S. Samuel
Eminem recently discussed his self-perception and why, despite having the biggest selling album of 2010, he does not subscribe to his "superstar" accolades.
From Em’s perspective, he tries to avoid the limelight and stardom.
“I don’t consider myself a star,” Em said in an interview. “Obviously, I know I’m a celebrity but I don’t look at myself in that light. I’m just me, man. It’s one of the reasons that I stay here [in Detroit]. I don’t want the attention. I don’t like the attention. I don’t like all that sh*t. Yes, I love the respect and the admiration that some people show me but I don’t thrive off that whole thing. I just want to be regular.” (VIBE)
Recently, Billboard editor Monica Herrera spoke with SOHH about Em’s dedication to his Detroit, his hometown.
“I asked him something that didn’t make it into the story. I sort of asked him how he was so connected with Detroit and how it was a part of his identity and with things not going so well over there with the economy, would he ever consider leaving, but when he started talking about what Detroit meant to him it was pretty clear that he would never leave. He said, ‘You know at this point, I don’t think there’s anything that could take me away from my hometown.’ And so it was something that I couldn’t really fit into the story because it didn’t tie-in. He talked about how Detroit makes him feel regular and he lives pretty close to where he grew up. He still has all of his friends over there.” (SOHH Guest Star)
In addition to fame, Em is also unimpressed with the perception of record sales.
“I don’t think I’ve actually stopped to think about it,” Eminem said referencing being named artist of the decade. “I never thought that my life would amount to this. But to be able to sit back and digest it is so strange to me, because I still feel so regular. I don’t understand what people think the big deal is about me. It’s a very strange relationship that I have with fame…Honestly, as long as people enjoy the music, that means the most to me. I could sell 80 million records in the first week, and if my peers or fans of real hip-hop didn’t like it, it really wouldn’t mean anything.” (Rap Radar)
To date, Em’s new Recovery album has sold over two million copies.
Leading the pack this week is Eminem’s Recovery which regained its spot at No. 1 with 132,600 records sold. According to Nielsen SoundScan, the rapper’s new album has sold 2,113,000 copies after two months in stores. (SOHH Sales Wrap)
Check out a recent Eminem interview below:
