The Realest Sh*t He Ever Said: Eminem Talks About the Depths of Addiction Posted by Nathan S. on 06/27/13 | Filed under Opinion, Videos, Eminem

This isn't the first time we've heard Eminem talk about the depths of his addiction. Back when "Relapse" and "Refill" came out he did a round of press that pretty openly addressed his battle with prescription painkillers. But his interview for the Matthew Cooke "How To Make Money Selling Drugs" documentary is one of the most powerful interviews about addiction we're ever seen. Not Eminem interviews about addiction, interviews about addiction. Period.

“Had I have got to the hospital about two hours later, I would have died. My organs were shutting down. My liver, kidneys, everything. They were gonna have to put me on dialysis. They didn’t think I was gonna make it. "

Beyond the fact that one of the greatest rappers to ever live was moments away from dying, a fact I don't think rap fans have really processed, it's a striking reminder that addiction is one of rap's last true taboos. It's rare, but we've heard rappers talk about the downside of fame, money, women, hustling and more, but with the exception of Macklemore, every rapper seems to live in this fantasy bubble where massive amounts of booze, weed and drugs can be consumed without consequence.

That type of dedication to ignoring reality is nothing new in rap, but when it comes to addiction, the results can be deadly. (RIP Pimp C. RIP ODB etc. etc.) The day may never come when rappers feel comfortable talking about addiction, assuming they recognize themselves as addicts, but my already sky high respect for Eminem has gone up yet another level.

This might just be the realest shit he ever said.

See Also:  Popped a Molly: Hip-Hop’s Obsession With Psychedelic Drugs
See Also:  What’s Your Favorite Eminem Song of All-Time?