Eminem has reportedly opened up about his past drug problems and revealed his struggles with balancing hip-hop and soberness.
In the new issue of Vibe, Em breaks down his slow recovery and recent return to the spotlight.
"I wanted to make an overall statement--I'm back," Em said. "It was a slow process. You gotta remember I hadn't recorded a song sober in seven years. So it took me awhile to even feel like I could record a song sober...I don't know the last time I shot a video sober, without drinking or taking anything. It's been years...I almost feel like a little kid again with rap. I wanna play around with different flows. If I don't feel like it's what I'm fully capable of, if there's one weak line, I wanna change it. Rap was my drug. It used to get me high and then it stopped getting me high. Then I had to resort to other things to make me feel that...now rap's getting me high again." (Rap Radar)
In a past interview, the rapper said drugs forced his transition into producing.
"I wasn't ready to give up drugs," Em explained. "I didn't really think I had a problem...I felt like I wanted to pull back, because my drug problem had got so bad. I felt like, maybe if I take a break, maybe this will help. I started to get into the producer role more." (XXL Magazine)
He also recently launched a new website using rehab concepts to help promote his upcoming album Relapse.
Boasting the slogan "We Remade You" -- a riff on Relapse's first single "We Made You" -- Popsomp Hills is advertised as a real Bloomfield Hills, Michigan rehab center with a Swiss founder named "Dr. Balzac" in charge. There's much more weird stuff on the Popsomp Website: By clicking "Learn More," you're redirected to the Wikipedia page for "Hell," the "Terms & Conditions" seem to be enablers ("Life is too short, party harder than ever. We can help") and links to a multitude of actual rehab options. (Rolling Stone)
Em made his return into the spotlight earlier this year with his "We Made You" music video.
Slim Shady promised he was up to his old tricks in the video for "We Made You," his first solo clip since 2005. Debuted exclusively on MTV's "AMTV" this morning and directed by Joseph Kahn, Em does his best preening Bret Michaels, dangling a rose with a backstage pass on it in front of a line of rock star wannabes that includes impersonators of Sarah Palin (Lisa Ann), Samantha Ronson, Lindsay Lohan and a dentally challenged Amy Winehouse. Dr. Dre and 50 Cent make cameos in a casino scene alongside Em. (SOHH)
Relapse is currently scheduled to hit stores Tuesday, May 19th via Interscope Records.
In the new issue of Vibe, Em breaks down his slow recovery and recent return to the spotlight.
"I wanted to make an overall statement--I'm back," Em said. "It was a slow process. You gotta remember I hadn't recorded a song sober in seven years. So it took me awhile to even feel like I could record a song sober...I don't know the last time I shot a video sober, without drinking or taking anything. It's been years...I almost feel like a little kid again with rap. I wanna play around with different flows. If I don't feel like it's what I'm fully capable of, if there's one weak line, I wanna change it. Rap was my drug. It used to get me high and then it stopped getting me high. Then I had to resort to other things to make me feel that...now rap's getting me high again." (Rap Radar)
In a past interview, the rapper said drugs forced his transition into producing.
"I wasn't ready to give up drugs," Em explained. "I didn't really think I had a problem...I felt like I wanted to pull back, because my drug problem had got so bad. I felt like, maybe if I take a break, maybe this will help. I started to get into the producer role more." (XXL Magazine)
He also recently launched a new website using rehab concepts to help promote his upcoming album Relapse.
Boasting the slogan "We Remade You" -- a riff on Relapse's first single "We Made You" -- Popsomp Hills is advertised as a real Bloomfield Hills, Michigan rehab center with a Swiss founder named "Dr. Balzac" in charge. There's much more weird stuff on the Popsomp Website: By clicking "Learn More," you're redirected to the Wikipedia page for "Hell," the "Terms & Conditions" seem to be enablers ("Life is too short, party harder than ever. We can help") and links to a multitude of actual rehab options. (Rolling Stone)
Em made his return into the spotlight earlier this year with his "We Made You" music video.
Slim Shady promised he was up to his old tricks in the video for "We Made You," his first solo clip since 2005. Debuted exclusively on MTV's "AMTV" this morning and directed by Joseph Kahn, Em does his best preening Bret Michaels, dangling a rose with a backstage pass on it in front of a line of rock star wannabes that includes impersonators of Sarah Palin (Lisa Ann), Samantha Ronson, Lindsay Lohan and a dentally challenged Amy Winehouse. Dr. Dre and 50 Cent make cameos in a casino scene alongside Em. (SOHH)
Relapse is currently scheduled to hit stores Tuesday, May 19th via Interscope Records.
