Eminem

Controversial and often misunderstood, Eminem proved he was an unstoppable force in the music industry from the minute he released his landmark debut, The Slim Shady LP (1999). Filled with harsh, confessional lyrics about domestic violence, drug use, and degradation of women - including his own mother and wife - Eminem pushed the boundaries of artistry and free speech and introduced to the world his brutally honest alter ego, Slim Shady. Nonetheless, the divisive superstar received both critical and commercial acclaim for his music, including top music honors for The Slim Shady LP and subsequent releases, The Marshall Mathers LP (2000) and The Eminem Show (2002). Eminem flexed his acting muscles with a breakout performance in the semi-autobiographical film, "8 Mile" (2002), for which he won a Best Song Academy Award in 2003 for the theme song, "Lose Yourself." As a legendary provocateur and wordsmith, Eminem often poked fun at other artists, angered cultural groups, inspired disenfranchised youth, and battled his own demons, yet it was his unflinching attitude and unprecedented musical genius that served him well throughout his long and illustrious career.