Sway: On your new album, Encore, you have "Mosh," which is probably the most political I've seen you get. You actually put yourself out on a limb and made some serious statements.
Eminem: Even though Bush has been re-elected, my message for "Mosh" was not only to get people out there and vote but ... People have kind of sensed my stance a little bit since Bush took office, with what's going on in the war and what he's got our country into. I felt like I'd be letting a lot of people down if I did not speak out. And that's the way I still feel. Again, it's one man's opinion. It's my opinion and, last time I checked, freedom of speech [meant] to say what I felt.
Sway: What do you think about Bush's re-election?
Eminem: We got to see. Hopefully, he can live up to what he's promised us. He's promised us in the past. Hopefully, [Bush] can basically figure something out with this war, start pulling our troops out, because people want an explanation. They want to know. I kind of felt like Kerry could have been that hope to pull the troops out. I felt like [the election] was a big letdown.
Sway: Can we expect to hear more politically themed records in the future?
Eminem: We'll have to see. It depends on the state of the world. I usually try not to get too political; usually, I try to stay away from it. My music is based on trying to get people's minds off the problems that are going on. Make emotional music, whether it's happy or it's sad. Whatever it is, strike a chord in some way, but usually to get your mind off something — for that average teenager to be able to go into his or her room, lock the door, throw on a record and just forget about everything. That's how my music has been based so far. But "Mosh," I just felt it at the time; I wanted to get it off my chest. That's been the story since my career began.
Sway: One of your other MO's is poking fun at iconic figures. When the "Just Lose It" video came out, you caught flack from some fans and other entertainers, but the most notable was the King of Pop himself. How do you respond to Michael Jackson's statement that you attacked him, and does that influence what you do next?
Eminem: Well, the way I've always taken it is step-by-step. But as far as the Michael Jackson thing, that was never intended to be anything more than just a pun. Like, the whole concept of the video was supposed to be Eminem over here doing the one-man show, dressing up as '80s pop icons, and then the club next door was supposed to be me in the "8 Mile" club.
So it's spoofing the movie, it was spoofing pop icons from the '80s, and there was nothing that we did in the video that I felt wasn't true about Michael Jackson. With you saying that I've become a target for people to take shots at, I have. So when I f--- up or I do something that people don't agree with, then I become the target. So you've got to be able to take it as well as dish it out, and if you're going to dish it out, you got to be able to take it.
Sway: Michael retaliated by speaking out publicly against you. Will you get into an exchange of words or music with him?
Eminem: No, I wouldn't. It wasn't even intended to be that way. In all honesty, his personal business and what he's got going on, I'm neither here nor there with it. I'm not the one to judge. But as far as his music, the man is a legend. Everybody out there who is anywhere near our age range grew up listening to Michael Jackson. I mean, there was a point in time where Michael Jackson was more popular than the president. People would know who Michael Jackson was before they would know the president's name.
Sway: There's some real beef you address on the album, particularly "Like Toy Soldiers." You break down the whole saga of the war of words between your camp, Ja Rule, the Inc. Records and The Source.
Eminem: "Toy Soldiers" is about walking away from the beef. Just like, "Look, I'm done. This is the last thing I've got to say, let me get this off my chest, and from our side, we're walking away from it. You guys can keep saying what you want to say and keep attacking us. Do your thing. If that's what you feel, if you want to spend all your energy and place it into one person instead of focusing on yourself, then do that." But that's my way of saying I'm turning my back on it.
Sway: In the song, you also say that you and Dre actually sat down with 50 before you signed him and told him he didn't have to respond to Ja.
Eminem: Yeah, we did. We sat down with 50 and we asked about the beef between him and Ja and he said everything was cool from his end. One of the things Dre said that stuck in my mind: "We don't want to buy a problem." You know, we're not really looking to start no beef. We're usually not the beef-starters, despite the little stabs taken at pop singers and all that stuff. That's not real beef; that's ha-ha-ha funny.
" 'Toy Soldiers' is about walking away from the beef. Just like, 'Look, I'm done. This is the last thing I've got to say' "...
Sway: On "Like Toy Soldiers," you talk about how your crew is so tight that you picked up 50's initial beef with Ja, and 50 picked up your beef with The Source.
Eminem: I got my beef over here, 50's got his beef with Ja. All of a sudden it seemed like everyone who hates us is teaming up. So then we started inheriting each other's beef. 50 inherited mine, so now he can't be on the cover of The Source magazine 'cause I got this beef over here. He's being attacked by Ja. Ja is saying things about me, then all of a sudden comes out and says a line about my daughter — and when it got to that level, that's when it got crazy to me. That's when it got crazy. But "Toy Soldiers" is a song saying how serious the beef can get, and people can die over this sh--.
In what would later serve as inspiration for his hit movie "8 Mile," Eminem fights for respect in Detroit's underground rhyme battles.
Seeking to dispel accusations of homophobia, Eminem takes the stage with Elton John to perform "Stan" at the Grammys.
Slim Shady goes pop, debuting on MTV's "TRL" in 1999 with his first of many hit videos, "My Name Is."
Hometown love reaches a boiling point as nearly 100,000 people pack Ford Field, home of the Detroit Lions, to see Eminem perform.
Dr. Dre is introduced to Eminem and the two begin a partnership that would spawn such hits as "I'm Back" and "My Name Is."
Sway: A crew of so many superstars usually doesn't stay cohesive for too long, but the Shady/ Aftermath/ G-Unit triangle has stayed strong. What's the secret?
Eminem: I think the secret to it is basically loyalty. When me, Dre, and 50 get in a room it's no envy, no jealousy, it's not somebody trying to outdo the next person. I'm not trying to make a beat that's better than the one Dre just made. That's what happens with a lot of crews. It's like somebody may get a little more light than the other person and then that person gets jealous and wants to go off on their own and create more light for themselves. We really don't trip off of it at all. We get in the room, we talk, we shoot the sh--. I mean, Dre saved my life. Just that alone is enough for me to respect that man for the rest of my life.
Sway: Obviously, one the records from Encore that has been getting attention is the title track, which features yourself, Dre and 50. Is that going to be the next single?
Eminem: We're still working out what's going to be the next single, but we released that on 12-inch [vinyl, to DJs]. It's definitely a nice collaboration. I feel like it's me, Dre and 50 coming together. You can't really hear it the way that it's mixed, but it's me and 50 singing the hook together. 50 does the lows and I do the highs on the chorus, me and Dre going back and forth.
Sway: What's that like? The record sounds like you guys were having a lot of fun while making that record. When the three of you guys are in the studio, what is that like? Is there a lot of jokes being cracked, somebody passing gas — or is it serious?
Eminem: It's all of those. You know, like I said, we shoot the sh--. We mess around, we do the chitchat and the jokes. And when it's time to get down to business, we get down to business. When we know we got something, we knock something out, then it's back to the jokes and back to the vibing. It's got to be fun. If it's tense in there, it's not going to work. If you create a tense work environment you're not going to have a work environment, period. It's just going to crumble, you're going to leave the studio at the end of the day with nothing.
Sway: On "Encore," you say you don't want to leave without saying goodbye. When you do finally bow out of the game, what do you want your legacy to be?
Eminem: If my contribution to this game is that a 40-something-year-old person walks up to me saying, "Yo, you made me like hip-hop" — if I get that one person that says, "Since I listened to you, you turned me on to rap. Now I went and bought Nelly's album, I went and bought Jay-Z's album." Whatever my contribution, if it's that, then so be it. Whatever it is to help the growth of hip-hop. From pioneers since Run-DMC to the Beastie Boys to LL, they all had a part to play. I may have a role in little Jeremy from Idaho, who we don't know about right now, who is 13 years old and coming up, that next white kid or that next rapper, period. I just want to keep hip-hop expanding and keep it moving for that next generation.
Eminem: Even though Bush has been re-elected, my message for "Mosh" was not only to get people out there and vote but ... People have kind of sensed my stance a little bit since Bush took office, with what's going on in the war and what he's got our country into. I felt like I'd be letting a lot of people down if I did not speak out. And that's the way I still feel. Again, it's one man's opinion. It's my opinion and, last time I checked, freedom of speech [meant] to say what I felt.
Sway: What do you think about Bush's re-election?
Eminem: We got to see. Hopefully, he can live up to what he's promised us. He's promised us in the past. Hopefully, [Bush] can basically figure something out with this war, start pulling our troops out, because people want an explanation. They want to know. I kind of felt like Kerry could have been that hope to pull the troops out. I felt like [the election] was a big letdown.
Sway: Can we expect to hear more politically themed records in the future?
Eminem: We'll have to see. It depends on the state of the world. I usually try not to get too political; usually, I try to stay away from it. My music is based on trying to get people's minds off the problems that are going on. Make emotional music, whether it's happy or it's sad. Whatever it is, strike a chord in some way, but usually to get your mind off something — for that average teenager to be able to go into his or her room, lock the door, throw on a record and just forget about everything. That's how my music has been based so far. But "Mosh," I just felt it at the time; I wanted to get it off my chest. That's been the story since my career began.
Sway: One of your other MO's is poking fun at iconic figures. When the "Just Lose It" video came out, you caught flack from some fans and other entertainers, but the most notable was the King of Pop himself. How do you respond to Michael Jackson's statement that you attacked him, and does that influence what you do next?
Eminem: Well, the way I've always taken it is step-by-step. But as far as the Michael Jackson thing, that was never intended to be anything more than just a pun. Like, the whole concept of the video was supposed to be Eminem over here doing the one-man show, dressing up as '80s pop icons, and then the club next door was supposed to be me in the "8 Mile" club.
So it's spoofing the movie, it was spoofing pop icons from the '80s, and there was nothing that we did in the video that I felt wasn't true about Michael Jackson. With you saying that I've become a target for people to take shots at, I have. So when I f--- up or I do something that people don't agree with, then I become the target. So you've got to be able to take it as well as dish it out, and if you're going to dish it out, you got to be able to take it.
Sway: Michael retaliated by speaking out publicly against you. Will you get into an exchange of words or music with him?
Eminem: No, I wouldn't. It wasn't even intended to be that way. In all honesty, his personal business and what he's got going on, I'm neither here nor there with it. I'm not the one to judge. But as far as his music, the man is a legend. Everybody out there who is anywhere near our age range grew up listening to Michael Jackson. I mean, there was a point in time where Michael Jackson was more popular than the president. People would know who Michael Jackson was before they would know the president's name.
Sway: There's some real beef you address on the album, particularly "Like Toy Soldiers." You break down the whole saga of the war of words between your camp, Ja Rule, the Inc. Records and The Source.
Eminem: "Toy Soldiers" is about walking away from the beef. Just like, "Look, I'm done. This is the last thing I've got to say, let me get this off my chest, and from our side, we're walking away from it. You guys can keep saying what you want to say and keep attacking us. Do your thing. If that's what you feel, if you want to spend all your energy and place it into one person instead of focusing on yourself, then do that." But that's my way of saying I'm turning my back on it.
Sway: In the song, you also say that you and Dre actually sat down with 50 before you signed him and told him he didn't have to respond to Ja.
Eminem: Yeah, we did. We sat down with 50 and we asked about the beef between him and Ja and he said everything was cool from his end. One of the things Dre said that stuck in my mind: "We don't want to buy a problem." You know, we're not really looking to start no beef. We're usually not the beef-starters, despite the little stabs taken at pop singers and all that stuff. That's not real beef; that's ha-ha-ha funny.
" 'Toy Soldiers' is about walking away from the beef. Just like, 'Look, I'm done. This is the last thing I've got to say' "...
Sway: On "Like Toy Soldiers," you talk about how your crew is so tight that you picked up 50's initial beef with Ja, and 50 picked up your beef with The Source.
Eminem: I got my beef over here, 50's got his beef with Ja. All of a sudden it seemed like everyone who hates us is teaming up. So then we started inheriting each other's beef. 50 inherited mine, so now he can't be on the cover of The Source magazine 'cause I got this beef over here. He's being attacked by Ja. Ja is saying things about me, then all of a sudden comes out and says a line about my daughter — and when it got to that level, that's when it got crazy to me. That's when it got crazy. But "Toy Soldiers" is a song saying how serious the beef can get, and people can die over this sh--.
In what would later serve as inspiration for his hit movie "8 Mile," Eminem fights for respect in Detroit's underground rhyme battles.
Seeking to dispel accusations of homophobia, Eminem takes the stage with Elton John to perform "Stan" at the Grammys.
Slim Shady goes pop, debuting on MTV's "TRL" in 1999 with his first of many hit videos, "My Name Is."
Hometown love reaches a boiling point as nearly 100,000 people pack Ford Field, home of the Detroit Lions, to see Eminem perform.
Dr. Dre is introduced to Eminem and the two begin a partnership that would spawn such hits as "I'm Back" and "My Name Is."
Sway: A crew of so many superstars usually doesn't stay cohesive for too long, but the Shady/ Aftermath/ G-Unit triangle has stayed strong. What's the secret?
Eminem: I think the secret to it is basically loyalty. When me, Dre, and 50 get in a room it's no envy, no jealousy, it's not somebody trying to outdo the next person. I'm not trying to make a beat that's better than the one Dre just made. That's what happens with a lot of crews. It's like somebody may get a little more light than the other person and then that person gets jealous and wants to go off on their own and create more light for themselves. We really don't trip off of it at all. We get in the room, we talk, we shoot the sh--. I mean, Dre saved my life. Just that alone is enough for me to respect that man for the rest of my life.
Sway: Obviously, one the records from Encore that has been getting attention is the title track, which features yourself, Dre and 50. Is that going to be the next single?
Eminem: We're still working out what's going to be the next single, but we released that on 12-inch [vinyl, to DJs]. It's definitely a nice collaboration. I feel like it's me, Dre and 50 coming together. You can't really hear it the way that it's mixed, but it's me and 50 singing the hook together. 50 does the lows and I do the highs on the chorus, me and Dre going back and forth.
Sway: What's that like? The record sounds like you guys were having a lot of fun while making that record. When the three of you guys are in the studio, what is that like? Is there a lot of jokes being cracked, somebody passing gas — or is it serious?
Eminem: It's all of those. You know, like I said, we shoot the sh--. We mess around, we do the chitchat and the jokes. And when it's time to get down to business, we get down to business. When we know we got something, we knock something out, then it's back to the jokes and back to the vibing. It's got to be fun. If it's tense in there, it's not going to work. If you create a tense work environment you're not going to have a work environment, period. It's just going to crumble, you're going to leave the studio at the end of the day with nothing.
Sway: On "Encore," you say you don't want to leave without saying goodbye. When you do finally bow out of the game, what do you want your legacy to be?
Eminem: If my contribution to this game is that a 40-something-year-old person walks up to me saying, "Yo, you made me like hip-hop" — if I get that one person that says, "Since I listened to you, you turned me on to rap. Now I went and bought Nelly's album, I went and bought Jay-Z's album." Whatever my contribution, if it's that, then so be it. Whatever it is to help the growth of hip-hop. From pioneers since Run-DMC to the Beastie Boys to LL, they all had a part to play. I may have a role in little Jeremy from Idaho, who we don't know about right now, who is 13 years old and coming up, that next white kid or that next rapper, period. I just want to keep hip-hop expanding and keep it moving for that next generation.