If you're an Eminem fan, or just a fan of rap music then 8 Mile is a must-watch, and it's back on Netflix from today. The film is based on Eminem's rise to fame and the struggles he faced along the way. It follows an aspiring white rapper named Jimmy 'B-Rabbit' Smith Jr. (Eminem), who lives in a trailer park in Warren, Michigan has he tries to make it in the industry. In real life, Eminem was born Marshall Mathers in St. Joseph, Missouri. His family moved to Detroit, where he says he didn't have the best relationship with his mother - when she went out to play bingo, Marshall would blast out his music and write songs. So, perhaps we have her to thank for his lyrical genius.
The film wasn't the only success, as the soundtrack song 'Lose Yourself' was the first rap track to ever win an Academy Award - Eminem was reportedly so unconvinced that it'd win, he didn't even bother showing up.
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According to South Pawer, he said: "Actually, I was sleeping that night. I just felt like I had no chance of winning because, you know, when I heard I was nominated, I thought that was for actors.
"I was not sure what exactly Grammy or Oscar meant, what a certain award meant... so even MTV awards, all that stuff, I just didn't know what awards meant and this particular award."
He continued: "I think I got it confused when they said about an Oscar. They were talking about the song but I was like, 'Yeah, but isn't there other movies that got rock songs and stuff like that?'
"At that point in my life, I always thought, like, rap never gets a fair shake on anything. That was one of the reasons I didn't go for the first Grammys I was invited to, because I pretty much protested it. I didn't understand why there was a rap category and best album category and I couldn't understand why a rap album couldn't just be in the best album category.
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It's thought that Eminem's net worth currently sits around $210million (£167million) and we're certain that taking part in 8 Mile helped make him one of the most profitable rappers ever.
Make sure you watch 8 Mile while it's still on Netflix.
Featured Image Credit: Netflix
Topics: rap, TV and Film, Celebrity, Music, Actor, UK Entertainment, US Entertainment, Net worth, Netflix, Eminem