Rap legend Eminem has admitted that he had to teach himself how to rap again after overcoming his battle with addiction and recording music sober for the first time in years.
The 52-year-old rapper, whose real name is Marshall Mathers, has long been open about his struggles with substance abuse. After a near-fatal methadone overdose in 2007, Eminem made the life-changing decision to get sober in 2008. Now, nearly 17 years into his sobriety, he has reflected on the challenges of rediscovering his craft without drugs.
“It Was Like Learning Everything Again”
During a 2022 interview on the Paul Pod podcast, hosted by his longtime manager Paul Rosenberg, Eminem recalled how difficult it was to adjust to rapping without substances in his system.
Rosenberg noted that doctors had to stabilize the rapper with medications after his overdose, making the creative process even harder. He asked,
“You’re learning how to rap again, almost literally, right? Because it’s the first time you were creating without substances in your body in however many years.”
Eminem confirmed, saying:
“I remember when I first got sober, and all the sht was out of my system, I was just really happy. Everything felt fcking new to me again. [Relapse] was the first album where I had fun recording in a long time. It was like the first time I started having fun with music again and relearning how to rap.”
Rosenberg Feared for Eminem’s Brain Function
Eminem also revealed that his manager had serious concerns about whether his brain would fully recover after years of drug use.
“Didn’t you ask the doctors when I first started rapping again, ‘I just wanna make sure he doesn’t have brain damage’?” Eminem asked Rosenberg.
The Struggles of Early Recovery Music
Eminem’s first project post-overdose was Relapse (2009), an album heavily influenced by his early sobriety struggles. This was followed by Recovery (2010), featuring chart-topping hits like “Not Afraid” and “Love the Way You Lie.”
Despite his incredible comeback, there were bumps along the way. Shortly after starting recovery, an unreleased track called “Detroit Basketball” leaked online, and Rosenberg admitted it was not good.
Eminem himself recalled listening back to some of his early sober recordings and realizing,
“Wait, that’s not good.”
Over time, however, the Rap God sharpened his skills again and went on to deliver some of his biggest hits, including “The Monster,” “Rap God,” and “River.”
Now, 17 years sober, Eminem remains one of the most influential and respected rappers in the world, proving that even at rock bottom, a comeback is always possible.
