12 Times Eminem Spit Lyrical Fire

Lose Yourself remains one of Eminem’s best-loved songs - especially thanks to the ‘mom’s spaghetti’ memes - it is really just about a fictional character in a loose biopic. Sure, the biopic is based on Mathers’ life, but some creative license has been used. While that doesn’t leave the song without merit, it does prevent from appearing as legitimate as other Eminem tracks.

Also featuring on the soundtrack to 8 Mile is the excellent eponymous track. Similar to Lose Yourself, 8 Mile does contain references to events in the movie. However, compared to the hit single, 8 Mile only references a little sister (when in actuality, Marshall had a brother), and the movie’s antagonists, Free World. Other than these two references, the song comes across as more true. 8 Mile is essentially the other side of the coin of If I Had (from The Slim Shady LP).

Where If I Had contained the desperation of a pre-break Eminem, listing all of the things wrong in his life, 8 Mile is a more positive mission statement moving towards the rapper’s earlier goals. In the lines, ‘Got the urge, suddenly it’s a surge / Suddenly a new burst of energy has occurred,’ Eminem is trying to hold on, and is feeling powered by his potential. He is no longer going to get sidetracked, he has found his calling and is going for it with all guns blazing.