Marshall Mathers turns 43 today. Although I’ve been busting rap tunes since the honey’s been wearing Sassoons, I must admit I’m not really up on things in the hip hop world. I do know that Eminem is one of the most respected lyricists out there, he loves his mom’s spaghetti and, like the Hiphopopatamous, his rhymes are bottomless.

Eminem was born in Missouri to a 17 year old mother. She and his father played in a minor band called Daddy Warbucks. The band burned up the Ramada Inn circuit out West before breaking up. Eminem’s father moved to California while he and his mother moved to Detroit.

He had a difficult childhood, failed ninth grade three times and eventually dropped out of school. Eminem was active in the local underground hip hop scene and worked tirelessly to perfect his craft. This work paid off in that he is widely recognized as being one of the greatest rappers in history.

In 1997 he released “Slim Shady EP” and shortly after moved to Los Angeles. He placed second in the Rap Olympics (that is a real thing) and drew the attention of Interscope Records. One of Interscope’s producers, a PhD by the name of Andre Young, took an immediate interest in him and they began working together. In 1999 “The Slim Shady LP” was released and a star was born. That album sold over three million copies and established Eminem as the new force in hip hop.

Controversy has surrounded Eminem from the moment he stepped into the public spotlight. His drug issues and feuds with musicians and celebrities have been widely reported. He was investigated for threatening the President of the United States and was denounced for homophobic lyrics. None of this seemed to slow down Eminem, as he continued to sell albums, sell out venues and perform with luminaries like Elton John, Kirk Herbstreit and Brent Musburger.

Here is Eminem with a song that many believe is one of the top 10 rap songs ever produced: