But at the time, he had not yet even shot a movie in the United States. When she died, she was married to Simon Monjack. If you ever want to pump yourself up, just play the song. But you know what they say, hard work pays off. The movie is a fantastic look at hip-hop and its culture, showcasing how talent can rise from the myriad rap battles that take place in the US. When you click through the links on our site and make a purchase we may earn a commission. In true Marshall Mathers fashion, he decided to stay home with his daughter instead. Rumors swirled about the costars getting a little too cozy (despite playing mother and son). And he turned on his microphone and killed him! But I knew what Marshalls favorite battle rap beats were. I dont know about todays battles, but usually its not a very female-oriented genre. Gary Sinise was the first choice to play Greg, the boyfriend of Jimmy's mother (Kim Basinger). That was stuff people actually used to freestyle over in 95. And its always helpful when the best scene in the movie happens at the end. Eminem didn't show up to collect it because he thought he had no chance of winning. He saw it as a mastery and respect for the power of the word. Although this wasnt Mekhis first acting gig, it was definitely the role that launched him into movie stardom. Its production budget was $41 million. It caught me all by surprise. Strike: It was funny because I was on the run from the feds at that time. The film "8 Mile" depicts one of the most successful caucasian hip-hop artists to ever live battling the scrutiny of trying to make it in a culture and area where he was not always accepted. Fenelon: Everyone was encouraged to write their own words a little bit. She first appeared on American rapper Jermaine Dupri 's reality television series The Rap Game in 2016, where she was known as Miss Mulatto and won the show's first season, but she . When I say Eminem was under a tight schedule during the movies production, Im not kidding. And although re-created on a soundstage in a warehouse for the movie, the Shelter was and still is a real place, where real, sweaty battles takeplace. Rosenberg: Ultimately the decision was Curtiss.1He went through and watched tons of tape and saw people rapping live. That makes me believe you really don't have a interest in livin! /. And Rodrigo shot the movie himself he was working handheld cameras in the middle of the crowd. And I remember the first time I heard him battle, I couldnt even barely hear what he was saying. Mekhi Phifer almost didnt take his role in 8 Mile. The films protagonist is known by many titles throughout the film including Jimmy and Rabbit, but hes primarily known by his stage name B-Rabbit (short for Bunny Rabbit). His journey to fame was a little different than that of his 8 Mile counterpart, who was far from famous, in 1995. Once I saw the battle scenes assembled, I knew. It would make the rounds fit together better. However, Em found his workaround to make the two rap heavyweights appear in the movie's album soundtrack. Unfortunately, Curtis Hanson was not available for interviews because ofrecent medical complications. MarvWon: I was one of the people that was selected. 8 Mile cast member): That was real cool. Ohhhh! But he didnt show up for the audition. MarvWon: He wasnt supposed to rap against [me]. That could really have an effect on a persons self-esteem. Eminem: I dont know if Papa Doc was always going to end up speechless. Marshall Mathers has always been the kind of guy to say it how it is, which you can tell just by listening to his lyrics. Eminem didnt exactly have an ideal childhood. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. Thankfully, 8 Mile specifically, its heart-pumping, near-pitch-perfect finale, explored here in full came along and forever immortalized the citys grimy scene. [28] Latto was featured on Chloe Bailey's single "For the Night". In the original script B-Rabbit worked at a hotel carrying rich peoples bags and had a lot of problems with his boss. Strike: I didnt know anything he was gonna say. I got a betta chance joining the kkk. The greatest stories of war ever told on film. He was way too nervous about getting on a plane right after the tragedy, which is totally understandable. The director told him, you have to save your voice, so they cut his mic off. He changed his style later. Because it was Detroit, it was a lot of Maurice Malone, Hip Hop Shop clothing. Proof went to him to get the money for that. Should we do something about this?, Miller: On the final song nobody knew what he was gonna say. ShortList is supported by you, our amazing readers. 8 Mile is a semi-autobiographical film that follows Jimmy Smith Jr, a struggling young rapper. She credits Clayton County as the place that gave her street credibility. Casting directors couldnt pick a more perfect actress to play Alex, Jimmys love interest, than Brittany Murphy. Unfortunately, things didnt work out with Eminem as the lead, and the project fell through. His voice was getting raw. Now, Eminem did, in fact, start off doing rap battles, some held at The Shelter (a real venue in Detroit). That was one of those rare moments of inspiration: How about Cheddar Bob, this really dumb character, tells him exactly what the guy is gonna say? But unless youre a Detroit native, this little detail probably flew over your head. Another distinguishable difference is Eminems tattoos; he covered them all up for the movie. Fenelon: We wanted the feel of a boxing match, or some kind of underground sporting event. The film was a big hit as well. Lotto is a member of The Leaders Of Tha Free World. The best Netflix movies right now - fantastic movies to stream. Holton was first known as . Marshall Mathers got his rap moniker in a pretty simple way, from his initials, M.M., or more famously, Eminem. But it really was genuinely exciting every time. In 8 Mile, youll notice his character Jimmy got his stage name from a childhood nickname. The DJ was crazy. UPDATE: Seth Rogen has revealed that he once auditioned for 8 Mile but ended up not getting the part. you think these niggas gonna feel the shit you say. He kind of looked like Splinter to me. The only problem was that taking on the film would mean that Tarantino would have had to back out of making Kill Bill, which wasnt really an option. During that time, he appeared in films like Imposter, Honey, and Dawn of the Dead, to name just a few. As it turns out, the real-life Bob never actually shot himself. His father was an English teacher, he was raised around poetry. Can you say intimidating? I still have those. The best Star Wars characters in the galaxy - and without a Jar Jar Binks in sight. On his next record, Encore, Eminem sounds exhausted, and it feels like a desperate cry for help. His first appearance was him, along with his crew, chanting "choke" in front of B-Rabbit crew. Strike: That was it. How much do you know about 8 Mile? In the 90s, we knew what was happening as it was happening in L.A. and NYC hip-hop. So I took my own life experience as a failure, and I used that. And then when he got mad, he knocked it out. The album peaked at number 44 on the US Billboard 200. People were so excited. The same day, Latto was also featured on G-Eazy's single, "Down". Rosenberg: [Hanson] wanted someone that had a lot more experience, especially because he had to balance off of Marshall, who had no experience. his real name is Jimmy Smith Jr., though we never . Rosenberg: We didnt do anything in L.A. We shot the whole thing in Detroit. The tape featured artists like Molly Brazy, Lil Key, Crucial, and Silent. Byrd: The energy was electric. {lotto} I'll spit a racial slur honkie sew me. Fenelon: The emotion of the room was extraordinary. Rodrigo Prieto has become one of the top five cinematographers working today. Jones: I think Em kind of came up with a lot of his stuff last-second. In preparation for his role, Eminem took things to extreme measures, as always. Quality-wise, I think this battle is comparable to the ones in 8 Mile (to be fair, if you can't write as well as someone else can freestyle, you're a really lousy writer.). Nashawn 'Ox' Breedlove played lotto in"8 mile" ;-) 8 Mile is a movie that stars Eminem and was released in 2002. . She was already a huge star before appearing on 8 Miles, thanks to her roles in movies like Batman and L.A. We wanted [Eminem] to go through the emotional arc in order. [34] She released a track, "Fuck Rice Street", attesting to her innocence and anger toward the police. Infidelity certainly plagued Marshalls real-life relationship with Kim Scott, so its easy to draw parallels. One member even threatened B-Rabbit with it. It was kind of like watching your best friend graduate from college. I pulled him to the side and I told him he sucked. Director Curtis Anderson and Eminem agreed that it would add a unique authenticity to the movie if they would shoot the final rap battles at The Shelter, the club where Eminem got his start. He then overdosed later in that period. The film's protagonist is known by many. You not on his level.. And I had a verse that wasnt specifically for him, but, you know what Im saying, it fit. And he nailed it. Well, it was more like justice when they burned down an abandoned home where a little girl was sexually abused. Eminem: I was told that the mics were going to be off when we were doing the montage scenes of Rabbit coming up through the ranks and we were supposed to pantomime. He said his rhymes weren't as good during this drug period because his mind was sluggish. This is who I am. And I like that, at the end, he goes back to work. He ended up just getting booed off the stage. Eminem and his unlikely collaborator, director Curtis Hanson fresh off a whimsical Michael Chabon adaptation, Wonder Boys loosely approximated a few hard days of Marshall Matherss come-up in rough-and-tumble 90s Detroit. The guy wearing the white wife beater: So after looking on IMDB I find that his name is Nashawn "Ox" Breedlove. But the actual building itself was demolished in 2009, seven years after 8 Mile came out. Mekhi had his dreads on I know them things was itching. Except for Anthony Mackie, whos, like, from Juilliard. Every scene in the movie, everywhere [Rabbit] goes, someone reminds him of that failure when he chokes at the beginning. Didn't you listen to the last round, meathead? Rosenberg: I wouldnt think that any screenwriter in their right mind would try to pen freestyle battle lyrics. Which is sort of how I felt. Having fun. Or, I should say was.. Paul Rosenberg (Eminems manager and executive producer): Before we put the camera up to shoot one frame, we took everybody around the city, to all the spots that the story was based on. Although the gender of the sibling differs, this comes really close to Eminems real family dynamic growing up. Directed by Curtis Hanson Writing Credits ( WGA) Scott Silver . In real life, neither Eminem nor his friends ever burned a house down. And sometimes that was followed, and sometimes it was discarded by the rappers who were actually going to be doing the scene. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Yikes! He lost to Lotto clear. Miller: It was a trip. Robert Claus did, however, become an Emcee under the name DJ Rec. Miller: They built the set based on the actual place where [Em] and Proof used to do the battles. And Paul Rosenberg was conducting [audition] battles out and about in the cold. Anthony Mackie (Papa Doc): It was crazy for me because it was my first job. I feel bad that I gotta murder that dude from ", I used to like that show, now you got me in fight-back mode, But oh well, if you gotta go, then you gotta go, I hate to do this, I would love for this shit to last, Ward, I think you were a little hard on the Beaver. Scott Silver (screenwriter): Proof was amazing. In gambling terminology lottery payouts are the equivalent of RTP (Returns To Players). UPDATED: The very best movies of the 90s - a glorious decade in film. B-Rabbit v.s Lotto 2nd Battle From 8 Mile. Interest-Based Ads. I say, hes a workaholic. . [31], In 2021, Latto founded the Win Some Give Some Foundation to to empower at-risk young women by providing them resources and support to achieve a lifetime of success.[32], In 2017, Latto opened her own store, Pittstop Clothing, in Jonesboro, Georgia. So me and Em sat next to each other, he would go line by line on what I would say. Although he was focused on his music career, Eminem was really close to signing on for the lead role in Southpaw back in 2009, but it ended up in Jake Gyllenhaals lap. But that doesnt mean he was the only rapper to appear in the film. All he wants is to make it in the music business, but the only way he achieves real success is through his rap battle performances, at work, and at The Shelter. Trying to define himself. Lotto is seen again when his crew is in the Parking Lot, heckling the rappers there. You gotta get to that moment in the end: Fuck you, you dont define me. The film's protagonist is known by many. They have computers so they know every number combination sold. However, when Southpaw was eventually made in 2015, Antoine Fuqua was brought on as director and Jake Gyllenhaal, not Eminem, took the lead role. In 2008, the actor died by suicide in Los Angeles. 2014s Something Wicked was the starlets last movie. But some dude spit something and the crowd actually liked it. 8 Mile is a semi-autobiographical film that follows Jimmy Smith Jr, a struggling young rapper. In 8 Mile, Rabbit works at an automotive factory, which makes complete sense. He was modestly successful too. Knowing how demanding and hectic life was for the rapper while filming the movie, Eminem decided to never take a starring role in a movie or show since 8 Mile. Both songs were certified platinum and appeared on Latto's debut album Queen of da Souf, which was released in August 2020. But when he walked away with his pants down that was everything. Isn't that Eminem rapping? His Full name is Marshall Bruce Mathers III. As it turned out, its an exotic-themed nightclub in Motor City in real life, owned by Marvin Chin. The film made a massive $51 million on its opening weekend. [8], In January 2019, Latto released the song "Bitch from da Souf". Mackie: Im supposed to play a rapper, and there were all these real rappers on set. They were messing around, taking turns shooting buildings and signs, until Rabbit (who is driving) took his turn and shot a parked police car. Rumor has it that it took him just 30 seconds to write the hook for just lose it. But Eminem is on a whole other level of creativity and talent. Jones: Its weird: Middle America was able to understand rap more than they ever had before. Fenelon: I thought it was one of the most magical moments Ive ever been a part of. And I think the plan was always at the end for me to start dissing myself. [19], In January 2021, it was announced that Latto would be changing her stage name from "Mulatto" following the controversy of the term being deemed as colorist. After 8 Mile, Kim starred in films like Cellular, The Sentinel, The Nice Guys, Fifty Shades Darker, and plenty more. I wanted it to be about a guy not trying to make it, but just trying to figure it out. Rosenberg: Marshall spent a lot of time educating Curtis about what goes on in battles and what kind of things people use to take down their opponents. As we know, that ended up bringing us one of the greatest rap songs of all time, Lose Yourself. Lotto is a member of The Leaders Of Tha Free World. Rosenberg: Period-wise, we had to make sure the wardrobe was right. You think these niggas gonna feel the shit you say? However, trailers werent such a big part of Eminems real life. It was like Rocky or something. Theyd line up 20 extras and say, OK, do these people look right? November 8, 2014. Taryn Manning played Jimmys ex-friend, Janeane, in the movie. It only makes sense to incorporate real rappers in a movie all about rap. In Southpaw, Eminem would have played a boxer who hit the big time but gradually lost his way. Jones: Even if you had heard it before, the bars were so complex that you were reacting every time you heard it. Lotto is also there to beat up B-Rabbit with his crew because Jimmy has beaten up Wink for having sex with his girl Alex Laterno. He was also collaborating with various artists for the 8 Mile accompanying soundtrack album and had to produce the debut album of his Detroit rat pack, Devils Night. In one famous 8 Mile scene, B-Rabbit and his crew decide to take the law into their own hands. We got together over the weekends before we actually started shooting the scenes, to fine-tune it. Then, Dr. Dre signed Em and got him the heck out of there. The main storyline in 8 Mile is B-Rabbit struggling to get studio time and put an album out. Detroit. Hes up there making jokes nonstop, about everyone, keeping the crowd hype. However, Em managed to work around the rivalry between the heavyweight rappers so that they would both be featured on the 8 Mile album soundtrack. B-Rabbits freestyle battle against Lotto. The pair tied the knot in 1993 and had their daughter Ireland in 1995. Miller: It was hype. In addition to his demanding movie work, Eminem was getting ready to launch 50 Cents career and recording his own album, The Eminem Show. He even dyed his hair and covered his tattoos in order to separate himself from his character B-Rabbit. There was a brief chase, but luckily, Rabbit managed to elude the cops. One of the most successful recording artists in the world is undoubtedly Marshall Mathers. Along with Sons of Anarchy director Kurt Sutter, Eminem planned what Sutter called a metaphorical continuation of the 8 Mile story. You choose digits for your favorite lotto, you make a payment and they buy a ticket on your behalf. An oral history of the 8 Mile rap battles. She was a part of the XXL Freshman Class in 2020. I just told him he sucked. "Yeah! Eminem portrays the character as it was based on him. Eminem makes it look super easy in real life. It doesnt exist. 8 Mile can be described or thought of as a semi-autobiographical account of Eminem in a 1995 Detroit setting. Who is B-Rabbit? You not supposed to talk! Origin 8 Mile Occupation Leader of the "Free World" gang Powers / Skills Intimidation Leadership Firearms Fighting skills Talented rap artist Hobby Rapping and fighting against people Antagonizing Rabbit Goals Beat Rabbit in their rap battle showdown (failed) Crimes Assault Abuse Attempted murder Type of Villain Musical Gang Leader the verses wouldnt hold up against writtens but in a freestyle context theyre fine with the occasional great moment. [27] All three songs were included on Latto's second studio album, 777, which was released on March 25. When it comes to online information, a lot of facts tend to be false. It just felt like we were being.5. You think these niggas gon' feel the shit you say? Great movies you can stream on Amazon Prime Video now. After 8 Mile, Mekhi starred as Dr. Gregory Pratt on the medical drama ER from 2002 to 2008. At that time I was in the streets, carrying guns. Byrd: Those battle scenes: Man, you could feel that Detroit really, really loved those scenes. Rabbit's best friend can be seen in both their candid moments together and also as the host of the underground rap battles that showcase some of the best freestyles in 8 Mile. The "seven digits" line was given after the host called time, but again most judges in this era would count an extra line if if someone squeezed it in. I thought this guy hadnt done a movie in a number of years; this might be interesting to him, and dare I say, a sequel to 8 Mile. But Marshall didnt wanna give up what he was doing. (written by) Cast (in credits order) verified as complete Produced by Cinematography by Rodrigo Prieto Film Editing by Craig Kitson Jay Rabinowitz Casting By Mali Finn Production Design by Philip Messina Art Direction by Kevin Kavanaugh Set Decoration by Kristen Toscano Messina