When Marshall Mathers made the improbable leap from hometown hero to million-selling superstar, it set into motion one of the most powerful examples of the medias build them up, knock them down mentality. Bursting onto MTV with lurid lyrics about sex, drugs and violence, Eminem quickly became Americas most loved and loathed celebrity and took that reputation on a worldwide tour. Despite being naturally charismatic in front of the camera, however, the first hint that Mathers infamy was taking its toll came in the form of Stan, a rap masterpiece that tells the story of an obsessed fan who kills his pregnant girlfriend and commits suicide by driving his car off a bridge. Mathers would go on to make his distaste for fame even more obvious. On fourth album The Eminem Show, the then-30 year old shifted his lyrics away from baiting celebrities and detailing his Detroit upbringing to criticizing celebrity culture, Cleanin Out My Closet lambasting both the religious groups who picketed his concerts and his mothers cynical attempts to cash in on her sons celebrity status. Now a father of three, recent years have seen Eminem complain about the touring lifestyle taking him away from his children, claiming that at the peak of his fame his daughters didnt recognize him when he returned home. He has also claimed that his five year hiatus from the music industry between 2004 and 2009 was as much about wanting to spend time with his kids as his much-publicized battle with prescription drug abuse.
