Eminem reveals the real reason he invented his alter ego Slim Shady but says the character made his life worse as he ‘kills him off’ in new album

Eminem has revealed the real reason he created his alter ego Slim Shady, but he criticizes the character for making his life worse.

This came after the 51-year-old rapper released his twelfth studio album The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce), on which he officially killed off the controversial character.

In an interview with Complex in which the rapper, born Marshall Bruce Mathers III, verbally battled an AI-generated version of himself, he revealed that he created the iconic character to revive his career.

In the video, titled Slim Shady vs Marshall Mathers: The Face-Off, the rapper told himself that he was old-fashioned and that he wanted to kill him.

He said, ‘I invented you because my life was fucked up. My music wasn’t going anywhere and I was broke.’

He added that the character had made his life worse and had not solved his problems.

“You’re the reason I had to self-medicate. You almost cost me my f*****g career, my f*****g family, my life,” he said.

He added that his life had improved a lot after he distanced himself from his image, citing his battle with drug abuse.

The rapper has been sober for 16 years and has documented his past struggles with alcohol and prescription drugs.

In the video, the two go head-to-head, insulting each other and comparing their careers.

Dressed in a black hoodie, gray pants and a matching cap, Eminem criticizes his bleached-blond image during the interview, telling his character he’s old-fashioned and insulting and defending his 20-year career.

The bizarre interview also touched on the rapper’s ongoing feud with Machine Gun Kelly, which saw gross insults exchanged.

Slim Shady told Eminem, “MGK fucked your mother,” to which Eminem responded in annoyance, “He did, but she’s your mother too, so you really need help, man.”

The rivalry between Eminem and Machine Gun Kelly, whose real name is Colson Baker, flared up years ago.

The artists had released diss tracks aimed at each other: Eminem’s 2017 song Not Alike, 2018’s Killshot and MGK’s 2018 song Rap Devil.

The conversation between Eminem and his alter ego also included references to several celebrities, including Richard Gere, Caitlyn Jenner, Vanilla Ice, Ja Rule, Moby, Fred Durst, Christina Aguilera and the late Christopher Reeve.

The interview is part of Eminem’s promotion of his latest album, which has received mixed reviews.

Several of the veteran rapper’s songs have been heavily criticized for their lyrics, which even include references to Alec Baldwin’s shooting on Rust.

The rapper was called “sick and tasteless” after referencing the deadly incident.

In Fuel, Eminem, 51, raps: ‘But it’s in a holster, I’m busting with it/ Fuck around and get shot like Halyna Hutchins

Alec, 66, was acquitted of all charges following a trial in New Mexico over the shooting of camerawoman Halyna Hutchins, 42, on October 21, 2021.

Despite mixed reactions, the album has been praised by die-hard fans who feel they have discovered a hidden meaning in the rapper’s latest release.

Just before the 19-track release on July 12, Eminem added fuel to the fire by cryptically telling his followers how to listen to the new album.

He warned X (formerly Twitter): “Public announcement: The ‘Death of Slim Shady’ is a concept album, so if you listen to the songs out of order they may not make sense. Enjoy.”

If you listen to the songs in order, the album seems to tell the story of his confrontation with his alter ego Slim Shady and how he ultimately comes to terms with it, which is in line with the title.

However, some diehard fans of the rapper believe that the best way to listen to The Death of Slim Shady and discover its message is to listen to the song in reverse.

They have put forward the theory on social media that the album is not really about Slim Shady’s death, but rather his resurrection and return to life. They wrote:

“I’m not going to lie, those online theories that Eminem’s album storyline makes more sense if you listen to the songs backwards do make sense.”

‘You have to listen to The Death Of Slim Shady backwards. It tells the story of Eminem’s career.’

In the lead-up to the release, Eminem placed an obituary for Slim Shady in the Detroit Free Press, declaring him dead.

The announcement read: ‘Shady is a product of Detroit, having begun his career there as a maverick splinter group in the thriving underground rap scene of the mid-to-late 1990s. He first became a household name in 1999 with the release of his playful, deranged single “My Name Is,” which—along with its unique, eye-catching music video—introduced the young artist and his lyrics to a wider audience.

‘Ultimately, the things he used as tools became calling cards that defined an existence that could only end in a sudden and horrible way.

‘His complex and tormented existence has come to an end, and the legacy he leaves behind is no more a resolution than the manner in which this character left this world.

‘May he truly find the peace in the Hereafter that he could not find on earth.’