Eminem Reveals Near-Death Experience, “If I Didn’t Admit I Was Weak, I Was Going To Die” [Video]

Grammy-winning rapper Eminem has opened up about his past battle with drug addiction and detailed a near-death experience.

Em claims that he was hesitant to reveal his weakness to hip-hop fans.

“It took me awhile to admit I actually did have a problem,” the musician said. “In the hip-hop world that I live in, it can be mistaken for weakness and the last thing you want to do in hip-hop is admit that you’re weak. But if I didn’t admit I was weak with this certain thing I was going to die.” When asked how close he was to death, the artist responded that he “was certainly a couple of hours away from death,” adding that he “overdosed and almost died.” But he pulled himself back from the brink and re-entered rehab with a more honest, committed attitude: “I had to admit I had a problem. I had to do it for myself,” Eminem said. (CNN)

Last January, music veteran Elton John revealed he was helping Em fight through drug addiction.

“I’ve been helping Eminem over the last 18 months and he’s doing brilliantly,” John says, reports the British Press Association. Speaking to BBC Radio 5 in the U.K. on Saturday, Sir Elton, 62, who has freely spoken about his own past issues with substance abuse, said: “I’m there if people want my help. If people ask for help you tell them where to go but there’s no point advising people if they don’t want to do it.” (People)

In a June 2009 VIBE interview, Em broke down his slow recovery and return to the spotlight.

“I wanted to make an overall statement–I’m back,” Em said. “It was a slow process. You gotta remember I hadn’t recorded a song sober in seven years. So it took me awhile to even feel like I could record a song sober…I don’t know the last time I shot a video sober, without drinking or taking anything. It’s been years…I almost feel like a little kid again with rap. I wanna play around with different flows. If I don’t feel like it’s what I’m fully capable of, if there’s one weak line, I wanna change it. Rap was my drug. It used to get me high and then it stopped getting me high. Then I had to resort to other things to make me feel that…now rap’s getting me high again.” (Rap Radar)

In a past interview, the rapper said drugs forced his transition into producing.

“I wasn’t ready to give up drugs,” Em explained. “I didn’t really think I had a problem…I felt like I wanted to pull back, because my drug problem had got so bad. I felt like, maybe if I take a break, maybe this will help. I started to get into the producer role more.” (XXL Magazine)

Check out a portion of Eminem’s interview down below: