Eminem has struggled with an addiction to painkillers in the past.
Today, October 17, is Eminem’s 50th birthday, and fans from across the world have been paying tribute to the self-proclaimed “rap god”.
But this year has seen the rapper mark an even more significant milestone in his life – as of April 2022, he had gone 14 years sober.
Eminem has previously suffered from addiction to pain and anxiety medication, which first began during the filming of his 2002 hit movie 8 Mile.
His decision to go sober came soon after he suffered a near-fatal overdose from methadone.
Earlier this year, the Grammy-winning rapper opened up on an episode of Paul Rosenberg’s podcast about the incident.
“It took a long time for my brain to start working again,” Eminem said to his longtime manager.
Rosenberg recalled asking the doctors about any potential brain damage when things were looking grim in the hospital.
“Didn’t you ask the doctors when I first started rapping again, didn’t you say, ‘I just wanna make sure he doesn’t have brain damage’?” Eminem asked.
“Yeah. I thought you might have some permanent problems,” Rosenberg responded. “Yeah. I was concerned, for sure.”
Eminem also spoke about having to relearn his craft in the period after his recovery, and how that changed his next album, Relapse.
“I remember when I first got sober and all the shit was out of my system, I remember just being, like, really happy and everything was f*****g new to me again,” he said.
“It was the first album and the first one that I had fun recording in a long time.”
He added: “It was like the first time I started having fun with music again and relearning how to rap. You remember that whole process, [it] took a long time for my brain to start working.”
In the song ‘Deja Vu’ from the album, Eminem rapped in detail about the incident and how he tried to hide his addiction from his loved ones.
Meanwhile, in the final two tracks of his album Revival, he explains his brush with death and the impact it had on his family.
On ‘Castle’ he raps: “If things should worsen, don’t take this letter I wrote / As a goodbye note / ‘Cause your dad’s at the end of his rope / I’m sliding down a slippery slope / Anyways sweetie / I better go, I’m getting sleepy / Love, Dad… shit, I don’t know.”
A pill bottle dropping to the floor can then be heard before the sound of someone collapsing to the floor shortly after.
Then, on the album’s final track ‘Arose’, he deals with the aftermath of the methadone overdose, saying: “Just heard that nurse say, my liver and kidneys aren’t functioning / Been flirtatious with death, skirt-chasing, I guess it’s arrivederci / Same nurse, just heard say they’re unplugging me.”
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In February, the rapper played the Super Bowl halftime show alongside Dr Dre, Mary J Blige, Kendrick Lamar and Snoop Dogg (Getty)
Addressing his daughters Hailie and Alaina, he then raps that he is “too sick to come home for Christmas” but pledges to “throw this methadone in the toilet.”
According to rumours, the rapper is in advanced talks to headline Glastonbury next year
A source told The Sun: “Eminem is wanted for a huge slot at Glastonbury and has been in talks for yonks.
“His dates all line-up and if they can get him on board, it will be the first time he has ever played at the festival. Eminem is one of the greatest rappers on the planet and to have him down on the farm would be incredible.
“There is also a huge nostalgia factor with Eminem. He has been around for over 25 years and everyone knows his music.
“It would be a really special moment, not just for him but for everyone at the festival. The organisers think he will sign on the dotted line and they can get things moving.”
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