When Eminem released The Slim Shady LP in 1999, he changed the sound and attitude of mainstream rap forever. With dark humor, brutally honest lyrics, and wild imagination, Eminem introduced the world to his alter ego Slim Shady and never looked back. This album gave hip-hop a jolt of energy, shock, and talent that no one saw coming.
1. “My Name Is” was finished in one hour
On Eminem’s very first day working with Dr. Dre, the two created “My Name Is” in about 60 minutes. Dr. Dre built the beat, Eminem freestyled over it, and the song came together almost instantly. This fast-paced collaboration showed how naturally they worked together. The song became Eminem’s first Billboard hit and introduced Slim Shady to the world.
2. Hailie’s voice was recorded without Kim knowing
Eminem’s daughter Hailie appears on the track “’97 Bonnie & Clyde.” At the time, Eminem was not on good terms with Kim. He told her he was taking Hailie to Chuck E. Cheese, but instead brought her to the studio to record vocals. Kim only found out after the song was finished. Eminem later said he planned to explain everything to Hailie when she got older.
3. A prank call turned into the Ken Kaniff character
The skit featuring Ken Kaniff started as a prank call recorded by Detroit rapper Aristotle. After a falling out between the two, Eminem took over the Ken Kaniff role himself on future albums. The character became a recurring part of Eminem’s storytelling. Ken Kaniff appeared again in Eminem’s 2024 album, showing just how long the joke lasted.
4. Zoe Winkler’s voicemail became a skit
One of the skits on the album features a voicemail from Zoe Winkler, daughter of actor Henry Winkler. She was upset by Eminem’s music and left a message for her friend about it. Instead of being offended, Eminem asked her for permission to use the message on the album. She agreed, and it became part of the final tracklist.
5. The bassline in “My Name Is” nearly got scrapped
The famous bassline in “My Name Is” comes from Labi Siffre’s 1975 song “I Got The.” Siffre only allowed it to be used after Eminem agreed to remove homophobic and sexist lyrics from the song. Without that approval, the song might have been completely different. Eminem’s team re-recorded the riff with musicians to meet the request, keeping the heart of the sample intact.
The Slim Shady LP became a cornerstone of hip-hop and launched one of the most unique voices the genre has ever heard. These stories behind the music show just how raw, strange, and brilliant that breakthrough moment really was.