The Evolution of Eminem

Don't miss Eminem tonight!

10 Artists Eminem Should Work With on MMLP2 - Only a select few have been able to get on a track with Eminem and not lyrically implode. He's a master word manipulator/rhyme slayer who's been battle-tested in the underground of Motown. And now that he's making a sequel to his awe-inspiring Marshall Mathers LP, who could possibly step up to his certified diamond mic? Click on to find out 10 who we think should make the cut.(Photo: Joel Ginsburg/WENN.com)

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The Evolution of Eminem - Today is the release of Eminem's The Marshall Mathers LP 2. With ten No. 1 albums, tens of millions of records sold and literally countless amazing verses, there's no denying that Marshall Mathers is one of the best to ever do it. But he didn't get to the top of the world overnight — click on to read the Evolution of Eminem. Don't miss him tonight on 106 & Park! —Alex Gale (Photo: Joel Ginsburg/WENN.com)

Hi, Marshall - Eminem was born Marshall Bruce Mathers III on October 17, 1972, in Saint Joseph, Missouri. His father skipped out when he was 18 months old, and he was raised solely by his mother. They moved to Detroit when he was a teenager. (Photo: WENN.com)

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Hi, Marshall - Eminem was born Marshall Bruce Mathers III on October 17, 1972, in Saint Joseph, Missouri. His father skipped out when he was 18 months old, and he was raised solely by his mother. They moved to Detroit when he was a teenager. (Photo: WENN.com)

The Slim Shady EP - Em began rhyming as a kid, and signed a production deal with the Bass Brothers in 1992. He slowly built a name for himself by tearing through the competition at area MC battles and releasing music independently. But 1997's much-bootlegged The Slim Shady EP was when it all came together. The album, which spread like wildfire through underground circles, introduced hip hop to Eminem's Slim Shady persona and his trademark style, featuring half-disturbing, half-hilarious references to drug abuse, violence, poverty, mental problems, baby-mama beef and inctricate, rapid-fire rhymes. (Photo: Shady Records)

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The Slim Shady EP - Em began rhyming as a kid, and signed a production deal with the Bass Brothers in 1992. He slowly built a name for himself by tearing through the competition at area MC battles and releasing music independently. But 1997's much-bootlegged The Slim Shady EP was when it all came together. The album, which spread like wildfire through underground circles, introduced hip hop to Em's Slim Shady persona and his trademark style, featuring half-disturbing, half-hilarious references to drug abuse, violence, poverty, mental problems, baby-mama beef and inctricate, rapid-fire rhymes. (Photo: Shady Records)

4. Eminem & Dr. Dre\r - The most commercially successful duo on this list. Dre's cosign and production work gave Em's intricate battle-tested stylings instant cred on both the corner and the airwaves; in turn, the Detroit MC gave Dre new energy and new relevance in the new millennium. Highlights: "My Name Is," "Kill You," "The Real Slim Shady"\r\r\r(Photo: Frank Micelotta/ImageDirect/Getty Images)

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Batman, Meet Robin - The Slim Shady EP eventually made its way to the desk of Interscope label head Jimmy Iovine, who passed it on to Dr. Dre. Blown away by Eminem's music (and the fact that an MC this ill was white), the Good Doctor signed Slim to his then upstart Aftermath imprint. Smart move, Doc. (Photo: Frank Micelotta/ImageDirect/Getty Images)

"My Name Is" - Em's 1999 debut single, "My Name Is," and its video were a shock to the system. The juxtaposition of the clip's off-the-wall visuals, Dr. Dre's new-millennium G-funk and a bleached-blond Em's twisted, irreverent humor was a left-field smash, and the archetype for Em's early 2000s sound. The single lifted Em's debut full-length, The Slim Shady LP, to triple-platinum status. All of the sudden Marshall Mathers was a star, and a lightning rod for critics from all corners. (Photo: Interscope Records)

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"My Name Is" - Em's 1999 debut single, "My Name Is," and its video were a shock to the system. The juxtaposition of the clip's off-the-wall visuals, Dr. Dre's new-millennium G-funk and a bleached-blond Em's twisted, irreverent humor was a left-field smash, and the archetype for Em's early 2000s sound. The single lifted Eminem's debut full-length, The Slim Shady LP, to triple-platinum status. All of the sudden Marshall Mathers was a star, and a lightning rod for critics from all corners. (Photo: Interscope Records)

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The Marshall Mathers LP - Em's 2000 sophomore set, The Marshall Mathers LP, put him on a whole other level. The album sold 1.76 million copies in its first week, breaking records set by Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle as the fastest-selling hip hop album and Britney Spears's Baby One More Time as the fastest-selling solo album in history. Packed with innovative, seminal songs like "Stan" and "The Way I Am," the album is widely regarded as Slim's best. (Photo: Interscope Records)

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The Marshall Mathers LP - Em's 2000 sophomore set, The Marshall Mathers LP, put him on a whole other level. The album sold 1.76 million copies in its first week, breaking records set by Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle as the fastest-selling hip hop album and Britney Spears's Baby One More Time as the fastest-selling solo album in history. Packed with innovative, seminal songs like "Stan" and "The Way I Am," the album is widely regarded as Slim's best. (Photo: Interscope Records)

2001 Grammys - Em won over mainstream America and many critics when he linked with Elton John to perform "Stan" at the Grammys. The high-profile duet with the gay pop icon was seen as an olive branch of sorts from Em to the gay community, who had blasted him for his lyrics in the past.(Photo: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images)

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2001 Grammys - Eminem won over mainstream America and many critics when he linked with Elton John to perform "Stan" at the Grammys. The high-profile duet with the gay pop icon was seen as an olive branch of sorts from Em to the gay community, who had blasted him for his lyrics in the past.(Photo: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images)

D12 - Despite all of his successes, Em hadn't forgotten his roots. He reunited with his old Detroit crew D12 and signed them to his new imprint, Shady Records. With Em at the forefront, the group's 2001 debut Devil's Night went double-platinum. (Photo: Interscope Records)

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D12 - Despite all of his successes, Eminem hadn't forgotten his roots. He reunited with his old Detroit crew D12 and signed them to his new imprint, Shady Records. With Em at the forefront, the group's 2001 debut Devil's Night went double-platinum. (Photo: Interscope Records)

8 Mile, Thursday at 1:30P/12:30C - Eminem's saying: "Yes" to his dreams.(Photo: Universal Pictures) 

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8 Mile - In 2002, Em brought his star power from the mic to the screen with the semi-autobiographical feature film 8 Mile, a critical and commercial success. The movie's theme, "Lose Yourself," won an Academy Award for Best Original Song and topped the charts for 23 weeks — the longest-ever such run by a rap song. (Photo: Universal Pictures)

Shady Business - Eminem signed 50 Cent to his Shady/Aftermath label. The two have been friends since. Ironically, Em is part of a handful of rappers who have not fallen out with 50. (Photo by Scott Gries/Getty Images)

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Gatman and Robin - Eminem helped usher 50 Cent into the game, signing him to a joint deal between Shady and Aftermath in 2002 and co-executive producing his classic multiplatinum debut, Get Rich or Die Tryin'. (Photo: Scott Gries/Getty Images)

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Eminem (@Eminem) - TWEET: “Q10- If u could play #radioactive for any person in the world, who would it be?”In a rare moment, Em takes the time to ask Yelawolf 10 questions about his recently released project Radioactive. Read the full interview here.  (Photo: Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)

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Curtains Close? - After extending his reign with The Eminem Show and Encore, Eminem took a hiatus from the game, releasing little new material for four years. It was a dramatic time for Em: He suffered from an addiction to sleeping pills, remarried and then redivorced his baby-mama Kim Scott, and mourned the murder of his best friend and long-time D12 collaborator, Proof. (Photo: Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)

The Evolution of Dr. Dre - After spending most of the previous years working on his long-delayed third album, Detox, Dre reunited with Eminem to produce the majority of 2009's Relapse, Slim's first real album in five years. (Photo: Aftermath Records)

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Relapse - After four long, painful, music-less years, Eminem returned with 2009's Relapse. The album didn't reach the musical or commercial heights of his early years, but it still moved five million units worldwide. Later that year, he outshined rap's new generation on Drake and Weezy's "Forever." Don't look now: Eminem was back. (Photo: Interscope Records)

Recovery - Talk about aptly titled. After underwhelming some with Relapse, Em reasserted his dominance with 2010's Recovery. The album, which featured a hungry, focused Slim, was the best-selling LP of 2010 and won a Grammy for Best Rap Album. No wonder Rolling Stone named him the "King of Rap" last year.  (Photo: Interscope Records)

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Recovery - Talk about aptly titled. After underwhelming some with Relapse, Em reasserted his dominance with 2010's Recovery. The album, which featured a hungry, focused Slim, was the best-selling LP of 2010 and won a Grammy for Best Rap Album. No wonder Rolling Stone named him the "King of Rap" last year.  (Photo: Interscope Records)

Eminem joking about how he acted during rehearsals for the film 8 Mile:  - “I was a f------g d--k.” (Photo: Skip Bolen/WireImage)

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Shady as Ever - Eminem is going strong in 2012. He produced and mixed his Shady signees Slaughterhouse's acclaimed album Welcome to: Our House. He spit a crazy guest verse on Pink's new track, "Here Comes the Weekend." And super-producer No I.D. recently revealed that he and Em were working on tracks that may be on Em's upcoming eighth solo LP. What other milestones will Eminem reach in his next 40 years on this planet? We can't wait to find out.   (Photo: Skip Bolen/WireImage)

"Evil Twin" - He's a little older and theoretically more mature, but Eminem can still make that good old-fashioned riot music for his core fans. "I'm all outta whack / I'm all outta Backstreet Boys to call out and attack / I'm goin' all out in this rap s*** and whatever the fall out is, I'm strapped," he raps over the pounding bass and aggressive keys. And that was just the beginning.(Photo: Brian Prahl / Splash News)

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Next Chapter - Eminem makes a rare concert appearance at Pier 36 in New York City for 30th Anniversary of G Shock watches a few months back. Slim Shady himself came out on stage and sang all of his classic hits for nearly an hour including "I Am" and "Lose Yourself" as the crowd went wild for the free concert and one of his first in New York in nearly 10 years. He performed on stage as images of his native Detroit where shown in the background. Don't miss him tonight on 106 & Park! (Photo: Brian Prahl / Splash News)