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Marshall Bruce Mathers III, born October 17, 1972, is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and record executive. He is known professionally as Eminem. He is considered one of the most influential rappers of all time and is credited with popularizing hip-hop in Middle America and increasing acceptance of white rappers. Eminem gained mainstream popularity with the release of The Slim Shady LP in 1999 after signing with Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment. His albums The Marshall Mathers LP (2000) and The Eminem Show (2002) sold over one million copies in a week each, with The Eminem Show being the best-selling album worldwide in 2002 and the best-selling hip-hop album of all time. His early work includes the debut album Infinite (1996) and the Slim Shady EP (1997). Eminem's music often features social commentary and political criticism, and he is recognized for his rap flow. He became a controversial figure due to his transgressive art in the late 1990s and early 2000s. After releasing Encore in 2004, he took a hiatus partly due to struggles with prescription drug addiction.