Eminem Invented Slim Shady Persona Because He Was 'Broke' and His 'Music Was Going Nowhere': 'My Life Was F----- Up'

'Til death did they part. Eminem is on to bigger and better things after officially killing off Slim Shady , his alter-ego persona, in his recently released album, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce).

A Tuesday, July 30, video interview titled "Slim Shady vs. Marshall Mathers: The Face-Off" saw Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Mathers III, address his former self in a hilarious AI-generated conversation between the 51-year-old and Slim Shady, the bleach blonde, bad boy, younger version of the rapper he invented at the start of his career.

In what Complex described as a "spirited conversation with his former, problematic persona" for their July 2024 cover story, Eminem admitted , "I invented you because my life was f----- up. My music was going nowhere and I was broke."

"You're the reason I had to self-medicate. Because of you I almost lost my f------ career, my f------ family, my life," the "Not Afraid" rapper declared as he listed all the reasons Slim Shady made his life worse. "Life's been great since you've been gone."

Eminem emphasized how much better his life has been after growing out of his old identity and overcoming his difficult substance abuse battle .

The dad-of-three has successfully been sober for 16 years, which was one of the many reasons why he needed to put Slim Shady to rest for good as a symbol of saying goodbye to his previously dangerous lifestyle.

"So you think it's entertaining to just be a d---head and p--- people off?" Eminem grilled his alter-ego after Slim Shady criticized the award-winning artist's newer, more "lyrical miracle" music , claiming: "People want to be entertained."

"Look, man. I've grown up, bro. My fanbase has grown up," Eminem declared. "The world's changed. F------ people are way more sensitive now. Every other week on TikTok , Gen-Z discovers you on Monday and cancels me on Tuesday."

Prior to the release of his 12th studio album, Eminem released a mock obituary for Slim Shady, further fueling the overarching narrative of his recent record.

"A product of Detroit who began his career there as a rogue splinter in the flourishing underground rap scene of the mid to late 1990s, Shady first became a household name in 1999 with the debut of his playfully deranged single 'My Name Is', which — along with its uniquely eye catching video — exposed the young artist and his lyrics to a wider audience," the obituary read.

"Ultimately, the very things that seemed to be the tools he used became calling cards that defined an existence that could only come to a sudden and horrific end," it continued. "His complex and tortured existence has come to a close, and the legacy he leaves behind is no closer to resolution than the manner in which this character departed this world."

"May he truly find the peace in an afterlife that he could not find on Earth," the message concluded.