October 17, 1972 – this date became one of the brightest in the hip hop universe. Stans from all over the world wish a happy birthday to Marshall Mathers, whose songs have inspired us for over two decades, made us stronger, and cheered us up. And in the darkest times, when a geopolitical crisis dictates its rules to our planet, they help us keep seeing a bright future still.
Em has not an ordinary birthday but a 50th anniversary this year. We planned to send out birthday wishes, as we do every year, but we felt conflicting emotions this time. And, probably, they will be familiar to all long-time Em fans. One of the greatest (without the slightest exaggeration) hip hop artists turns 50, and this is a beautiful date, a great age. On the other hand, we feel the transience of time as never before. Because Slim Shady, a constant feature on a playlist of every teenager back then, Slim Shady, whose music shaped us and made us who we are, is already celebrating his 50th anniversary. Don’t get me wrong, it is a wonderful moment. But never before have I felt the passage of time that strongly. I wonder if there will be new albums to play over and over again and more of the best live performances and world tours of our favourite artists. We all thought about it, but we all found the same answer.
Yes, the years flew by, but nevertheless, they were soundtracked with all of Em’s favourite songs. We have been listening to his music, and despite all the changes in the trends of musical styles and genres, we remain loyal to Marshall’s musical legacy, which means that all this was created for a reason. And the most fantastic thing is that he continues to make history before our eyes, regardless of his hip hop veteran status. This is the statement we all can get behind – there is nothing as constant and trending in the music world as Marshall’s music. And even a dozen years later, we will sit down and write a similar article and list his new achievements and records. (Save this message, see you on October 17, 2034.)
Following the long tradition, we summarise the highlights of this year in Marshall’s life. It’s been a busy year, and it’s going to get even busier.
At the very beginning of 2022, one of the most impressive, in our opinion, events in hip hop culture took place. The Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show, where we saw on one stage such titans as Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J, Kendrick Lamar, 50 Cent, and Eminem – and all together at once! It seemed that a football match was a sideshow for their concert, and people bought tickets to listen to these artists’ best hits. Still, without any exaggeration, this performance became one of the most significant and sensational in the history of the Super Bowl and the history of hip hop. It will go down in history not only as the excellent performance of the artists but also because of a record number of views on streaming services. But that’s not all. For their performance at the Super Bowl, the artists received an Emmy award, which means that Marshall can claim EGOT status in the future (note: an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony winner) – an event of a gigantic scale for Marshall fans! Moments like this make us realise that 50 is just a number.
The mid-year was just as busy as its start – Eminem was among the artists selected for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in 2022. As a guest, Marshall took part in an award ceremony many times, but this year, in November, he will be the focus of attention himself.
Another important event of this year, of course, is Marshall and Snoop making peace and performing together. The fans of both rappers appreciated it. Did you watch it?
Also, in addition to several new collaborations, this year saw the release of the compilation album Curtain Calls 2, a collection of the best songs released over the past 15 years. (Is your favourite track on the list?)
And then, this album’s good solid performance, thanks to the fans who have played and streamed their favourite tracks over and over again.
By the way, I noticed that when October 17 is approaching, I want to listen to all of Marshall’s albums again (do you feel the same?), the most beloved records on repeat. This is the legacy that Marshall has left (and continues to do so), and there are more and more fans joining us every year. There are only a few such artists s him in the world. We are lucky to live in his era, to witness his live performances, and to follow his career with all its achievements and records.
Today our ePro Team wishes Marshall a happy birthday. We wish him creative prosperity and excellent health and to keep bringing his new music and live performances to the world and us, Stans. We need it so much now! And also, on behalf of all the fans, we would like to thank Em and his team for their undeniable contribution to the hip hop industry and for teaching generations what good music sounds like.
Very well written Lilit!