Marshall Mathers is one of the most controversial, yet influential artists of all time. The 38-year-old rapper from Detroit is not afraid to say what’s on his mind, as well as bring fans into a glimpse of his dark past through graphic lyrics. He is currently nominated for 10 Grammy Awards this Sunday which is no surprise since he dominated his competition in album sales in 2010. Eminem’s fans range from all age groups and to many parent’s concern, their children and young teenagers idolize him.
Annie Reed is fourteen years old, and is one of Eminem’s biggest (and shortest) supporters. “I think I was 5 or 6 years old when I first heard Eminem,” Annie confessed as she explained her desire to write a biographical article about her favorite rapper in her school newspaper, Cavalier Corner. Annie’s newspaper instructor told her she could write the article if she could score an interview with the infamous, Marshall Mathers.
The task at hand seemed impossible, but Annie knew just where to begin. Becoming a fan at such a young age, Annie rememebered that Eminem records on the Universal/Interscope record label and hunted down his spokesperson, Dennis Dennehy. She emailed him her request for an interview, and he responded the following day. Dennehy admitted he had never seen a girl as brave as Annie, and that, “we thought Em would really enjoy doing it, too.”
Annie axiously awaited the phone call, interviewing questions in hand. Eminem did not let down the fourteen-year-old as the phone began to ring. “Hey, Annie, how you doing,” was the first thing he said to her. The two began a friendly conversation over different subjects, and Annie began to feel more relaxed saying Eminem, “sounds just like he does on his albums.” Eminem explained how he became serious about rapping at age 15, and revealed ”Lose Yourself” as his favorite song to perform live. He reserved himself when his drug problem was brought up and stated he, “didn’t want to make the interview too dark for middle school kids.” Along with revealing how he learned from his mistakes, Eminem told Annie he has been clean for over 18 months.
Annie’s story landed her the front page of her school’s newspaper, and had her instructor saying, “I’m so proud.” She managed to snag one of the most sought after celebrity interviews, and Annie cannot wait for the paper to be published so everyone can stop asking her about it. So who’s her next big star? “Michael Phelps. I love him too,” she states. Exclusive Eminem Interview
