Testing It Up

Marshall Bruce Mathers III, better known as Eminem to his fans, wears quite a number of hats — rapper, songwriter, record producer, and actor.  But on Aug. 9, he was a far cry from his old days when he performed at the Hammerstein Ballroom and thanked his supporters for helping him through dark times.

Eminem was referring to those times when he was battling  with drug abuse, depression, and tenuous relationships. He addressed hundreds of screaming fans, saying “wouldn’t have gotten out of that dark place without y’all,” before performing his Grammy award-winning song “Not Afraid.”

The 39-year old artist has long referenced his prescription drug abuse in his music. According to the Rolling Stone review of Eminem’s Relapse album in 2009, “Em’s first album in nearly five years, is studded with brand names, but not Lexus or Cristal-more like Lunesta, Ambien, Vicodin, Valium, NyQuil and other brain candy that helped Marshall Mathers turn himself into a zombie, before he got clean last year.”

Eminem dedicated his “Not Afraid” performance on Thursday “to anybody tonight who’s been through personal struggles.”

In 2010, the legendary rapper released his “Recovery” album which detailed his efforts to finally achieve sobriety. It went on to become the best selling album of that year, according to Billboard.

Tags: eminem drug abuse, eminem drug album, eminem drug recovery

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