The Name Game:
This rapper from Detroit has so many names and nicknames that some people don't realize they're all the same person. Marshall Bruce Mathers III, is what Eminem was named when he was born. He uses Eminem as his rap name because it represents his initial1 “M-and-M” —get it? Also, he uses the nick2 Slim Shady sometimes to express his rougher, meaner alter3 -ego (the other side of his personality.)
Ticking4＇the World Off:
Marshall was discovered by rap icon, Dr. Dre and ever since his first big label CD dropped, The Slim Shady LP, he's been creating an upset with his lyrics and his style. Although some people (the US Congress, Tipper Gore and others) consider him a “bad influence” on youth, but fans can't get enough of Eminem or his music. He's considered the number one rap artist in the world.
Not a Mama＇s Boy:
Eminem, as most fans know from his lyrics, is not a mama's boy. In fact, his mom, Debbie Mathers-Briggs, has sued him because his lyrics smash5 her so much. Maybe it's because of his rough situation with his mom growing up that Eminem has tried really hard to be a good father for his daughter, Hailie Jade Mathers. And he was once arrested for pulling a gun at a nightclub. He was also sued by his wife Kimberly Mathers for $10 million for causing her emotional distress.
And The Oscar Goes To．．．
Eminem's tune, Lose Yourself, won an Oscar for Best Original Song at the 2003 Academy Awards. The song was from his debut6 movie, 8 Mile which was semi-autobiographical7.
Why He＇s Hot:
His personality. When Em is cutting up8 and acting silly in his videos, he can seem like the ultimate9 jokester, a carefree clown. But the next thing you know, he's rapping about his dysfunctional10 childhood as he stands in a graveyard with a shovel11 in his hand.
The Road To The Top:
From his multi-platinum-selling The Eminem Show, which is one of the top-selling albums of the year, to being crowned the third most powerful person in music by Q magazine, Em can do no wrong. And now the film 8 Mile has propelled12 the Detroit native to a whole new type of arena13—the movie theater. The film marked Em's first turn as a leading man. “Acting was hard,” Shady says, “Not second nature14, like rapping. I might do another, but not one where I'm in every scene and the whole movie is riding me on15.”
But Fame Is Bittersweet:
Stardom is tough for Em. He's tried building a fence around his house, but it still doesn't keep strangers from trying to get in. “I've got to have security guards sitting outside my house. People keep knocking on the door. Either they want autographs or they wanna fight.”
Did You Know．．．
When Eminem was young, he was bullied16 so badly, that a fight actually put him in a coma17.
Despite what people think, Eminem did not spend his whole life in trouble with the law. His first arrest came when he was 20 years old and it was for shooting a paintgun18 at a police car. Charges were dropped.
Marshall Mathers has a younger half-brother named Nathan. Nathan Mathers lives part-time with Eminem in his Detroit mansion.
Quote:
“It'd be stupid for me to sit here and say that there aren't kids who took up19 to me, but my responsibility is not to them. I'm not a baby sitter. ” —Eminem on being considered a role model．
名字游戏
这位来自底特律的说唱歌手称谓之多，弄得有人都不知道它们就是同一个人。马歇尔·布鲁斯·马瑟斯三世是艾米纳姆出生时的大名，做说唱歌手后他改用艾米纳姆（Eminem， 或Em阿姆），即姓氏和名字的首字母缩写（M-and-M）。这下明白了吧？他有时还用绰号“痞子瘦”，表达另一个有点粗俗、不怎么高尚也更特立独行的自我。
让世界侧目
马歇尔自从被说唱乐泰斗Dr. Dre发现并发行第一张大碟The Slim Shady LP之后，他的唱词和风格就轰动至今。虽然有人（国会官员啦、前副总统夫人蒂珀·戈尔等等）认为他对青少年有“不良影响”，但是歌迷们对阿姆却是喜爱有加，对他的歌更是百听不厌，将其视为说唱艺术世界大哥大。
不听话的坏小孩
大多数歌迷从阿姆的歌中就已知道，他可不是妈妈的乖宝贝。实际上他妈妈黛比·马瑟斯·布利格因为歌中对她大加中伤将阿姆告上了法庭。不过也许正因为成长过程中与妈妈的不融洽，阿姆竭尽全力去做女儿海莉·瑞德·马瑟斯的好父亲。他曾因在夜总会持枪而被捕，又被妻子金伯莉·马瑟斯起诉索取1千万美金的情感损失费。
奥斯卡殊荣
阿姆的音乐《迷失自我》获得了2003年度奥斯卡最佳电影歌曲奖。这首歌是他的处女作——半自传性电影《8英里》中的主题曲。
何以走红
当然是他的个性使然。MTV中打打闹闹、傻得可笑的阿姆看起来整个一个搞笑鬼、一个无忧无虑的小丑。可眨眼工夫，他已置身墓地、手持铁锹，说唱着自己残缺的童年。
攀登之路
《阿姆秀》 是今年销量最好的专辑之一。从这张超白金专辑到被《Q》杂志冠以音乐界最具实力季军的头衔，阿姆表现上佳。而今电影《8英里》又将这位土生土长的底特律音乐人推上了一个全新的舞台——电影圈。该片是阿姆第一次主演，他认为“表演挺难的，不怎么习惯，哪儿像说唱！也许还会演一部电影，不过不是那种每镜必出、整部戏都得靠我的主角。”
痛并快乐着
明星生活对阿姆来说并不容易，虽然住所四周加了围栏，还是不断有陌生人往里闯。“总是有人来敲门，不是索要签名照就是想打架闹事儿。我只好在房外安置保安。”(阿姆语)
更多信息……
小时候阿姆有一次受人欺负，竟被打得失去知觉。
阿姆并不像人们想像的那样一辈子都在和法律过不去。他第一次被捕是20岁，因为他用油漆喷枪喷射向一辆警车，这次起诉后来被撤回。
马歇尔·马瑟斯有一个同父异母的弟弟纳森，纳森·马瑟斯有时和哥哥同住在阿姆底特律的公寓里。
阿姆语录
有人认为阿姆是他们的榜样，对此阿姆说：“我要是坐在这儿说没有孩子学我的样，未免太傻了。但我对他们没有责任，我又不是他们的保姆。”
1． initial n． 词首字母
2． nick＝nickname
3． alt adj． 高音调的
4． tick off 责骂，斥责
5． smash v． 毁坏
6． debut n． 初次登场
7． semi－autobiographical adj． 半自传体的
8． cut up 胡闹
9． ultimate adj． 根本的，彻底的
10． dysfunctional adj． 机能不良的， 功能紊乱的
11． shovel n． 铁锹
12． propel v． 推进，驱使
13． arena n． 舞台
14． second nature 第二天性，习性
15． ride on 依靠
16． bully v． 威吓，欺凌
17． coma n． 昏迷
18． paintgun n． 油漆喷枪
19． take up 接受（信仰，观点）