Eminem Talks ‘8 Mile’ Truth And Fiction

Eminem was again on Access Hollywood on Monday, where he talked about how Proof was his ghetto pass back in his early days in Detroit, and how the scripts he scribbles on little sheets in the movie is just how he did it in reality. Read on for a transcript.

Pat: We separate fact from movie fiction.

Eminem: It’s symbolic. Like, obviously everything that happened in the movie didn’t happen in my real life, you know. I’ve lived in trailers, but i didn’t grow up in a trailer.

Pat: Eminem grew up here near 8 mile road in Detroit in a small house which is shown on his 2000 album, the Marshal Mathers LP. He doesn’t have a little sensor as he does in the movie, but he does have a young daughter around the same age. He also has a long-time friend named proof. A member
of his group, it’s similar to his future pal played by Mekhi Phifer.

Eminem: Proof is the one who would help me. Proof was my, I don’t know if this is politically correct to say, but poof was my ghetto pass. So Proof got on the mic before he handed it to me and said, like future says, and one of the — in the beginning scene like, yo, you can be my man if you want to but I’m telling you, he’s a genius. And if Proof said that, he would get cat’s ears opened to me.

Pat: In the film, he free-styled at a club called the chin teeky. The scene was shot here at an old restaurant that is now closed. In real life, Eminem performed at local clubs like the shelter.

Pat: Did you do it like Jimmy did? Write it on scripts on little sheets of paper and stuff them in your pockets? Was that pretty real?

Eminem: Yeah, that’s real.

Pat: Is that what you do?

Eminem: Yeah. It was like chicken scratch. It’s scattered all over the people. I don’t really write my rhymes out. It’s kind of all over the paper. It’s not in any particular order.

Pat: If i picked one up, would i be able to figure it out?

Eminem: Probably not. I’ve had like —

Pat: You’re not saying I’m dumb, are you?

Eminem: Yes. But not just because of that. Because of other things.

Pat: He might be right there. Tomorrow we unveil the women of 8 Mile.