The Real Slim Shady Explained

The Real Slim Shady
Cover:Eminem - The Real Slim Shady CD cover.jpg
Border:yes
Type:single
Artist:Eminem
Album:The Marshall Mathers LP
Released:April 18, 2000[1]
Prev Title:Forgot About Dre
Prev Year:2000
Next Title:The Way I Am
Next Year:2000

"The Real Slim Shady" is a song by American rapper Eminem from his third album The Marshall Mathers LP (2000). It was released as the lead single a month before the album's release.

The song peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100, giving him his biggest hit up to that point.[2] It was also Eminem's first song to reach number one in the UK and Ireland and the song was the 14th best selling of 2000 in the UK. It won multiple awards, including MTV Video Music Awards for Best Video and Best Male Video, as well as a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance. In October 2011, NME placed it at number 80 on its list "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years".[3] It was listed at number 396 on NMEs 500 greatest songs of all time.

Production

"The Real Slim Shady" was not originally intended to be part of The Marshall Mathers LP. Interscope Records's Jimmy Iovine wanted Eminem to get a song to introduce the album, similar to the way "My Name Is" was the first single on The Slim Shady LP. Eminem, Dr. Dre, Tommy Coster and Mike Elizondo wrote "The Real Slim Shady" just hours before the final copy of the album was due. The first single was intended to be "Who Knew."[4]

The song's first verse interpolated the 1999 novelty single "Lonely Swedish (The Bum Bum Song)" by Tom Green[5] and the intro and chorus of the song interpolate the famous catchphrase "will the real _____ please stand up?" from the television game show To Tell The Truth.[6] [7]

Critical reception

PopMatters described the song as "slamming their 'enemies' with comic book intensity," while also noting its ironic themes surrounding the number of near-identical "wannabes" due to Eminem's overall appearance, citing his "signature style" which bore "bleached blond hair, pale skin, [and] humungous T-shirt".[8] AllMusic highlighted the single.[9]

Rolling Stone praised the sound of the single as "slick, bright, melodic funk that's so R&B-ish, you can dance to it".[10] Entertainment Weeklys Will Hermes was also positive, writing, "In the aftermath of Slim Shady, he married the girlfriend he imagined killing, while his mother, immortalized in his hit single 'My Name Is' (I just found out my Mom does more dope than I do), sued him for $10 million for defamation of character."[11] The defamation case was settled in 2001 for $25,000 as Debbie Mathers' former attorney was awarded $23,354—netting Ms. Mathers just over $1600 for her efforts.[12] [13]

The Los Angeles Times favored The Real Slim Shady as a "modest step to the mainstream—a fresh and funny, almost PG-rated swipe at everything from the Grammy Awards to shallow teen pop",[14] while IGN wrote:

"The album's obligatory 'pop' number is exposed on 'The Real Slim Shady,' which chugs and lurches along to a boinging electro funk beat. It would be a total pop smash if it weren't for the lyrics, though. Leave it to Em to juice it up with ear candy effervescent, but keep the words in the subversive. As with the other Dre crafted tunes on the album, there's plenty of cool special effects bustling about—fart noises, heavy breathing, all of it coalescing with Em's cartoon character on crystal meth delivery. Sure it's pop, but of the most demented nature."[15]

The song has been included as part of many films, notably 21 Jump Street (2012) and Freddy Got Fingered (2001).

Music video

Philip G. Atwell And Dr. Dre directed the music video filmed in 7–10 April 2000. Eminem's friends and former group-mates from D12 including rappers Denaun Porter, Proof, Swifty McVay, Bizarre, Kuniva, and Limp Bizkit vocalist Fred Durst are featured in the video along with him.

Actress and comedian Kathy Griffin, notable for insulting celebrities in her act,[16] appears in the video as an attending nurse in a psychiatric ward. Griffin said during a July 21, 2005, interview on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno that Eminem selected her for the video because fellow rapper Snoop Dogg told him she was "really funny."[17]

Credits

Information from the interior booklet of The Marshall Mathers LP

Awards

See also: List of awards and nominations received by Eminem. "The Real Slim Shady" was very successful at the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards, winning awards for Video of the Year and Best Male Video, as well as being a nominee for Best Rap Video, Best Direction, Best Editing and Viewer's Choice. The song was also performed by Eminem at the show with look-a-likes of himself, as in the video.

Awards and nominations received by or for "The Real Slim Shady"
YearOrganizationAwardResult
2000Billboard Music AwardsMaximum Vision Video
Best Rap/Hip-Hop Clip of the Year
Teen Choice AwardsChoice Music: Video
Choice Music: Summer Song
MTV Video Music AwardsVideo of the Year
Best Male Video
Best Rap Video
Best Direction
Best Editing
Viewer's Choice Award
2001Detroit Music AwardsOutstanding National Single
Grammy AwardsBest Rap Solo Performance

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2000)!scope="col"
Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[18] 11
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[19] 6
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[20] 7
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[21] 2
Canada (RPM)[22] 6
Denmark (Tracklisten)[23] 3
Eurochart Hot 100 (Billboard)[24] 1
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[25] 6
France (SNEP)[26] 6
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[27] -- Archive.org has 3 but they are all 301 errors -->1
Ireland (IRMA)[28] 1
Italy (FIMI)[29] 4
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[30] 5
New Zealand (RIANZ)[31] 15
Norway (VG-lista)[32] 2
Poland (Music & Media)[33] 13
Portugal (AFP)[34] 2
Romania (Romanian Top 100)[35] 8
scope="row"
Spain (AFYVE)[36] 6
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[37] 3
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[38] 2
Chart (2021)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Canada Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[39] 20

Year-end charts

Chart (2000)!scope="col"
Position
Australian Singles Chart[42] 57
Austrian Singles Chart[43] 18
Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart[44] 30
Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart[45] 10
Danish Singles Chart[46] 29
Dutch Top 40[47] 44
Dutch Single Top 100[48] 39
European Singles Chart[49] 10
French Singles Chart[50] 16
German Singles Chart[51] 44
Romania (Romanian Top 100)60
Swedish Singles Chart[52] 22
Swiss Singles Chart[53] 5
UK Singles (Official Charts Company) [54] 14
UK Urban (Music Week)[55] 17
US Billboard Hot 100[56] 51
Chart (2022)!scope="col"
Position
Australia (ARIA)[57] 75
Global 200 (Billboard)[58] 117
Lithuania (AGATA)[59] 71

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: "The Real Slim Shady" Was Released 21 Years Ago Today. Eminem News. April 18, 2021. January 1, 2023. January 1, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230101211131/https://eminem.news/real-slim-shady-21.html. live.
  2. Web site: The Real Slim Shady. February 19, 2014. February 11, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140211233710/http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=1210. live.
  3. Web site: 150 Best Tracks Of The Past 15 Years. NME.COM. October 6, 2011. April 25, 2015. February 25, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150225010648/http://www.nme.com/list/150-best-tracks-of-the-past-15-years/248648/page/8. live.
  4. VH1's Ultimate Albums: The Marshall Mathers LP
  5. Greene . Andy . Flashback: Tom Green's 'Bum Bum Song' Tops 'TRL' . Rolling Stone . 2015-07-23 . 2023-08-26.
  6. Book: Moon, T. . 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die . Workman Publishing Company . 1,000... Before You Die Book . 2008 . 978-0-7611-5385-6 . 2023-08-26 . 257.
  7. Web site: VIrtel . Louis . 'To Tell The Truth' is Coming Back: 5 Classic Liar Clips . UPROXX . 2014-07-29 . 2023-08-26.
  8. Web site: Eminem: The Marshall Mathers LP - PopMatters Music Review. https://web.archive.org/web/20060422004338/http://www.popmatters.com/music/reviews/e/eminem-marshall.shtml. 22 April 2006. 25 April 2015.
  9. Web site: The Marshall Mathers LP - Eminem - Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards - AllMusic. Stephen Thomas Erlewine. AllMusic. April 25, 2015. December 18, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20101218163437/http://www.allmusic.com/album/r480358. live.
  10. Eminem The Marshall Mathers LP Album Review. Rolling Stone. April 25, 2015. August 28, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130828090134/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/the-marshall-mathers-lp-20000706. dead.
  11. News Review: The Marshall Mathers LP . Entertainment Weekly . June 2, 2000 . April 21, 2020 . December 3, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131203013747/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,276305,00.html . live .
  12. News: Judge Decides Against Eminem's Mother In Defamation Suit . MTV News . June 27, 2001 . August 27, 2015 . October 7, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151007101311/http://www.mtv.com/news/1444814/judge-decides-against-eminems-mother-in-defamation-suit/ . dead .
  13. News: Eminem's Mom Nets Measly $1,600 From Lawsuits Against Her Son . MTV News . August 8, 2001 . August 27, 2015 . September 7, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150907073325/http://www.mtv.com/news/1446458/eminems-mom-nets-measly-1600-from-lawsuits-against-her-son/ . dead .
  14. News: Eminem's Latest Seems Sure to Delight Fans, Anger Parents . Los Angeles Times . Robert . Hilburn . May 20, 2000 . April 21, 2020 . August 12, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130812004414/http://articles.latimes.com/2000/may/20/entertainment/ca-31967 . live .
  15. Web site: The Marshall Mathers LP. IGN. 12 November 2004. 25 April 2015. August 9, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200809141331/https://www.ign.com/articles/2004/11/12/the-marshall-mathers-lp?page=2. live.
  16. Web site: Kathy Griffin: Dishing and Swishing. SFist. April 25, 2015. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20061104192430/http://www.sfist.com/archives/2006/07/24/kathy_griffin_dishing_and_swishing.php. November 4, 2006.
  17. YouTube. April 25, 2015. July 29, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160729174652/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjDUQ1sY--o. live.
  18. Web site: Eminem - The Real Slim Shady. australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. August 1, 2011. September 29, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110929144605/http://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Eminem&titel=The+Real+Slim+Shady&cat=s. live.
  19. Web site: Eminem - The Real Slim Shady. austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. de. August 1, 2011. September 20, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110920062057/http://austriancharts.at/showitem.asp?interpret=Eminem&titel=The+Real+Slim+Shady&cat=s. live.
  20. Web site: Eminem - The Real Slim Shady. ultratop.be. ULTRATOP & Hung Medien / hitparade.ch. nl. August 1, 2011. August 29, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110829183924/http://www.ultratop.be/nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Eminem&titel=The+Real+Slim+Shady&cat=s. live.
  21. Web site: Eminem - The Real Slim Shady. ultratop.be. ULTRATOP & Hung Medien / hitparade.ch. in French. August 1, 2011. November 2, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20121102181614/http://www.ultratop.be/fr/showitem.asp?interpret=Eminem&titel=The+Real+Slim+Shady&cat=s. live.
  22. Top Singles - Volume 71, No. 10, July 10, 2000. RPM. August 1, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20121023222138/http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.7209&type=1&interval=20&PHPSESSID=c6btf3r8hs459qqt5ln3o3dcv5. October 23, 2012. dead.
  23. Web site: Denmark (Top 10): 29th July 2000 (Week 31). eucharts.tripod.com. Tracklisten. August 1, 2011. August 15, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110815210803/http://eucharts.tripod.com/DE/DE0031.HTM. live.
  24. https://www.billboard.com/bbcom/search/google/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=875196#/bbcom/search/google/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=875196 "Keating Bows To Five + Queen"
  25. Web site: Eminem - The Real Slim Shady. finnishcharts.com. Hung Medien. August 1, 2011. October 23, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20121023080112/http://finnishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Eminem&titel=The+Real+Slim+Shady&cat=s. live.
  26. Web site: Eminem - The Real Slim Shady. lescharts.com. Hung Medien. fr. August 1, 2011. December 29, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20081229183234/http://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Eminem&titel=The+Real+Slim+Shady&cat=s. live.
  27. Web site: Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (Vikuna 8.7. - 15.7. 2000 27. Vika). Dagblaðið Vísir. July 14, 2018. is. <
  28. Web site: Discography Eminem. irish-charts.com. Hung Medien. August 1, 2011. July 13, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110713061150/http://www.irish-charts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Eminem. live.
  29. Web site: Eminem - The Real Slim Shady. italiancharts.com. Hung Medien. August 1, 2011. December 13, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20111213000037/http://www.italiancharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Eminem&titel=The+Real+Slim+Shady&cat=s. live.
  30. Web site: Nederlandse Top 40 – week 27, 2000. top40.nl. Dutch Top 40. nl. August 1, 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110822185251/http://www.top40.nl/index.aspx. August 22, 2011.
  31. Web site: Eminem - The Real Slim Shady. charts.nz. Hung Medien. August 1, 2011. May 18, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170518123736/http://charts.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=Eminem&titel=The+Real+Slim+Shady&cat=s. live.
  32. Web site: Eminem - The Real Slim Shady. norwegiancharts.com. Hung Medien. August 1, 2011. November 11, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20111111065331/http://norwegiancharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Eminem&titel=The+Real+Slim+Shady&cat=s. live.
  33. Major Market Airplay – Week 39/2000. Music & Media. 17. 39. 27. September 9, 2000. February 16, 2023. June 9, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200609152311/https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/00s/2000/MM-2000-09-23.pdf. live.
  34. Music & Media: Portugal. May 1, 2018. Music & Media.
  35. Web site: Romanian Top 100 - Topul anului 2000 . rt100.ro . Media Forest Romania . August 1, 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20050417000554/http://www.rt100.ro/topul-anului-2000.html . April 17, 2005 .
  36. Web site: Eminem - The Real Slim Shady. spanishcharts.com. Asociación Fonográfica Y Videográfica Española. April 26, 2017. April 27, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170427032100/http://www.spanishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Eminem&titel=The+Real+Slim+Shady&cat=s. live.
  37. Web site: Eminem - The Real Slim Shady. swedishcharts.com. Hung Medien. August 1, 2011. August 23, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110823074805/http://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Eminem&titel=The+Real+Slim+Shady&cat=s. live.
  38. Web site: Eminem - The Real Slim Shady. swisscharts.com. Hung Medien. August 1, 2011. November 8, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20111108135522/http://www.swisscharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Eminem&titel=The+Real+Slim+Shady&cat=s. live.
  39. Eminem Chart History (Canadian Digital Song Sales). Billboard. July 12, 2022. July 13, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220713034920/https://www.billboard.com/artist/eminem/chart-history/cns/. live.
  40. Web site: 2022 3-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100). AGATA. lt. January 21, 2022. February 4, 2022. January 21, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220121091546/https://www.agata.lt/lt/naujienos/s03/. live.
  41. Web site: OLiS – oficjalna lista sprzedaży – single w streamie. OLiS. pl. December 14, 2023. Select week 01.12.2023–07.12.2023..
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  43. Web site: 2000 Austrian Singles Chart . Austriancharts . de . May 2, 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110522140605/http://www.austriancharts.at/2000_single.asp . May 22, 2011 .
  44. Web site: 2000 Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart . Ultratop . nl . May 2, 2010 . March 13, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120313095841/http://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=2000 . live .
  45. Web site: 2000 Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart . Ultratop . fr . May 2, 2010 . March 12, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120312025357/http://www.ultratop.be/fr/annual.asp?year=2000 . live .
  46. Web site: Års Hitlister 2000: IFPI Danmark: Singles Top 50. IFPI Danmark. Musik.org. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20011116233455/http://www.musik.org/publikationer/aarshitlister.htm#single. November 16, 2001. April 8, 2021.
  47. Web site: Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 2000. Top 40. November 28, 2019. January 8, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140108052719/http://www.top40.nl/bijzondere-lijsten/top-100-jaaroverzichten/2000. live.
  48. Web site: Jaaroverzichten – Single 2000. dutchcharts.nl. February 3, 2020. October 18, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191018035306/https://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=2000&cat=s. live.
  49. Web site: Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 2000 p.9. Music & Media. September 12, 2022. June 15, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200615122244/https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/00s/2000/MM-2000-12-23.pdf. live.
  50. Web site: 2000 French Singles Chart . SNEP . fr . May 2, 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120113082733/http://www.disqueenfrance.com/fr/pag-259376-Classements-Annuels.html?year=2000 . January 13, 2012 .
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  52. Web site: Årslista Singlar – År 2000. Sverigetopplistan. sv. November 28, 2019. June 5, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200605154838/https://www.sverigetopplistan.se/chart/43?dspy=2000&dspp=1. live.
  53. Web site: 2000 Swiss Singles Chart . Swisscharts . de . May 2, 2010 . January 13, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100113073718/http://swisscharts.com/year.asp?key=2000 . live .
  54. Web site: Yearly Best Selling Singles. British Phonographic Industry. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20100924031612/http://bpi.co.uk/assets/files/yearly%20best%20selling%20singles.pdf. 24 September 2010. 21 July 2023.
  55. Top 40 Urban Tracks Of 2000. Music Week. 20. January 13, 2001. August 4, 2023.
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  58. Billboard Global 200 – Year-End 2022. Billboard. December 2, 2022. December 1, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221201153622/https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2022/billboard-global-200/. live.
  59. Web site: 2022 metų klausomiausi (Top 100). AGATA. lt. February 27, 2023. February 25, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230225172647/https://www.agata.lt/lt/naujienos/2022m/. live.

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