The Wayback Machine

Detroit, August 23, 2007 — today, Marshall Mathers’ publicist revealed what many industry insiders have wondered for years — Mathers is not poor white trash from Eight Mile, and Eminem is, in fact, the result of a dissertation in English Literature from Wayne State. After pursuing a BA from Dartmouth and graduating in 1994, Israel Brown-Solomon (Mather’s legal name) enrolled at the University of Detroit and took a Master’s Degree in English Lit, focusing on Anglo-Saxon Literature. His thesis at U of Detroit treats on the role of alliteration in The Wayfarer and the Heliland, a Saxon gospel. “It occurred to me one night, listening to a copy of a Goodie Mob CD, that listening to Anglo-Saxon poetry recited orally must have been a very similar experience to my listening to and love of hip hop culture. From there, the whole Marshall Mathers/Eminem/Slim Shady complex emerged organically.” said Brown-Solomon.

“Working through Beowulf, The Pearl, and the Gawain poems, I realized that this ecosystem of violence was not alien to our times, but was found on the street corners of every block of Urban America. I then resolved to apply my knowledge of Old English to the modern Hip-Hop scene. Slim Shady was, for better or worse, the result.”

“The most difficult part was riding with Dre’s crew while trying to attend classes. I nearly failed my Chaucer exams while we were recording my underground stuff. Leading a double life has been extremely difficult and I’m glad to finally be able to clear the air. I hope that my example will allow other academics the room to pursue interests applicable to our modern condition. I’m currently working on a diss track about the Iraq War, using Gerard Manley Hopkins as the template. I’m optimistic, but it’s a challenge.”

Brown-Solomon currently resides in Michigan with his daughter, current wife Sheila Thompson, an oral surgeon, and their two mastiffs, Havoc and Fury.