Believe it or not, he actually lived in the black neighborhood of Detroit

I went through an article that was published in the Detroit News recently:

http://www.detnews.com/2004/metro/0408/25/a02-253306.htm

I was surprised and angered at the same time by Neal Rubin’s statements about the place where Eminem used to live, because I am deeply convinced that this article totally misrepresents the truth.

First of all, people who know Eminem’s life story perfectly know that 8 Mile has never been autobiographical. It just situates the context of Eminem’s story.

Neal Rubin’s worst statement is the following one:

« Lots of people have taken it literally, though, and they’ll be surprised to learn where Marshall Mathers III grew up:
In a brick bungalow near Nine Mile. »

This statement is untrue: Eminem didn’t live permanently near 9 Mile in the little house of Warren.

He used to live between 7 and 8 Mile with his mom. You will learn it from Eminem’s mouth in an interview given to Spin Magazine in 2000:

Spin: These were mostly African-American neighborhoods where you grew up?

Eminem: Yeah, near 8 Mile Road in Detroit, which separates the suburbs from the city. Almost all the blacks are on one side, and almost all the whites are on the other, but all the families nearby are low-income. We lived on the black side. Most of the time it was relatively cool, but I would get beat up sometimes when I’d walk around the neighborhood and kids didn’t know me. One day I got jumped by, like, six dudes for no reason. I also got shot at, and ended up running out of my shoes, crying. I was 15 years old and I didn’t know how to handle that shit.

It is a matter of fact that Eminem used to live on the black side of Detroit. Deshaun Holton aka MC Big Proof used to live in the same street than Marshall Mathers.

The Source Magazine also tried to make a « myth » out of Eminem’s story growing up across 8 Mile, but Eminem’s former friend, Chaos Kid, confirms that Eminem has never been a 9 Mile resident. His presence in the 9 Mile area corresponds to periods where Marshall used to be kicked out by his mom:

« Marshall did not move to Warren in his early teens. He lived in the city of Detroit. The Northeast side between 7 and 8 mile which is still predominantly black. He never lived in Warren. He would, however, frequently get kicked out by his crazy mom and would sometimes spend a few nights at a time in Warren between 8 and 9 mile at Manix and Buttafingaz’ house. His girlfriend also lived in that area, so I assume he would spend some nights over there as well. However, most of the time his girlfriend would spend the night at HIS house in Detroit where he had his own room. » (Chaos Kid, letter to the Source Magazine).

Marshall went to Lincoln High school that is situated between the 8 Mile and the 9 Mile area, because he had some problems at the local high school he went to:

« He first went to a Detroit High School where he had some problems so for awhile he went to Lincoln High School between 8 and 9 mile in Warren. He did this by giving the school a false address within the school district. This is where he met Manix and D.J. Buttafingaz who were also attending Lincoln at the time. After awhile Lincoln High School found out that he wasn’t a Warren resident however and he had to go back to Detroit schools where he attended once again for a period of time before being kicked out or dropping out (I don’t remember which). All the music was recorded in Warren during this time over at Manix and Butta’s house but Marshall DID live in Detroit.» (Chaos Kid, letter to the Source Magazine)Maybe some people are trying to make a myth about some facts concerning Eminem.

But most of the facts stated by Eminem about his childhood and his former life can be verified as a 100% true.

Mr Neal Rubin , please keep your facts about Marshall Mathers straight.