How did Eminem get interested in the music industry?

Marshall Mathers, known professionally as Eminem, showed an early interest in hip hop music during his childhood in Detroit, Michigan. His initial foray into the music industry started with breakdancing when he was thirteen. Although, his love for rap eventually overshadowed his breakdancing and began writing his lyrics shortly after his uncle Ronnie gifted him a copy of the Beastie Boys’ album, “ Licensed to Ill.”

By the early 1990s, Eminem participated in open mic contests throughout his school and in local businesses, gradually honing his skills within the Detroit hip hop scene. In a short span of time, he became well recognized with fellow rappers for talent, as evidenced by Dr. Dre discovering Eminem via one of his performances in the freestyle competition he entered in Los Angeles in which a videotape containing his work caught Dr. Dre’s attention.