of World Records for the most words in a hit single. His song Rap God crams 1,560 words into six minutes of music.

18. Where Eminem Goes on Vacation

There’s no evidence online of where Eminem goes on vacation. However, several sites suggest that the star takes mini-vacations while he’s on tour. Anyone who wants to catch the star kicking back could try hitting nearby vacation spots when he comes to town to give a live show.

19. He Was Inspired to Rap by the Beastie Boys

Eminem has said the Beastie Boys were his heroes and that it’s obvious they were a big influence on his music. He called the musicians pioneers and trailblazers.

20.  His Three Alter Egos

Eminem’s real name is Marshall Mathers, which was also the name of his father and grandfather. He has also gone by the name Slim Shady, though Eminem is his chief stage name.

All info in this article is taken from various articles around the web and is provided for entertainment purposes only.