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After paying dues through battles, freestyle frenzies, and independent releases, Eminem crashed the mainstream in the late '90s, creating a storm of controversy and record-breaking sales not seen since Snoop Dogg's debut. With super-producer Dr. Dre behind the boards, Eminem scored mega-hits thanks to absurdly catchy MTV fodder like "My Name Is" and "Guilty Conscience." Combining cartoonish rage, ear-tickling beats, a distinct flow, and gushing rhyme skills, he soon became one of the most famous/infamous celebrities on the planet, simultaneously a hero to adolescent boys everywhere and the scorn of rap-hating politicians and various gay rights and women's groups. His second album was noticably darker but still immensely popular, loaded with moody singles like "Stan" and "The Way I Am." Eminem's private life soon mirrored his bad-boy image, and he found himself getting divorced, sued by his mom, and arrested for weapons violations all in the same year. After teaming up with Elton John at the 2001 Grammy Awards (to quiet the resounding charges of homophobia), he spent much of the following year working on new material and shooting the semi-autobiographical film 8 Mile. Eminem's third record, The Eminem Show, dropped in the summer of 2002. Encore followed in 2004, featuring the zany lead single "Just Lose It" as well as the political anthem "Mosh.
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