Artist Profile: Eminem

When I first heard Eminem's "My Name Is," I immediately concluded that he's a gimmick rapper. Digging deeper into his catalog, I realized I was dead wrong. Not only was Eminem an exquisite lyricist, he was also a witty wordsmith. I say "was" because Eminem's proficiency has taken a downward spiral in recent times. Regardless, he's still the second biggest selling hip-hop artist, right behind Tupac Shakur. In fact, his latest installment, Curtain Call: The Hits, has already moved two million units (according to Soundscan). Find out how Eminem went from spitting battle raps on the streets of Detroit to becoming a big enchilada in the game.

Album cover: © Interscope