The Real Slim Shady

"The Real Slim Shady" is a song by American rapper Eminem from his third studio album The Marshall Mathers LP (2000). It was released as the lead single a month before the album's release.

The song peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100, giving him his biggest hit up to that point.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It was also Eminem's first song to reach number one in the UK and Ireland<ref name="IRE"/> and the song was the 14th best selling of 2000 in the UK. It won multiple awards, including MTV Video Music Awards for Best Video and Best Male Video, as well as a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance. In October 2011, NME placed it at number 80 on its list "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It was listed at number 396 on NMETemplate:'s 500 greatest songs of all time.

Production

"The Real Slim Shady" was not originally intended to be part of The Marshall Mathers LP. Interscope Records's Jimmy Iovine wanted Eminem to get a song to introduce the album, similar to the way "My Name Is" was the first single on The Slim Shady LP. Eminem, Dr. Dre, Tommy Coster and Mike Elizondo wrote "The Real Slim Shady" just hours before the final copy of the album was due. The first single was intended to be "Who Knew".<ref>VH1's Ultimate Albums: The Marshall Mathers LP</ref>

The song's first verse interpolated the 1999 novelty single "Lonely Swedish (The Bum Bum Song)" by Tom Green,<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> and the intro and chorus of the song interpolate the famous catchphrase "will the real _____ please stand up?" from the television game show To Tell the Truth.<ref name="Moon 2008 p. 257">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="VIrtel 2014 e078">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Critical reception

PopMatters described the song as "slamming their 'enemies' with comic book intensity", while also noting its ironic themes surrounding the number of near-identical "wannabes" due to Eminem's overall appearance, citing his "signature style" which bore "bleached blond hair, pale skin, [and] humongous T-shirt".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> AllMusic highlighted the single.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Rolling Stone praised the sound of the single as "slick, bright, melodic funk that's so R&B-ish, you can dance to it".<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Entertainment Weekly's Will Hermes was also positive, writing, "In the aftermath of Slim Shady, he married the girlfriend he imagined killing, while his mother, immortalized in his hit single 'My Name Is' (I just found out my Mom does more dope than I do), sued him for $10 million for defamation of character."<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> The defamation case was settled in 2001 for $25,000 as Debbie Mathers' former attorney was awarded $23,354—netting Ms. Mathers just over $1600 for her efforts.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The Los Angeles Times favored The Real Slim Shady as a "modest step to the mainstream—a fresh and funny, almost PG-rated swipe at everything from the Grammy Awards to shallow teen pop",<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> while IGN wrote:

"The album's obligatory 'pop' number is exposed on 'The Real Slim Shady,' which chugs and lurches along to a boinging electro funk beat. It would be a total pop smash if it weren't for the lyrics, though. Leave it to Em to juice it up with ear candy effervescent, but keep the words in the subversive. As with the other Dre crafted tunes on the album, there's plenty of cool special effects bustling about—fart noises, heavy breathing, all of it coalescing with Em's cartoon character on crystal meth delivery. Sure it's pop, but of the most demented nature."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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The song has been included as part of many films, notably 21 Jump Street (2012) and Freddy Got Fingered (2001).Template:Citation needed

Music video

Philip G. Atwell and Dr. Dre directed the music video filmed in April 7–10, 2000.Template:Citation needed Eminem's friends and former group-mates from D12 including rappers Denaun Porter, Proof, Swifty McVay, Bizarre, Kuniva, and Limp Bizkit vocalist Fred Durst are featured in the video along with him.

Actress and comedian Kathy Griffin, notable for insulting celebrities in her act,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> appears in the video as an attending nurse in a psychiatric ward. Griffin said during a July 21, 2005, interview on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno that Eminem selected her for the video because fellow rapper Snoop Dogg told him she was "really funny".<ref>Template:Cite AV media</ref>

The music video has 1 billion views on YouTube as of October 2024, making it Eminem's seventh video to cross the one billion mark.

Credits

Information from the interior booklet of The Marshall Mathers LP

• Singing and lyrics: Eminem
• Production: Dr. Dre, Mel-Man
• Mixing: Dr. Dre
• Bass guitar – Mike Elizondo
• Keyboards – Tommy Coster
• Editing – Dan Lebental
• Executive producer – Dr. Dre
• Composer – Andre Young, Marshall Mathers, Tommy Coster, Melvin Bradford, Mike Elizondo

Awards

Template:See also "The Real Slim Shady" was very successful at the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards, winning awards for Video of the Year and Best Male Video, as well as being a nominee for Best Rap Video, Best Direction, Best Editing and Viewer's Choice. The song was also performed by Eminem at the show with look-a-likes of himself, as in the video.

Awards and nominations received by or for "The Real Slim Shady"

Year	Organization	Award	Result
2000	Billboard Music Awards	Maximum Vision Video	Template:Won
		Best Rap/Hip-Hop Clip of the Year	Template:Won
	Teen Choice Awards	Choice Music: Video	Template:Nominated
		Choice Music: Summer Song	Template:Nominated
	MTV Video Music Awards	Video of the Year	Template:Won
		Best Male Video	Template:Won
		Best Rap Video	Template:Nominated
		Best Direction	Template:Nominated
		Best Editing	Template:Nominated
		Viewer's Choice Award	Template:Nominated
2001	Detroit Music Awards	Outstanding National Single	Template:Won
	Grammy Awards	Best Rap Solo Performance	Template:Won

Charts

Weekly charts

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2000 weekly chart performance for "The Real Slim Shady"

Chart (2000)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)<ref name="AUS">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	11
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)<ref name="AUT">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	6
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)<ref name="BELFL">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	7
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)<ref name="BELWA">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	2
Canada (RPM)<ref name="CAN">Template:Cite magazine</ref>	6
Denmark (Tracklisten)<ref name="DEN">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	3
Eurochart Hot 100 (Billboard)<ref>"Keating Bows To Five + Queen" Template:Webarchive. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media.</ref>	1
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)<ref name=FIN>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	6
France (SNEP)<ref name="FRA">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	6
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)<ref name="ISL">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	1
Ireland (IRMA)<ref name="IRE">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	1
Italy (FIMI)<ref name="ITA">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	4
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)<ref name="DUT">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	5
New Zealand (RIANZ)<ref name="NZ">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	15
Norway (VG-lista)<ref name="NOR">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	2
Poland (Music & Media)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	13
Portugal (AFP)<ref>Template:Cite magazineTemplate:Dead link</ref>	2
Romania (Romanian Top 100)<ref name=ROM>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	8
scope="row"Template:Single chart
Spain (AFYVE)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	6
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)<ref name="SWE">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	3
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)<ref name="SWI">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	2

2021 weekly chart performance for "The Real Slim Shady"

Chart (2021)	Peak position
Canada Digital Song Sales (Billboard)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	20

Template:Single chartTemplate:Single chart

2022 weekly chart performance for "The Real Slim Shady"

Chart (2022)	Peak position
Lithuania (AGATA)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	86

Template:Single chart

2023 weekly chart performance for "The Real Slim Shady"

Chart (2023)	Peak position
Poland (Polish Streaming Top 100)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	94

Year-end charts

2000 year-end chart performance for "The Real Slim Shady"

Chart (2000)	Position
Australian Singles Chart<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	57
Austrian Singles Chart<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	18
Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	30
Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	10
Danish Singles Chart<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	29
Dutch Top 40<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	44
Dutch Single Top 100<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	39
European Singles Chart<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	10
French Singles Chart<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	16
German Singles Chart<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	44
Romania (Romanian Top 100)<ref name="ROM"/>	60
Swedish Singles Chart<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	22
Swiss Singles Chart<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	5
UK Singles (Official Charts Company) <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	14
UK Urban (Music Week)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	17
US Billboard Hot 100<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	51

2022 year-end chart performance for "The Real Slim Shady"

Chart (2022)	Position
Australia (ARIA)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	75
Global 200 (Billboard)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	117
Lithuania (AGATA)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	71

See also

• Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance
• List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Rhythmic chart
• List of number-one singles of 2000 (Ireland)
• List of European number-one hits of 2000
• List of UK Singles Chart number ones of the 2000s
• List of highest-certified singles in Australia