"The Real Slim Shady" | ||||
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Single by Eminem | ||||
from the album The Marshall Mathers LP | ||||
Released | April 18, 2000 [1] | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 4:44 | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | ||||
Eminem singles chronology | ||||
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Music videos | ||||
Audio sample | ||||
"The Real Slim Shady" |
"The Real Slim Shady" is a song by American rapper Eminem from his third album The Marshall Mathers LP (2000). It was released as the lead single a month before the album's release.
The song peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100,giving him his biggest hit up to that point. [2] It was also Eminem's first song to reach number one in the UK and Ireland [3] and the song was the 14th best selling of 2000 in the UK. It won multiple awards,including MTV Video Music Awards for Best Video and Best Male Video,as well as a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance. In October 2011, NME placed it at number 80 on its list "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years". [4] It was listed at number 396 on NME's 500 greatest songs of all time.
"The Real Slim Shady" was not originally intended to be part of The Marshall Mathers LP . Interscope Records's Jimmy Iovine wanted Eminem to get a song to introduce the album,similar to the way "My Name Is" was the first single on The Slim Shady LP. Eminem,Dr. Dre,Tommy Coster and Mike Elizondo wrote "The Real Slim Shady" just hours before the final copy of the album was due. The first single was intended to be "Who Knew". [5]
The song's first verse interpolated the 1999 novelty single "Lonely Swedish (The Bum Bum Song)" by Tom Green, [6] and the intro and chorus of the song interpolate the famous catchphrase "will the real _____ please stand up?" from the television game show To Tell the Truth . [7] [8]
PopMatters described the song as "slamming their 'enemies' with comic book intensity," while also noting its ironic themes surrounding the number of near-identical "wannabes" due to Eminem's overall appearance,citing his "signature style" which bore "bleached blond hair,pale skin,[and] humungous [ sic ] T-shirt". [9] AllMusic highlighted the single. [10]
Rolling Stone praised the sound of the single as "slick,bright,melodic funk that's so R&B-ish,you can dance to it". [11] Entertainment Weekly's Will Hermes was also positive,writing,"In the aftermath of Slim Shady,he married the girlfriend he imagined killing,while his mother,immortalized in his hit single 'My Name Is' (I just found out my Mom does more dope than I do),sued him for $10 million for defamation of character." [12] The defamation case was settled in 2001 for $25,000 as Debbie Mathers' former attorney was awarded $23,354—netting Ms. Mathers just over $1600 for her efforts. [13] [14]
The Los Angeles Times favored The Real Slim Shady as a "modest step to the mainstream—a fresh and funny,almost PG-rated swipe at everything from the Grammy Awards to shallow teen pop", [15] while IGN wrote:
"The album's obligatory 'pop' number is exposed on 'The Real Slim Shady,' which chugs and lurches along to a boinging electro funk beat. It would be a total pop smash if it weren't for the lyrics,though. Leave it to Em to juice it up with ear candy effervescent,but keep the words in the subversive. As with the other Dre crafted tunes on the album,there's plenty of cool special effects bustling about—fart noises,heavy breathing,all of it coalescing with Em's cartoon character on crystal meth delivery. Sure it's pop,but of the most demented nature." [16]
The song has been included as part of many films,notably 21 Jump Street (2012) and Freddy Got Fingered (2001).[ citation needed ]
Philip G. Atwell and Dr. Dre directed the music video filmed in 7–10 April 2000.[ citation needed ] Eminem's friends and former group-mates from D12 including rappers Denaun Porter,Proof,Swifty McVay,Bizarre,Kuniva,and Limp Bizkit vocalist Fred Durst are featured in the video along with him.
Actress and comedian Kathy Griffin,notable for insulting celebrities in her act, [17] appears in the video as an attending nurse in a psychiatric ward. Griffin said during a July 21,2005,interview on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno that Eminem selected her for the video because fellow rapper Snoop Dogg told him she was "really funny." [18]
The music video has 1 billion views on YouTube as of October 2024,making it Eminem's seventh video to cross the one billion mark.
Information from the interior booklet of The Marshall Mathers LP
"The Real Slim Shady" was very successful at the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards, winning awards for Video of the Year and Best Male Video, as well as being a nominee for Best Rap Video, Best Direction, Best Editing and Viewer's Choice. The song was also performed by Eminem at the show with look-a-likes of himself, as in the video.
Year | Organization | Award | Result |
---|---|---|---|
2000 | Billboard Music Awards | Maximum Vision Video | Won |
Best Rap/Hip-Hop Clip of the Year | Won | ||
Teen Choice Awards | Choice Music: Video | Nominated | |
Choice Music: Summer Song | Nominated | ||
MTV Video Music Awards | Video of the Year | Won | |
Best Male Video | Won | ||
Best Rap Video | Nominated | ||
Best Direction | Nominated | ||
Best Editing | Nominated | ||
Viewer's Choice Award | Nominated | ||
2001 | Detroit Music Awards | Outstanding National Single | Won |
Grammy Awards | Best Rap Solo Performance | Won |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "The Real Slim Shady" |
| 4:44 | |
2. | "The Real Slim Shady" (instrumental) |
| 4:44 | |
3. | "Guilty Conscience" (radio version with new hook; featuring Dr. Dre) |
| 3:19 | |
4. | "The Real Slim Shady" (video) | 4:44 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "The Real Slim Shady" |
| 4:44 | |
2. | "My Fault" (pizza mix) | 3:53 | ||
Total length: | 8:37 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "The Real Slim Shady" |
| 4:44 | |
2. | "Bad Influence" | Bass Brothers | 3:40 | |
Total length: | 8:24 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "The Real Slim Shady" |
| 4:44 | |
2. | "Bad Influence" | Bass Brothers | 3:40 | |
3. | "The Real Slim Shady" (instrumental) |
| 4:44 | |
4. | "My Fault" (pizza mix) | 3:53 | ||
5. | "Just Don't Give a F**k" (music video) | 4:39 | ||
Total length: | 21:40 |
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [77] | 11× Platinum | 770,000‡ |
Austria (IFPI Austria) [78] | Gold | 25,000* |
Belgium (BEA) [79] | Platinum | 50,000* |
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil) [80] | 3× Platinum | 180,000‡ |
Canada (Music Canada) [81] | 2× Platinum | 160,000* |
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [82] | 2× Platinum | 180,000‡ |
France (SNEP) [83] | Gold | 250,000* |
Germany (BVMI) [84] | 3× Gold | 900,000‡ |
Italy (FIMI) [85] sales since 2009 | 2× Platinum | 200,000‡ |
New Zealand (RMNZ) [86] | 5× Platinum | 150,000‡ |
Norway (IFPI Norway) [87] | Gold | |
Portugal (AFP) [88] | 4× Platinum | 40,000‡ |
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [89] | Platinum | 60,000‡ |
Sweden (GLF) [90] | Platinum | 30,000^ |
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland) [91] | Gold | 25,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [92] | 4× Platinum | 2,400,000‡ |
United States (RIAA) [93] | 7× Platinum | 7,000,000‡ |
Streaming | ||
Greece (IFPI Greece) [94] | Gold | 1,000,000† |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
The Eminem Show is the fourth studio album by American rapper Eminem, released on May 26, 2002, through Aftermath Entertainment, Shady Records, and Interscope Records. The album saw Eminem take a predominant production role, including the album's three hit singles: "Without Me", "Cleanin' Out My Closet", and "Sing for the Moment". Guest appearances include Obie Trice, D12, Dr. Dre, Nate Dogg, Dina Rae, and Eminem's daughter, Hailie Jade.
The Marshall Mathers LP is the third studio album by American rapper Eminem. It was released on May 23, 2000, by Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records. Production on the album was handled by Dr. Dre, Mel-Man, F.B.T., Eminem, and The 45 King. The album spawned three hit singles: "The Real Slim Shady", "The Way I Am" and "Stan", and features guest appearances from Dido, RBX, Sticky Fingaz, Bizarre, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Xzibit, Nate Dogg, Paul Rosenberg and D12.
The Slim Shady LP is the second studio album by American rapper Eminem. It was released through Aftermath Entertainment, WEB Entertainment, and Interscope Records on February 23, 1999. Recorded in Ferndale, Michigan following Eminem's recruitment by Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine, the album features production from Eminem himself, alongside Dr. Dre and the Bass Brothers. Featuring West Coast hip hop, G-funk, and horrorcore musical styles, the majority of The Slim Shady LP's lyrical content was written from the perspective of Eminem's alter ego, named Slim Shady. The alter ego was introduced on his 1997 extended play Slim Shady EP, and concluded on his 2024 studio album The Death of Slim Shady . The album contains cartoonish depictions of violence and heavy use of profanity, which Eminem described as horror film-esque, in that it is solely for entertainment value. Although many of the lyrics on the album are considered to be satirical, Eminem also discusses his frustrations of living in poverty.
"Stan" is a song by American rapper Eminem, with vocals sampled from the opening lines of British singer Dido's song "Thank You". It was released in 2000 as the third single from Eminem's third album, The Marshall Mathers LP (2000). "Stan" peaked at number 51 on the Billboard Hot 100. Outside of the United States, "Stan" topped the charts in twelve countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, and Ireland.
Encore is the fifth studio album by American rapper Eminem, released on November 12, 2004, through Aftermath Entertainment, Shady Records, and Interscope Records. As reflected in its title and cover art, the album was originally set to be Eminem's final studio album. Its lyrical themes include Eminem's criticism of the 43rd U.S. president, George W. Bush, parodies of Michael Jackson and Christopher Reeve, and Eminem's feud with Benzino and Ja Rule. Overall, the album features more comedic themes and lyrics than his previous albums.
Devil's Night is the debut studio album by American hip-hop supergroup D12. It was released on June 19, 2001, by Shady Records and Interscope Records. It was also the first album to be released on Shady Records, although the label had been active since 1999. Production was primarily handled by Eminem and Dr. Dre, with contributions by Mr. Porter, DJ Head, and Jeff Bass. The album features guest appearances by Obie Trice, Truth Hurts, and Dina Rae.
"Like Toy Soldiers" is a song by American rapper Eminem, from his fifth album Encore (2004). The song received positive reviews from music critics, and peaked at number 34 on the Billboard Hot 100. Outside of the United States, "Like Toy Soldiers" topped the charts in the United Kingdom, and peaked within the top ten of the charts in 12 countries, including Australia, Denmark, Germany, and New Zealand. The song samples the 1989 song "Toy Soldiers" by Martika. It is the fourth single from the album. The song also appears on the Curtain Call: The Hits compilation released in 2005.
Curtain Call: The Hits is the first greatest hits album by American rapper Eminem. It was released on December 6, 2005, under Shady Records, Aftermath Entertainment, and Interscope Records. The album collects Eminem's most popular singles, as well as three new songs: "Fack", "When I'm Gone", and "Shake That" featuring Nate Dogg. A live version of "Stan" performed with English singer-songwriter Elton John at the 43rd Grammy Awards is also included as a bonus track.
"The Way I Am" is a song written, produced, and performed by American rapper Eminem from his third album The Marshall Mathers LP (2000). It was released as the second single from the album on October 3, 2000, later being featured on his 2005 compilation album, Curtain Call: The Hits. In the tradition of most of Eminem's follow-up singles, "The Way I Am" is one of the rare songs for which he has sole songwriting credit. It features a much darker and emotionally driven sound than the album's lead single "The Real Slim Shady". "The Way I Am" peaked at number 58 on the Billboard Hot 100. Outside the United States, "The Way I Am" peaked within the top ten of the charts in Belgium (Wallonia), Finland, Netherlands, Ireland, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
"My Name Is" is a song by American rapper Eminem from his second album The Slim Shady LP (1999). It is also the opening song and lead single of the album. The song contains an interpolation from British singer Labi Siffre's 1975 track "I Got The..." featuring the bass and guitar riff as originally played by British pop rock duo Chas & Dave. The song was ranked at #26 on "VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the '90s". "My Name Is" was also ranked #6 on Q Magazine's "1001 Best Songs Ever". "My Name Is" peaked at number 36 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Eminem's first top 40 hit on the chart. Outside of the United States, "My Name Is" peaked within the top ten of the charts in Iceland, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway, and United Kingdom.
"When I'm Gone" is a song by American rapper Eminem from his first greatest hits album Curtain Call: The Hits (2005). It was released on December 6, 2005, the same day as the album was released, as the lead single.
American rapper Eminem has released 12 studio albums, two compilation albums, and one extended play. His music has been released on record labels Interscope Records and Aftermath Entertainment, along with subsidiaries Web Entertainment and his own Shady Records. Eminem is the best-selling rapper of all time and the best-selling artist of the 2000s with US album sales at over 32.25 million during the decade. With sales of over 220 million records worldwide, he is among of the best-selling music artists of all time. According to the Recording Industry Association of America, Eminem has sold 228.5 million certified albums and singles in the United States. In his home country, he has earned 50 platinum albums and 11 number one albums.[A]
Relapse is the sixth studio album by American rapper Eminem, released in Germany and a few other countries on May 15, 2009, and in the US on May 19, 2009, by Aftermath Entertainment, Shady Records, and Interscope Records. Not counting the 2006 Shady Records crossover album Eminem Presents: The Re-Up and a few new songs recorded for his 2005 greatest hits album Curtain Call: The Hits, the album marks Eminem's return to making music albums after a five-year hiatus following his 2004 album Encore, due to writer's block and an addiction to prescription sleeping medication. The album, among all of Eminem's albums, features the most production work by his mentor Dr. Dre, with Dre producing all but one song, Beautiful, which was produced by Eminem himself. Mark Batson collaborated with Dre on several songs, while Eminem, Dawaun Parker, and Trevor Lawrence Jr. collaborated with Dre on one song each.
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"The Monster" is a song from American rapper Eminem's album The Marshall Mathers LP 2 (2013) featuring a guest appearance from Rihanna. The song was written by Bebe Rexha, Eminem, Rihanna, Aalias, Jon Bellion, Maki Athanasiou, and Frequency, with the latter also handling production. Released on October 29, 2013, as the fourth single from the album, "The Monster" marks the fourth collaboration between Eminem and Rihanna, following "Love the Way You Lie" (2010), its sequel "Love the Way You Lie " (2010), and "Numb" (2012), and is a hip-hop and pop song, with lyrics that describe Eminem pondering the negative effects of his fame while Rihanna comes to grips with her inner demons.
"Guilty Conscience" is a song written, produced, and performed by American rapper Eminem featuring fellow American rapper Dr. Dre. It was released as the third and final single from the former's The Slim Shady LP (1999). It was also released on his 2005 greatest hits album Curtain Call: The Hits.
"Without Me" is a song by American rapper Eminem from his fourth studio album The Eminem Show (2002). "Without Me" was released on May 13, 2002, as the lead single from the album, and re-released on his greatest hits compilation album Curtain Call: The Hits (2005). "Without Me" is one of Eminem's most successful singles, reaching number two on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, and number one in fifteen countries.
American rapper Eminem has released 60 singles as a lead artist and 16 promotional singles. He has also featured in 21 singles as a guest artist, while entering the charts with over 100 additional songs.
The Death of Slim Shady is the twelfth studio album by the American rapper Eminem. It was released through Shady Records, Aftermath Entertainment, and Interscope Records on July 12, 2024. The concept album centers around a battle between Eminem himself and his Slim Shady alter ego. The album incorporates hardcore hip hop, satirical hip hop, and conscious hip hop. The album features guest appearances from White Gold, Sly Pyper, JID, Dem Jointz, Ez Mil, Skylar Grey, Big Sean, BabyTron, and Jelly Roll; the Expanded Mourner's Edition additionally features 2 Chainz, Westside Boogie, Grip, and Fifteenafter. The album serves as the rapper's eighth nomination at the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album on its 67th edition, after winning several times in 2000, 2001, 2003, 2010 (Relapse), 2011 (Recovery) and 2015.