What is Slim Shady?

[Dante]

I'm researching Eminem for my English class and my teacher asked me, "who is Slim Shady?" I told her it's an alter ego Eminem created that is sort of the basis of all his angry thoughts in his music. However, I wasn't really satisfied with my answer, especially considering the Slim Shady persona in his music is always so different.

So, if you could define "Slim Shady," and capture what/who it/he is...how would you? Is Slim Shady just a character, or something more bigger, like a movement?

[Shade135]

In an old interview, he was asked the same thing. His response to the question "what is the difference between Eminem and Slim Shady?", He said, "Eminem would fuck you, Slim Shady would fuck you and your mother". Also saying that he uses that name as a no filter excuse to say whatever he want's about anything he feel's like. He speak's what he think's and nothing less. it's the way for him to say what most people would be scared of offending people to say. Hope that help's.

[Hansen]

Eminem's alternate name....kinda, more like the "evil" side of Marshall. He blames Slim for everything that happens, with his family, and work, that happens that is bad. And in "When I'm Gone" he "kills" Slim.

[Just Silver]

its just the angry side of anyone and a fuck you attitude when you've had enough

[UofLCard]

Slim Shady takes everything Eminem thinks/says to a whole different level.

[python]

Wasn't Slim Shady also in Stan? Or was Stan just using the nickname to refer to Marshall?

[Mr Change]

*Waits for EmBase*

[Snakebeast]

Alright. Since EmBase isn't here yet to deliver his sermon for us Stans, I shall try my best to define "Slim Shady".

Slim Shady is not exactly a physical entity. It is a part of a personality. As Eminem once said, "There is a Slim Shady in all of us". It is the embodiment of every single bad or angry thought we have ever had in our lives, every dark fantasy that we want to act out but can't. It is the darkest part of our very souls. That is what Slim Shady is. Em just brings it out.

To clarify: Relapse IS NOT Slim Shady. Notice how he's never angry throughout the entire album, even when yelled at by Steve Berman. Despite the subject matter, it is most likely the least "Shady-esque" Em album. Slim Shady is when Em goes apeshit and raps with passionate rage, while at the same time rapping about something that people would never even think to do in real life. So on My Life, I do think he went a little bit Shady.

To sum it up; think of people as google search with safesearch on. Slim Shady is what you get when you turn off safesearch and do away with the filter.

[EminemInsider]

An alternate handle for him to rhyme a million things with in songs.

Slim Shady Jim Brady M80 Kim Lady crazy baby hazy made me lazy pay me rape me angry

[SliK]

Hmm, Slim Shady... Well, he's braindead like Jim brady.
He's an M80. He's buzzin', Dirty Dozen's naughty rotten rhymer
and he'll curse you players worse than Marty Schottenheimer.

[SliK]

Hmm, Slim Shady... Well, he's braindead like Jim brady.
He's an M80. He's buzzin', Dirty Dozen's naughty rotten rhymer
and he'll curse you players worse than Marty Schottenheimer.

Fuck off, that was my first idea for my response .

I had to read every comment first just to make sure it wasn't posted already lol

[EminemBase]

A metaphor for dark attitude; a title given to anything other Eminem wants to show you, other than himself; fantasy, violence, aggression, rebellion. It's his anger and his dark thoughts.

It's not a specific character, it's whatever dark thoughts he happens to be thinking at that time.

@Snake - I disagree about Relapse not being Shady too. Relapse is Shady; Shady embodies whatever mood or mindset Em is in, it's the darker of whatever he happens to be; Shady is also the most despicable, unforgiving anything: rapist, murderer, Mr. Don't Give a Fuck... it's an escape, an excuse and an exercise in artistic freedom. Relapse is definitely Shady. Gleeful psychopathy.

[EminemBase]

I don't think Shady and anger should be mentioned in the same sentence.
Anger reflects genuine emotion. While Shady is dark, it definitely doesn't mean he's angry.

Kim, his verse on Revelation are examples of Eminem/Marshall Mathers (the person) while songs like I'm Back, Role Model, Get You Mad, Low Down Dirty and Stay Wide Awake are examples of Shady (the persona).

It doesn't mean he his angry, it's just the uncensored, the unthinkable, which is often anger.

"Kim" is Shady... Shady isn't just purely definable as a character and strict definitions, it's still HIM, it's just a reference to when the art / his thoughts become fantastical...

And he most definitely did not slit Kim's throat; that's an act of Shady, that's fantasy.

But I never cared much to even make much definition, as it's all Eminem at the end of the day. It's just his personality: we all make sick jokes, have anger, humour etc. etc., he just happened to give a name to an element of his thoughts to use as reference for character-play.

But, it's his personality. His thoughts, his fantasy, his humour... and there's not always a strict divide: many times he'll rap realistically about his life then come out with a bizarre line of violence... it's him, he just gave a name to THAT shit.

[EminemBase]

I don't like putting labels on things as well. That's why I don't usually bother with the Slim Shady vs Eminem talk....

But Kim really is more of a Marshall Mathers song than a Shady song, yes he didn't all of those things but it all boils down to the song having some sort of genuine emotion. There's no humor in Kim, I bet that if he wasn't a rapper, he would have done those things.
That's why I mentioned Revelation as well.

There doesn't need to be humour... it's just fantasy. Shady isn't bound to being comical.

It's a reference to fantasy: light, dark, absurd, whatever.

[Snakebeast]

A metaphor for dark attitude; a title given to anything other Eminem wants to show you, other than himself; fantasy, violence, aggression, rebellion. It's his anger and his dark thoughts.

It's not a specific character, it's whatever dark thoughts he happens to be thinking at that time.

@Snake - I disagree about Relapse not being Shady too. Relapse is Shady; Shady embodies whatever mood or mindset Em is in, it's the darker of whatever he happens to be; Shady is also the most despicable, unforgiving anything: rapist, murderer, Mr. Don't Give a Fuck... it's an escape, an excuse and an exercise in artistic freedom. Relapse is definitely Shady. Gleeful psychopathy.

He is despicable and unforgiving. But, paraphrasing Em here: Slim Shady is the guy who shows up after a couple of drinks. He's an outlet for anger. Relapse was not Em being angry. He wasn't Slim Shady. Relapse was far too outlandish to be Slim Shady.