S. Samuel
Grammy-winning rapper Eminem recently reflected on the ten-year anniversary of his loosely based biopic 8 Mile and what gave him the most trouble during its production process.
Proud of the flick’s achievements, which includes an Oscar, Slim Shady admitted he struggled learning his lines.
“I definitely felt like I was about to embark on some shit that was not necessarily up my alley. It was all brand new, and I’m so glad I had all of these guys around me. My hardest part, was remembering the lines. ‘Cause really, all I had to do was take myself back into the mind frame of how I felt before I got signed with Dre. It wasn’t really too much to just be myself. … When I look back at the movie, one of the cool things is we all became friends on the set. The film carried over to how we [eventually] interacted in real life.” (VIBE)
He also addressed some portions of the movie not living up to his real upbringing.
“People who really listen to my music probably know what’s real in that movie and what’s not. There were bits and pieces that were taken from my life, but for the most part, it was the story of the underdog. We rehearsed so much before we even started the film, and I was in every scene. I was there every day from 6 a.m. until–half the time–5 in the morning the next day. It became a point where I felt like I am this person. I’m f*cking B-Rabbit because I was living this movie. I had no choice but to be him.” (VIBE)
Prior to an untimely 2010 passing, 8 Mile co-star Brittany Murphy spoke on the film sparking her acting career.
Her role in “8 Mile” led to more recognition, Murphy told The Associated Press in 2003. “That changed a lot,” she said. “That was the difference between people knowing my first and last name as opposed to not.” Murphy credited her mother, Sharon, with being a key to her success. “When I asked my mom to move to California, she sold everything and moved out here for me,” Murphy told the AP in 2003. “I was really grateful to have grown up in an environment that was conducive to creating and didn’t stifle any of that. She always believed in me.” (Associated Press)
Em’s 2002 box office hit earned him an Academy Award based off the soundtrack record, “Lose Youself.”
A rap version of “Saturday Night Fever.” B-Rabbit, a wannabe rapper from the wrong side of Detroit’s 8 Mile, has problems: he dumps his girlfriend when she tells him she’s pregnant; to save money to make a demo tape, he moves into his alcoholic mom’s trailer; his job’s a dead end, and he’s just choked at the local head-to-head rap contest. Things improve when he meets Alex – an aspiring model headed for New York – and a fast-talking pal promises to set up the demo. Then new setbacks: Alex isn’t faithful, mom rejects him, rifts surface with his friends, and he’s mugged by rivals. Everything hinges on the next rap showdown at the club. Can B-Rabbit pull truth out of his cap? (IMDb)
Check out some 8 Mile scenes below:
