8 Mile is a film loosely based on the Eminems life, depicting what its like to be an aspiring artist on the streets of Detroit. Hes up there making jokes nonstop, about everyone, keeping the crowd hype. He showed the world his talent and what he is capable of as an artist. Keep in mind this is the same year Mac Lethal vs Dos Noun happened, which really pushed the envelope as far as back and forth rebuttals and personal material. Scares on subscription, with these best horror movies on Netflix. Gerald L. Strike Sanders (Lyckety-Splyt): Half of Detroit hip-hop was in line for that role. Wilsons final film role was in Falling Away. Throughout the movie, we saw B-Rabbit and his friends often chilling at the Chin Tiki. He had laryngitis or some shit. And hes doing Lose Yourself, and hes going, No more Mekhi Phife Mekhi was, like, so happy! What is surprising is how quickly it picked up such a loyal fan base because when it was first sent out to theaters, the film was under the name The Mars Project in order to keep the project a secret before it was released. He needed a movie makeover that required physical changes in order to play the down-and-out Detroit native living in a trailer park. Then I got a two-way from Paul, like, Come to Detroit, we need you to coach some of the actors. Im like, bet. Eminem: He was getting a reaction from the crowd and I felt like I had to respond. Eminem didn't show up to collect it because he thought he had no chance of winning. His journey to fame was a little different than that of his 8 Mile counterpart, who was far from famous, in 1995. But he cut it back on. The lineage of Detroit battle rap goes, first, through the Rhythm Kitchen, a weekly party hosted by party promoter and clothing designer Maurice Malone at a Chinese restaurant called Stanleys Mania Cafe. And sometimes that was followed, and sometimes it was discarded by the rappers who were actually going to be doing the scene. When we started, I didnt really have no lines. Of all the movies about white freestyle rappers who overcome a comical amount of hardships in order to win a rap battle, one of the most inspiring is 2002's "8 Mile . I forget his name. Tha Free World are a group of battle rappers (six rappers). [Laughing.] The film's protagonist is known by many. He is known to go to extreme lengths in everything, good or bad. Two of Eminems biggest inspirations, Jay-Z and Nas, were at the peak of their feud during the production of 8 Mile. The 8 Mile version of events is much more exciting. [Laughing.] [11], In March 2020, it was officially announced that Latto had signed with RCA Records. Fenelon: There was a real desire to have these battle sequences feel real. She was also the voice behind Luanne Platter on the animated series King of the Hill. She first appeared on American rapper Jermaine Dupri 's reality television series The Rap Game in 2016, where she was known as Miss Mulatto and won the show's first season, but she . Eminem was clearly a draw in 2002. Marshall was using it as a weapon. I mean, Eminem is one of the top-selling artists in music history, and the movie came out at the height of his popularity. Knowing how demanding and hectic life was for the rapper while filming the movie, Eminem decided to never take a starring role in a movie or show since 8 Mile. 8 Mile featured a lot of great freestyle raps but which one among the group is considered the best? Alyssa Michelle Stephens (born December 22, 1998), professionally known as Latto or Big Latto (formerly known as Mulatto ), is an American rapper and singer. Another significant difference between B-Rabbit and Eminem lies in their physical traits. Having fun. The role was won by Michael Shannon. My manager was like, If they try to arrest you, Ill shoot in the air, you run! [Later,] Em done bailed me out on my attempted murder case. [Rap] I'll spit a racial slur, honky, sue me! In 2002, Kim divorced her second husband, Alec Baldwin. We hoped itd be good we had no idea itd be that good. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1800-GAMBLER . 8 Mile is a semi-autobiographical film that follows Jimmy Smith Jr, a struggling young rapper. For some reason, some of the others mics were on and they started going at me in front of the crowd. And they had to get excited every time. Miller: Somebody tried to roast Em! But it worked. I wrote the lyrics and faxed them over. Filed Under: Movies, Eminem, 8 mile, Detroit Week, anthony mackie, mekhi phifer, curtis hanson, paul rosenberg, the hip hop shop, RAP BATTLES, oral history. Talk about a rags to riches story! At that time I was in the streets, carrying guns. Or, I should say was.. Its usually considered a good thing when an old, dingy, run-down place is able to turn itself around and become a respectable place of business. Responsible Gambling. Id written and directed a movie called The Mod Squad, and it was an awful experience, and I couldnt get a job anywhere. Rumors swirled about the costars getting a little too cozy (despite playing mother and son). Some unlikely facts about the 2002 Eminem film. Who knows? At some point, they must have discussed the idea of what about, instead of just firing shots across the bow of the other person, you fire shots at yourself and you take away all of the weapons that somebody might have. When I say Eminem was under a tight schedule during the movies production, Im not kidding. She released a new single titled "The Biggest", to go with the announcement of her new name. But how the battle actually went and what rhymes were used was pretty much open. Cookie Policy. Latto received nominations for Best New Hip Hop Artist at the 2020 BET Hip Hop Awards and Top Rap Female Artist at the 2022 Billboard Music Awards. Alyssa Michelle Stephens (born December 22, 1998), professionally known as Latto or Big Latto (formerly known as Mulatto), is an American rapper and singer. But its an artful weapon. Silver: A success story, that just wasnt interesting to me. An acting career was too much, and he wanted to focus on what he does best, spitting out those brilliant rhymes. Director Curtis Anderson and Eminem agreed that it would add a unique authenticity to the movie if they would shoot the final rap battles at The Shelter, the club where Eminem got his start. The project was preceded by two singles, which were the remix to "Bitch from da Souf" and "Muwop" featuring Gucci Mane; as well as the promotional singles "No Hook" and "He Say She Say". His acting career doesnt seem to be slowing down. You think these niggas gonna feel the shit you say? He was modestly successful too. Universal. Maurice Malone (proprietor, the Hip Hop Shop): I get a call from the director, Im thinking this a low-budget movie. Debatable with Lickity Split, loss against Lotto. Somehow, Eminem indirectly, and perhaps accidentally, squashed the feud between the two rap legends, as they combined forces on the album. The best Star Wars characters in the galaxy - and without a Jar Jar Binks in sight. For me, getting to see Eminem the battle rapper who Id always heard about but I never got to watch that was electric. But some dude spit something and the crowd actually liked it. Byrd: And all of a sudden Em shook his head like, Hey, man I cant let you get away with that. Lotto is also there to beat up B-Rabbit with his crew because Jimmy has beaten up Wink for having sex with his girl Alex Laterno. As it turns out, the real-life Bob never actually shot himself. . All the drama pretty much forced Jimmy into being responsible for raising his younger sibling. The guy wearing the white wife beater: So after looking on IMDB I find that his name is Nashawn "Ox" Breedlove. Although he looked just like the Eminem we all know and love, he went through an extreme transformation for the movie. Before that it was only known as UDP: Untitled Detroit Project. Then, Dr. Dre signed Em and got him the heck out of there. But he didnt spend too much time in trailers like his character did in 8 Mile. Its not a huge surprise that 8 Mile has become a cult-classic film. After 8 Mile, Mekhi starred as Dr. Gregory Pratt on the medical drama ER from 2002 to 2008. And I remember the first time I heard him battle, I couldnt even barely hear what he was saying. 8 Mile opened to $51.2 million domestically, the second-highest opening weekend for an R-rated movie at the time . And, you know, he had a few choice words for me. On July 15, 2022, she released the song "Pussy". [24], On September 24, Latto released the lead single from her upcoming second studio album, "Big Energy". Rosenberg: [Hanson] wanted someone that had a lot more experience, especially because he had to balance off of Marshall, who had no experience. The ongoing feud between the two resulted in diss tracks from both parties with insults about drug use, homosexuality, and past experiences from the show. Miller: They built the set based on the actual place where [Em] and Proof used to do the battles. And he turned on his microphone and killed him! Omar Benson Miller (Sol George): I can remember it like it was yesterday. However, Em managed to work around the rivalry between the heavyweight rappers so that they would both be featured on the 8 Mile album soundtrack. Rosenberg: We didnt do anything in L.A. We shot the whole thing in Detroit. We had all been in the scene for a moment. I think he had this shit already wrote for me, honestly. Ask yourself if you . 2023 ESPN Internet Ventures. Confidential. The best Netflix movies right now - fantastic movies to stream. Yo, it's time to get rid of this coward right here once and for all, Yo, I'll spit a racial slur, honky, sue me, The shit is a horror flick, but the black guy doesn't die in this movie, That makes me believe you really don't have an interest in livin'. In the documentary Eminem: Diamonds and Pearls, one of the rappers childhood friends, Robert Claus, claims to be the guy who inspired Cheddar Bobs character in 8 Mile. It was not a movie about his life, but he felt connected to it. The film "8 Mile" depicts one of the most successful caucasian hip-hop artists to ever live battling the scrutiny of trying to make it in a culture and area where he was not always accepted. On August 12, Latto announced the release of her debut project through RCA, titled Queen of da Souf; it was released on August 21, 2020. I dont know about todays battles, but usually its not a very female-oriented genre. You going at the best rapper in the world right now!. The role eventually went to Evan Jones who nailed the part. It was accompanied by a remix with rappers Saweetie and Trina. Rosenberg: We brought in Craig G to help coach the other battlers and to help them refine and edit their raps to get the right attack, the right potency, as well as to be concise enough. Silver: The challenge with any sports movie is, whats that last competition gonna be? [17][18] On December 11, Mulatto released the extended version of Queen of da Souf, which included five new songs and spawned the single "Sex Lies", featuring American rapper Lil Baby. That was a really great decision that Curtis and Em made. During that time, he appeared in films like Imposter, Honey, and Dawn of the Dead, to name just a few. The film was a big hit as well. B-Rabbits freestyle battle against Lotto. Discussion, Battles and Media for the international battlerap community, Press J to jump to the feed. On his next record, Encore, Eminem sounds exhausted, and it feels like a desperate cry for help. Rosenberg: We whittled it down based on what was available a lot of records werent cleared properly, so there were sample issues. 8 Mile (2002) was originally considered to have an unofficial follow-up movie, titled Southpaw (2015) with Eminem reprising his role, now as a down-on-his-luck lightweight left-handed boxer trying to regain custody of his daughter. Eminem was supposed to play the role of the boxer. Perhaps it was so that audiences could distinguish between Marshall Mathers, the rapper, and the character he is playing. The coveted white rapper has been a recognizable face since he first stepped on the music scene, but when 8 Mile came out, fans got to see him on the big screen for the very first time. One of her most notable roles was on the Netflix series Orange Is the New Black, where she played Pennsatucky from 2013-2019. You had to battle people for the montage. They couldnt shoot the final battle of 8 Mile at The Shelter (Eminems original club). Silver: Obviously, there was no way that I was gonna be able to write rap lyrics for anybody, let alone for Em. Xzibit, another Dr. Dre protg, also made its way into the film. So I just jumped on a bus from New York to Cleveland to Detroit. Only person he beat was Papa Doc. Strike: I didnt know anything he was gonna say. People ask me what its like to work with him. And its always helpful when the best scene in the movie happens at the end. Not literally in story, but a good fit for him, Peter exclaimed. Just months later, Simon was found dead under the same mysterious circumstances. Spitting out rhymes and such impressive lyrics is definitely not as easy as it looks. Her mother is white and her biological father is African American. Everybody gave up one of their free days to come over and do rehearsal. Eminem: I dont know if Papa Doc was always going to end up speechless. Latto received nominations for Best New Artist, Video For Good, and Best Hip Hop at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards. Her latest role is the title character in the upcoming film Karen. I made it through. Rabbit's best friend can be seen in both their candid moments together and also as the host of the underground rap battles that showcase some of the best freestyles in 8 Mile. It was animosity in the air a little bit. It didnt feel actor-y. B-Rabbit actually chokes and leaves. Much respect to Curtis Hanson he pulled us in the back: If you guys dont get this shit right now, Im gonna remove you out the whole fucking movie. He straightened us out real quick. Alyssa Michelle Stephens was born in Columbus, Ohio, on December 22, 1998, to Misti Pitts and Shayne Stephens. Two of the most renowned filmmakers in Hollywood history wanted to direct Eminems motion picture Danny Boyle and Quentin Tarantino and both of them were incredibly close to getting the gig. Plus, Claus doesnt seem nearly as endearing as Cheddar Bob. It caught me all by surprise. 8 Mile can be described or thought of as a semi-autobiographical account of Eminem in a 1995 Detroit setting. Every Saturday between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. we would move all the clothes out and open up the floor and let guys battle, Malone says. That makes me believe you really don't have a interest in livin! 3. MarvWon: I was one of the people that was selected. I say, hes a workaholic. For some reason, it seemed like he took mine the most personal. Visit Tunefind to listen to all the songs used on the show. He completely overworked himself and admitted to working 16 hours a day because of how hectic of a year it was for the rapper. In 8 Mile, DeAngelo Wilson starred as Jimmys friend and Sols brother, DJ Iz. Proof went to him to get the money for that. Whether he is making music or doing drugs, Eminem doesnt mess around; its all or nothing with this guy. Im thinking, This guy is good he just gotta slow down! His voice was getting raw. The title was only decided on at the end of filming. First World Lottos Exposed Good on Paper, Shady in Real Life. There was a brief chase, but luckily, Rabbit managed to elude the cops. The rhymes were dope, but the extras were They made it hype. Fuck the Free World!" ~MC Bob Cheddar Bob now known as M.C Bob is Jimmy 's "dumb friend" and a member of Jimmy's gang known as "313", They are involved in a street war with a rival gang known as "Tha Free World", Cheddar Bob is portrayed as rather dimwitted, but makes up for this by his loyalty, Cheddar was played by Evan Jones. The place to battle was really the Hip Hop Shop. Rosenberg: Marshall spent a lot of time educating Curtis about what goes on in battles and what kind of things people use to take down their opponents. [22][23], In May 2021, she confirmed in various interviews that she had officially settled on a new stage name, following scrutiny for the racially charged nature of her name. He was way too nervous about getting on a plane right after the tragedy, which is totally understandable. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SApMrvgGd2M. He turned his pain into incredible lyrics, which led to wealth and success. I feel like I could get Alzheimers and still remember this experience. People was actually scared. Including us. His collaborator and friend widely known as one of D12's members, Proof, was an . Lottery payouts. ShortList is supported by you, our amazing readers. I told Em, Yo, thank God you didnt do me like Lotto. Theres no coming back there. Eugene Byrd (Wink): I was considering [Curtis Hanson] Splinter. [The soundstage] was still in the process of being constructed. But the second reason is even more frightening. I just told him he sucked. Because it was Detroit, it was a lot of Maurice Malone, Hip Hop Shop clothing. How are you gonna win? The atmosphere in the rap battles was so intense and went on for so long that several extras passed out or threw up during filming. The Mars Project isnt as catchy. In 8 Mile, Rabbit works at an automotive factory, which makes complete sense. That shit you spit was written.. Songs That Interpolate 8 Mile: Lotto vs B-Rabbit, Eminem Disses Nick Cannon ("Invitation" Response Parody) byBrentPella (Ft.Dido), Burninghand (Valourian Disstrack) byMiniMessi, This shit overhyped vro ngl (intro) byKaisson, Illmaculate vs Conceited byGrindTime Now (Ft.Conceited & Illmac). Robert Claus did, however, become an Emcee under the name DJ Rec. I didnt know he was gonna do that, and thats why thats the expression on my face in the movie. Tough. Thanks to Detroits economic turndown, the place closed down in 1980, two decades before the filming of the movie. She went on to star in hit films like Just Married, Uptown Girls, Sin City, and more. Marshall Mathers has always been the kind of guy to say it how it is, which you can tell just by listening to his lyrics. Rosenberg: I wouldnt think that any screenwriter in their right mind would try to pen freestyle battle lyrics. Mekhi had his dreads on I know them things was itching. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. The DJ was crazy. Fenelon: In the original script, in the rap battles throughout, itd kind of describe what the gist of it was. The film's protagonist is known by many. [4][5] Prior to doing music, she participated in drag racing. [25] The song became Latto's highest charting song on the Billboard Hot 100, so far peaking at number three. Miller: That movie is permanently etched in my mind. I wanted it to be about a guy not trying to make it, but just trying to figure it out. Currently, he plays Harold Brooks on Love, Victor. He was a member of the groups 5 Elementz and D12 during his career. Anthony Mackie, I just thought he was kind of flat. They didnt just pluck people from Hollywood and just leave it with that. But unless youre a Detroit native, this little detail probably flew over your head. And he nailed it. Trying to define himself. The actress continued to act in numerous projects throughout the years, including the films A Lot Like Love and Cold Mountain. [34] She released a track, "Fuck Rice Street", attesting to her innocence and anger toward the police. Reportedly, the rapper lost 24 pounds for the movie so that he could portray the white, skinny trailer park kid more accurately. The boot camp-style series followed young aspiring rappers in a competition against one another over a span of eight weeks. He kind of looked like Splinter to me. It was kind of like watching your best friend graduate from college. The director told him, you have to save your voice, so they cut his mic off. At one point during filming, a series of scenes for a planned montage of local rappers competing against Eminem were shot. And I think all of the actors felt the same way that the whole movie was leading up to this moment.