Eminem: Age, Biography, Career and Facts

Eminem (Marshall Mathers, born October 17, 1972) is an American rapper, one of the best-selling music artists of all time, the creator of "Lose Yourself," "Stan," "Without Me" and "Mockingbird," and the winner of an Academy Award and 15 Grammy Awards. This rapper biography covers his albums and songs, movies, daughters and family, tours and latest news as of October 2026.

Age

Eminem was born on October 17, 1972 in St. Joseph, Missouri and is 53 years old.

Eminem Rapper Biography

Eminem (real name Marshall Bruce Mathers III; born October 17, 1972, in St. Joseph, Missouri) is a rapper, songwriter and record producer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time and is the best-selling rapper in history. He is known for technically complex, rapid-fire verses, dark humor, intensely personal lyrics and his provocative alter ego, Slim Shady. His stage name comes from his initials, M and M.

Eminem has won 15 Grammy Awards, including six for Best Rap Album. "Lose Yourself," from the film "8 Mile" (2002), won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2003, the first time a rap song won the Oscar. In November 2022 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.

Eminem in Numbers

Metric	Value (as of October 2026)
Real name	Marshall Bruce Mathers III
Date and place of birth	October 17, 1972, St. Joseph (Missouri, US)
Studio albums	12, from "Infinite" (1996) to "The Death of Slim Shady" (2024)
Billboard 200 No. 1 albums	11 (including the compilation "Curtain Call")
Hot 100 No. 1 singles	5
Grammy Awards	15
Academy Award	2003, Best Original Song for "Lose Yourself"
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame	2022
Record label	Shady Records (with manager Paul Rosenberg)

Childhood in Detroit

Marshall Mathers was born in Missouri to Deborah "Debbie" Nelson and Marshall Bruce Mathers Jr., who left the family when he was a baby. He and his mother moved frequently between Missouri and Michigan before settling in Warren and then on the east side of Detroit, near 8 Mile Road. He was often bullied at school; one beating at age nine left him with a serious head injury. He grew close to his uncle Ronnie Polkingharn, who introduced him to hip-hop with Ice-T's music. Ronnie's suicide in 1991 devastated him.

As a teenager he battled in rap contests and open-mic nights at venues such as the Hip Hop Shop in Detroit, where he was often the only white competitor. He repeated the ninth grade three times and left Lincoln High School at 17, working at a family restaurant while trying to break into music. He formed the group D12 with friends including Proof (DeShaun Holton), who remained his closest collaborator until Proof's death in 2006.

Slim Shady and Breakthrough (1996–2000)

In 1996 Eminem released his debut album, "Infinite," which sold poorly. The "Slim Shady EP" (1997) introduced his violent, absurdist alter ego Slim Shady. After he finished second at the 1997 Rap Olympics in Los Angeles, Interscope executive Jimmy Iovine passed his tape to Dr. Dre, who signed him to Aftermath Entertainment. "The Slim Shady LP" (1999), with "My Name Is" and "Guilty Conscience," made him a star and won the Grammy for Best Rap Album. "The Marshall Mathers LP" (2000) sold about 1.76 million copies in its first week in the US, then a record for a rap album, and produced "The Real Slim Shady," "The Way I Am" and "Stan," whose title became a dictionary word for an obsessive fan.

The Eminem Show and 8 Mile (2002–2007)

"The Eminem Show" (2002), with "Without Me," "Cleanin' Out My Closet" and "Sing for the Moment," was the best-selling album of the year in the US. That November he starred in Curtis Hanson's "8 Mile" as Jimmy "B-Rabbit" Smith, a young Detroit rapper whose story echoed his own. "Lose Yourself" spent 12 weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100 and won the Oscar. "Encore" (2004) included "Just Lose It," "Like Toy Soldiers" and "Mockingbird." As a producer and label head he launched 50 Cent's career with Dr. Dre and released D12's albums. After Proof's death in 2006 and a worsening addiction to prescription drugs, he largely withdrew from public life.

Recovery and a New Decade (2009–2023)

He returned with "Relapse" (2009), whose single "Crack a Bottle" with Dr. Dre and 50 Cent topped the Hot 100. "Recovery" (2010), a record about getting sober, produced the No. 1 hits "Not Afraid" and "Love the Way You Lie" with Rihanna and was the best-selling album in the world in 2010. "The Marshall Mathers LP 2" (2013) included "Berzerk," "Rap God," noted by Guinness World Records for packing 1,560 words into a hit single, and "The Monster," another No. 1 with Rihanna. "Revival" (2017) was followed by the surprise-released "Kamikaze" (2018), a response to critics, and "Music to Be Murdered By" (2020), with "Godzilla." In February 2022 he performed at the Super Bowl LVI halftime show with Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar and 50 Cent.

The Death of Slim Shady and Stans (2024–2026)

On July 12, 2024, he released "The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce)," a concept album in which Marshall Mathers symbolically kills off his alter ego. Led by "Houdini," it became his 11th No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 and was nominated for Best Rap Album. Its video for "Temporary," released in October 2024, revealed that his daughter Hailie was expecting her first child. His mother, Debbie Nelson, died in December 2024.

"Stans," a documentary about his most devoted fans directed by Emmy-winning journalist Steven Leckart and produced with Eminem's involvement, premiered at SXSW London in June 2025 and had a limited theatrical release through AMC in the US and in about 50 territories worldwide from August 7, 2025, accompanied by a soundtrack with previously unreleased material.

Eminem Albums

Year	Album	Key songs
1996	"Infinite"	"Infinite"
1999	"The Slim Shady LP"	"My Name Is," "Guilty Conscience"
2000	"The Marshall Mathers LP"	"The Real Slim Shady," "Stan," "The Way I Am"
2002	"The Eminem Show"	"Without Me," "Cleanin' Out My Closet"
2004	"Encore"	"Just Lose It," "Like Toy Soldiers," "Mockingbird"
2009	"Relapse"	"Crack a Bottle," "We Made You"
2010	"Recovery"	"Not Afraid," "Love the Way You Lie"
2013	"The Marshall Mathers LP 2"	"Berzerk," "Rap God," "The Monster"
2017	"Revival"	"Walk on Water," "River"
2018	"Kamikaze"	"Lucky You," "Venom"
2020	"Music to Be Murdered By"	"Godzilla"
2024	"The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce)"	"Houdini," "Tobey," "Temporary"

Eminem Songs: "Lose Yourself," "Mockingbird" and More

"Lose Yourself" (2002) is his signature song: written on the set of "8 Mile," it captures a single chance at success and remains one of the most-streamed rap songs ever. "Mockingbird" (2004), a tender letter to his daughter Hailie and his niece Alaina about the turmoil of his divorce, has found a large new audience on streaming and social media two decades after its release. "Stan" (2000), built on a Dido sample, tells the story of an obsessive fan in letters. Other essential tracks include "My Name Is," "The Real Slim Shady," "Without Me," "Sing for the Moment," "When I'm Gone," "Not Afraid," "Love the Way You Lie," "Rap God," "Godzilla" and "Houdini." His five Hot 100 No. 1 hits are "Lose Yourself," "Crack a Bottle," "Not Afraid," "Love the Way You Lie" and "The Monster."

Shady Records and Collaborators

In 1999 Eminem and his manager Paul Rosenberg founded Shady Records, an Interscope imprint. With Dr. Dre's Aftermath, the label signed 50 Cent, whose debut "Get Rich or Die Tryin'" (2003) became one of the best-selling rap debuts of its era, and later released music by Obie Trice, D12, Slaughterhouse, Yelawolf, Westside Gunn and Grip. Eminem's guest verses are just as celebrated: his appearances on Jay-Z's "Renegade," Dr. Dre's "Forgot About Dre," Drake's "Forever," Nicki Minaj's "Roman's Revenge," Big Sean's "No Favors" and Logic's "Homicide" are often cited among the best features in hip-hop. His working relationship with Dr. Dre, who produced many of his biggest records, remains one of the most successful partnerships in the genre's history. He has also used his platform for causes in Detroit, including the Marshall Mathers Foundation, which supports disadvantaged young people in his home state.

Eminem Movies

Year	Film	Role
2001	"The Wash"	Chris
2002	"8 Mile"	Jimmy "B-Rabbit" Smith
2009	"Funny People"	Himself (cameo)
2014	"The Interview"	Himself (cameo)
2017	"Bodied"	Producer
2025	"Stans"	Subject and producer (documentary)

Awards

Eminem's 15 Grammys include Best Rap Album for "The Slim Shady LP," "The Marshall Mathers LP," "The Eminem Show," "Relapse," "Recovery" and "The Marshall Mathers LP 2," as well as wins for "My Name Is," "The Real Slim Shady," "Forgot About Dre" with Dr. Dre, "Without Me," "Lose Yourself," "Crack a Bottle," "Not Afraid" and "The Monster." He won the Academy Award for "Lose Yourself" in 2003; he did not attend the ceremony and was reportedly asleep at home. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022, introduced by Dr. Dre.

Eminem Tour

His major tours include the Anger Management Tour (2000–2005), the Recovery Tour (2010–2013), The Monster Tour with Rihanna (2014), the Revival Tour (2018) and the Rapture Tour (2019), which included stadium shows across Asia, Oceania and the Middle East. Since 2019 he has not staged a full concert tour; his live appearances have been occasional festival sets and special events, such as the 2022 Super Bowl halftime show.

Eminem Daughter and Family

Eminem married his high school girlfriend Kimberly Scott in 1999; they divorced in 2001, remarried in January 2006 and divorced again within months. Their daughter, Hailie Jade Scott, was born on December 25, 1995. He also raised and adopted Alaina "Lainie" Scott, Kim's niece, and Whitney, Kim's child from another relationship, who now goes by Stevie. Hailie, a frequent subject of his songs from "97 Bonnie & Clyde" to "Mockingbird," hosts the podcast "Just a Little Shady." She married Evan McClintock in May 2024, and on March 14, 2025, she gave birth to their son, Elliot Marshall McClintock, whose middle name honors her father, making Eminem a grandfather. His often-hostile songs about his mother gave way to an apology in "Headlights" (2013).

Sobriety

His recovery became a central theme of his later work, from "Not Afraid" to "Recovery" as a whole.

Eminem has spoken openly about his addiction to prescription drugs, including an accidental overdose of methadone in December 2007 that nearly killed him. He has been sober since April 20, 2008, and regularly marks the anniversary with his fans. He credits running, his family and the support of fellow musicians, including Elton John, who mentored him through his recovery, with helping him stay clean.

Quick Facts

Real name	Marshall Bruce Mathers III
Born	October 17, 1972
Birthplace	St. Joseph, Missouri, US
Alter ego	Slim Shady
Best-known songs	"Lose Yourself," "Stan," "The Real Slim Shady," "Without Me," "Mockingbird," "Not Afraid"
Awards	Academy Award (2003), 15 Grammy Awards, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (2022)
Children	Hailie Jade; adopted Alaina and Stevie
Discovered by	Dr. Dre

Timeline

• October 17, 1972: Born in St. Joseph, Missouri.
• December 25, 1995: Daughter Hailie Jade born.
• 1996: Released "Infinite."
• 1997: Released the "Slim Shady EP"; signed by Dr. Dre.
• February 1999: Released "The Slim Shady LP."
• May 2000: Released "The Marshall Mathers LP."
• May 2002: Released "The Eminem Show."
• November 2002: Starred in "8 Mile."
• March 2003: Won the Academy Award for "Lose Yourself."
• April 2006: Proof killed in Detroit.
• April 20, 2008: Became sober.
• June 2010: Released "Recovery."
• February 13, 2022: Performed at the Super Bowl halftime show.
• November 2022: Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
• July 12, 2024: Released "The Death of Slim Shady."
• December 2024: His mother, Debbie Nelson, died.
• March 14, 2025: Became a grandfather.
• August 2025: Documentary "Stans" released in theaters.

Photo: Brendan_linden, CC0, Wikimedia Commons