Eminem: Lose Yourself in my Fan Letter

Hey Em, Eminem, Slim Shady, Marshall Bruce Mathers ... I'll just call you Em in my letter. First off I'd like to request a SMILE! I understand due to your image and persona a smile wouldn't be hip. I still think it would be nice to see you garnish a goofy grin once in a while! Consider doing that for your fans. You have had quite a history, my man. You've come a long way and I have to tell you, I am impressed!

You started out on the bottom rung of the ladder and took one rung at a time. You never jumped or leapt. You struggled to get where you are and I commend you! You were a genius to self-produce your first album and it somehow found it's way to Dr. Dre.

There was no free ride for Em. You've earned all that you've achieved. Maybe having a rough upbringing such as portrayed in your successful film 8 Mile was a benefit to you. Even so I wouldn't recommend that any child's life be tough. Sadly though, it happens everyday.

Along your journey you have gained millions of fans and also picked up many critics. Most of your critics are women. I'm sure you aren't surprised at this information. Dude, you trashed women in your songs for years! As a female I never held it against you. Why, you ask? Because I realize it's part of your act.

As an artist you have the opportunity to express yourself however you please. You've sung about murder...now if you were serious about that I'm sure you wouldn't have announced it to the world in a song. Right? Sure, you will pick up some enemies along the way but that means your voice was heard. Don't sweat it...oh wait, you aren't! Haha!

I appreciate your humor, the way you can laugh at yourself in your own songs. You once quoted "anybody with a sense of humor is going to put on my album and laugh from beginning to end," I agree with your perception. I gotta tell you I take your music too serious to laugh but I have chuckled here and there!

Your song "Lose Yourself" is my favorite, which also happens to be the longest running #1 hip hop single. The lyrics and music give me the push I need when life has tossed me a few lemons. Lose Yourself also helped me lose 40 pounds, so actually I did lose myself! I would hit the pavement with your tunes on my iPod and you gave me the motivation I needed to keep on running or walking. I eventually found my way back home.

I enjoyed losing myself to your tunes and losing that darn weight! Heck, I lost it and I am not sending out a search party for it and never want to see it again! So I thank you Em for being my workout buddy and for that extra push when I need it the most.

"Not Afraid" is another favorite song of mine. We have your hand and you have ours. This song is further proof that we need to face our fears! We need to try our best to beat addictions. We all know that addictions are hard to break. I bet rehab was a bitch, but you beat it and you deserve a standing ovation! I hope you don't ever go back to the darkness!

Your talent is not only a gift to you, it's a gift to many. Your music obviously appeals to "kids" of all ages...curious minds want to know what creation Em will entertain us with next! I'm excited to see your next movie Southpaw, due out later this year!!! I appreciate what you have to say. Thank you for being you. Continue to speak your mind and voice your opinion. Your fans wouldn't want it any other way.

1. Birthdate Oct. 17, 1972 in St. Joseph, Missouri. He became a resident of Detroit a few years later.
2. Considered being a comic book artist at an early age.
3. Listening to the Beastie Boys music turned Em onto hip hop.
4. Entered amateur shows at age 14 but began rapping at age 4.
5. Supposedly Dr Dre found Em's demo tape on a garage floor the song was "My Name Is"....
6. Hailie Jade is Em's biological daughter and was born on December 25th, 1995. He also adopted his niece Lainey and Whitney from a previous relationship.
7. Won the 1997 Rap Olympics
8. The origin of Eminem is from Marshall Mathers M&M
9. Three successful business ventures of Em's are: Shady Records, Shade45 Sirius Radio, Shady LTD Clothing
10. Took a hiatus in 2005 and entered rehab. His stint was a success!
11. Married Kim twice (third time is a charm?)
12. Ranked 79th of VH1 100 Greatest Artists Of All Times
13. Won Best Rapper Alive by Vibe Magazine in 2008
14. Achieved 13 #1 singles worldwide
15. His main focus from day one was self-expression, no matter how crude or lewd!
16. Has a tendency to flip the bird when the urge arises (just in case no one ever noticed)
17. In 2009 he won Billboard Artist of the Decade!
18. In 2010 Em generated 94 million streams, more then any other music artist!
19. He has won 203 Awards and received 310 Nominations for his creations! KUDOS to that outstanding achievement!!!
20. Em was bullied during his school years. (I wonder where those bullies are now?)
21. He didn't luck out in the parental department which might be why he's an awesome father! His mother was 15 when she had Em (let's not forget that infamous lawsuit against Em). His dad walked out when Em was 6 months old (minimal, if anything at all contact). He has a half brother named Nathan from his mother's side. He also has a half sister and half brother from his father's side.
22. Height is 5'8 and his clothing size is XXL
23. Doesn't allow profanity at home (I'm sure there might be a slip here or there)
24. Spells "Eminem" with the second "e" backwards
25. Had a small role in Adam Sandler's "Funny People" movie!
26. Will soon star as a World Champion boxer in a movie titled "Southpaw!"
27. Em is a white dude (for those of you who didn't know this fact)

"My family has never been there for me. They expect things because we're blood." - On his family

"A lot of my rhymes are just to get chuckles out of people. Anybody with half a brain is going to be able to tell when I'm joking and when I'm serious." - About his lyrics

"You can't control who likes you. If I got Backstreet Boy fans what am I supposed to do? Turn them away? Whoever likes my stuff, likes my stuff but just know Slim Shady is hip hop, I grew up on hip hop, it's the music I love and it's the music I respect. I respect the culture...that's me." – About his fans/hip-hop

"I'm not alone in feeling the way I feel. I believe that a lot of people can relate to my shit--whether white, black, it doesn't matter. Everybody has been through some shit, whether it's drastic or not so drastic. Everybody gets to the point of 'I don't give a f**k'." – About his attitude

"I get offended when people say, `So, being a white rapper...and growing up white...after being born white...' It's all I ever hear!" - On the question of race.