Today, we celebrate two big milestones in Eminem’s career — marking his early hustle with “Infinite” and the roller-coaster release of “Encore”.
November 12 is a special date for Eminem fans as it marks the anniversaries of two significant albums: his debut “Infinite”, released in 1996, and “Encore”, his fifth album from 2004. These albums capture both Eminem’s humble beginnings and his rise to hip hop legend.
“Infinite” was a true grassroots project, with Em selling cassettes and vinyl straight from the trunk of his car around Detroit. Produced by Mr. Porter with drums programmed by Proof, “Infinite” sold around a thousand copies — a number that sounds small now but was a big deal for a local rapper at the time. While it has never been fully released on streaming platforms, the title track did see a remix drop on YouTube in 2016, finally letting younger fans get a taste of where it all started.
Fast-forward to 2004, and “Encore” comes along. This album was initially intended as Eminem’s farewell to music, complete with a title and cover art that suggested he might bow out of the game. It sold an impressive 710,000 copies in just three days and went quadruple platinum in weeks, proving Em’s star power. But despite hits like “Mockingbird” and “Like Toy Soldiers,” “Encore” was not as well-loved as some of his previous albums. It had its share of critics, especially for its second half, and fans were left wondering if this was really the end.
Luckily, “Encore” was not his last album. From the scrappy beginnings of “Infinite” to the massive release of “Encore”, Em’s journey shows his evolution and resilience. “Encore” might have hinted at a curtain call, but Eminem’s story was far from over — thankfully giving fans even more music from the man who climbed his way from Detroit’s underground to the top of hip hop.
