Early Life and Education of Eminem: A Complete Timeline

How education and upbringing influenced the life of Eminem. A timeline of key moments.

Eminem, born Marshall Mathers, is a highly influential American rapper, songwriter, and producer. Widely considered one of the greatest rappers of all time, he's credited with popularizing hip-hop in Middle America and challenging racial barriers within the music industry. Despite controversy surrounding his often transgressive lyrics in the late 90s and early 2000s, he became an iconic figure embodying the angst of the American underclass.

Sections (7)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals Legacy & Impact

1955: Birth of Deborah "Debbie" Nelson

In 1955, Deborah "Debbie" Nelson, Eminem's mother, was born.

October 17, 1972: Marshall Mathers III Born

On October 17, 1972, Marshall Bruce Mathers III, later known as Eminem, was born in St. Joseph, Missouri. He is now known as one of the greatest and most influential rappers of all time, credited with popularizing hip-hop and breaking racial barriers.

1982: Lawsuit Filed After Assault

In 1982, Eminem's mother, Debbie, filed a lawsuit against the public school after D'Angelo Bailey injured Eminem's head in an assault.

1984: Reference to Michael Jackson's Incident

In 1984, Michael Jackson's hair caught fire during the filming of a commercial, an event that was later parodied in Eminem's "Just Lose It" music video in 2004.

1986: Birth of Nathan Kane Samara

In 1986, Eminem's mother had a son named Nathan "Nate" Kane Samara.

1987: Kim Scott Moves In

In 1987, Debbie allowed Kimberly Anne "Kim" Scott to stay at their home.

1988: Formation of New Jacks

In 1988, Eminem, then known as MC Double M, formed his first group, New Jacks, and made a self-titled demo tape with DJ Butter Fingers.

1989: Joining Bassmint Productions

In 1989, New Jacks joined Bassmint Productions.

January 14, 1991: Eminem begins relationship with Kimberly Anne Scott

On January 14, 1991, Eminem began an on-and-off relationship with Kimberly Anne Scott, whom he had met in high school.

1991: Suicide of Ronnie Polkingharn

Following his uncle, Ronnie Polkingharn's suicide in 1991, Eminem stopped speaking publicly for days and did not attend his funeral.

1992: Formation of Soul Intent and Music Video Appearance

In 1992, Bassmint Productions changed their name to Soul Intent and Eminem made his first music video appearance in "Do-Da-Dippity" by Champtown.

December 25, 1995: Hailie Jade born

On December 25, 1995, Eminem's only biological child, Hailie Jade, was born.

1996: Formation of D12

In 1996, Eminem and Proof teamed up with other rappers to form The Dirty Dozen (D12).

March 1997: Fired from Gilbert's Lodge

In March 1997, Eminem was fired from Gilbert's Lodge for the last time and lived in his mother's mobile home with Kim and Hailie.

1997: Development of Slim Shady and Recording of 'Slim Shady EP'

In 1997, Eminem developed Slim Shady and recorded his debut EP, the Slim Shady EP.

1997: Rap Olympics Competition

In 1997, Eminem participated in the Scribble Jam MC battle and went to Los Angeles to compete in the 1997 Rap Olympics, where he placed second. An Interscope Records intern got a copy of his EP, and it was sent to Jimmy Iovine.

March 1998: Featured in 'Unsigned Hype' Column

In March 1998, Hip-hop magazine The Source featured Eminem in its "Unsigned Hype" column.

June 14, 1999: Marriage to Kim Scott

On June 14, 1999, Eminem married Kim Scott.

1999: Establishment of Shady Records

In late 1999, Eminem and his manager Paul Rosenberg teamed up to start Shady Records.

July 2000: Cover of 'The Source'

In July 2000, Eminem was the first white artist to appear on the cover of The Source.

2000: Eminem releases the song "The Way I Am"

Eminem released the song "The Way I Am" in 2000.

2000: Assault Charge Addressed in The Eminem Show

In 2000, an assault charge brought by a bouncer who kissed Eminem's wife was later addressed in his album 'The Eminem Show'.

October 5, 2001: Divorce from Kim Scott

Eminem and Kim Scott divorced on October 5, 2001.

2002: Developed Drug Addiction

According to friend and fellow D12 member Proof, Eminem first developed a drug addiction in 2002. During the production of 8 Mile, Eminem, working 16 hours a day, developed insomnia and became addicted to prescription drugs.

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2003: 'Couch Potato' Parody Incident

In 2003, Eminem prevented "Weird Al" Yankovic from releasing the video for his parody of 'Lose Yourself' titled 'Couch Potato', as he believed it would be harmful to his image.

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January 14, 2006: Brief Remarriage to Kim Scott

Eminem and Kim Scott briefly remarried on January 14, 2006, but filed for divorce again almost three months later.

April 2006: Death of Proof

In April 2006, Proof, Eminem's childhood friend, was murdered, marking a significant personal loss for Eminem.

December 19, 2006: Finalization of Divorce and Joint Custody

On December 19, 2006, Eminem's divorce from Kim Scott was finalized, and they agreed to joint custody of their daughter Hailie.

December 2007: Hospitalization After Methadone Overdose

In December 2007, Eminem was hospitalized after an accidental methadone overdose, nearly dying due to the amount ingested.

2007: Jackson and Sony Buy Famous Music

In 2007, Michael Jackson and Sony bought Famous Music from Viacom, granting Jackson the rights to songs by Eminem, among other artists.

April 20, 2008: Eminem Achieved Sobriety

Eminem has been sober since April 20, 2008, with Elton John acting as a mentor during his recovery.

October 21, 2008: Eminem publishes autobiography, The Way I Am

On October 21, 2008, Eminem's autobiography The Way I Am was published by Dutton Adult, featuring never-before-published photos.

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2013: Demolition of Childhood Home

In 2013, the State of Michigan demolished Eminem's childhood home after it was damaged by arson.

2017: Mom's Spaghetti pop-up in Detroit

In 2017, Mom's Spaghetti was previously a pop-up in Detroit.

2018: Mom's Spaghetti pop-up at Coachella

In 2018, Mom's Spaghetti was a pop-up at Coachella.

2019: First Attempt to Break Into Eminem's House

In 2019, Matthew David Hughes pleaded guilty to breaking into a Rochester Hills home in search of Eminem.

April 2020: Home Invasion

In April 2020, Matthew David Hughes broke into Eminem's house in Clinton Township, Macomb County, Michigan.

2020: Eminem's charitable contributions during COVID-19 pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Eminem donated a pair of rare Air Jordan 4 Retro Eminem Carhartt shoes for a raffle to benefit COVID-19 relief and donated spaghetti meals to healthcare workers.

2020: Initial Home Invasion

Matthew David Hughes initially broke into Eminem's house in 2020.

September 29, 2021: Eminem opens Mom's Spaghetti restaurant in Detroit

On September 29, 2021, Eminem and Union Joints opened a spaghetti restaurant called Mom's Spaghetti at 2131 Woodward Ave in Detroit, referencing his song "Lose Yourself".

2021: Hughes Plea Agreement

In 2021, Matthew David Hughes pleaded guilty to second-degree home invasion in exchange for dismissal of other charges and was sentenced to probation and time served.

November 2022: Mother's Tribute at Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction

In November 2022, Eminem's mother publicly paid tribute to him when he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

2023: Eminem Launches "Mom's Spaghetti" Jarred Pasta Sauce

In 2023, Eminem announced the launch of a "Mom's Spaghetti" jarred pasta sauce.

August 2024: Second Arrest of Hughes

In August 2024, Matthew David Hughes returned to Eminem's property and was arrested again.

December 2024: Death of Eminem's Mother

Eminem's mother died due to complications from lung cancer in December 2024.

2024: Death of Deborah "Debbie" Nelson

In 2024, Deborah "Debbie" Nelson, Eminem's mother, passed away.

2024: Sobriety Maintenance

In 2024, Eminem revealed in interviews that maintaining sobriety remains a daily challenge but credited his family and fans for continued support.

March 14, 2025: Became a Grandfather

Through his daughter Hailie, Eminem became a grandfather to a grandson born on March 14, 2025.

May 2025: Hughes Convicted

In May 2025, Matthew David Hughes was convicted of first-degree home invasion and aggravated stalking, stemming from the 2020 and 2024 incidents; Eminem testified during the trial.