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The Real Slim Shady is a song by American rapper Eminem, released in 2000 as the lead single from his third studio album, The Marshall Mathers LP. The song, with its catchy chorus will the real Slim Shady please stand up?, became a huge success, peaking at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and giving Eminem his biggest hit at the time. The song also won multiple awards, including MTV Video Music Awards for Best Video and Best Male Video, and a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance. The phrase will the real Slim Shady please stand up? has since become a popular catchphrase and has been referenced in various forms of media, including on Reddit and TikTok.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Song Name | "The Real Slim Shady" |
| Artist | Eminem |
| Album | The Marshall Mathers LP |
| Year of Release | 2000 |
| Genre | Rap, Hip-Hop, Electro Funk |
| Songwriters | Eminem, Dr. Dre, Tommy Coster, Mike Elizondo |
| Awards | MTV Video Music Awards for Best Video, Best Male Video, and Best Rap Solo Performance; Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance |
| Peak Position in Billboard Hot 100 | 4 |
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What You'll Learn
Eminem's 'The Real Slim Shady' song and its success
"The Real Slim Shady" is a song by American rapper Eminem from his third studio album, The Marshall Mathers LP (2000). The song was written by Eminem, Dr. Dre, Tommy Coster, and Mike Elizondo just hours before the final copy of the album was due. It was released as the lead single a month before the album's release.
The song's intro and chorus interpolate the famous catchphrase "will the real _____ please stand up?" from the television game show "To Tell the Truth". The Real Slim Shady is the quintessential early Eminem song—funny and serious with crazy rhyme schemes and devices. The song also touches on themes surrounding the number of near-identical "wannabes" due to Eminem's signature style, including his bleached blond hair, pale skin, and baggy T-shirts.
"The Real Slim Shady" was a commercial success, peaking at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and giving Eminem his biggest hit up to that point. It was also his first song to reach number one in the UK and Ireland, and it was the 14th best-selling song of 2000 in the UK. The song also received critical acclaim and won multiple awards, including MTV Video Music Awards for Best Video and Best Male Video, and Best Rap Solo Performance at the Grammys.
The music video for "The Real Slim Shady," directed by Philip G. Atwell and Dr. Dre, features Eminem's friends and former group mates from D12, including rappers Denaun Porter, Proof, Swifty McVay, Bizarre, Kuniva, and Limp Bizkit vocalist Fred Durst. The video, filmed in April 2000, includes look-alikes of Eminem, similar to the video for his previous single, "My Name Is."
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The song's chorus, lyrics and rhyme schemes
"The Real Slim Shady" is a song by American rapper Eminem, released in 2000 as the lead single from his third studio album, The Marshall Mathers LP. The song, with its catchy chorus and clever rhyme schemes, became a huge success, peaking at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and reaching number one in the UK and Ireland.
The chorus of "The Real Slim Shady" is repetitive and catchy, with Eminem asserting his authenticity:
> I'm Slim Shady, yes, I'm the real Shady
> All you other Slim Shadys are just imitating
> So won't the real Slim Shady please stand up?
> Please stand up, please stand up?
> 'Cause I'm Slim Shady, yes, I'm the real Shady
> All you other Slim Shadys are just imitating
> So won't the real Slim Shady please stand up?
> Please stand up, please stand up?
The lyrics of the song are filled with wit and humour, often taking jabs at celebrities and pop culture. For example, in the first verse, Eminem references the tumultuous relationship between Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee:
> Y'all act like you never seen a white person before
> Jaws all on the floor like Pam; like Tommy just burst in the door
> And started whoopin' her ass worse than before
> They first were divorced, throwin' her over furniture
In the second verse, Eminem takes aim at the Grammy Awards and the notion of selling out to gain mainstream success:
> Will Smith don't gotta cuss in his raps to sell records (Nope)
> Well, I do, so fuck him, and fuck you too
> You think I give a damn about a Grammy?
> Half of you critics can't even stomach me, let alone stand me
The rhyme schemes in "The Real Slim Shady" are complex and creative, showcasing Eminem's lyrical prowess. The song is filled with internal rhymes, slant rhymes, and multisyllabic rhymes. For example, in the chorus, "Shady" is rhymed with "imitating" and "stand up," showcasing Eminem's ability to find inventive rhyme pairings.
Overall, the chorus, lyrics, and rhyme schemes of "The Real Slim Shady" combine to create a catchy, humorous, and thought-provoking song that helped propel Eminem into mainstream success.
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The song's music video
The music video for "The Real Slim Shady" was a huge success, winning multiple awards, including MTV Video Music Awards for Best Video, Best Male Video, and more. The video features Eminem and his look-alikes, staying true to the song's theme of near-identical "wannabes" due to his signature style.
The video is a fun and ironic take on his newfound fame and the many imitators that came with it. It's a tongue-in-cheek commentary on the sudden surge in popularity of his signature blond hair, pale skin, and oversized T-shirts. The video also likely references the many critics Eminem had at the time, with lyrics like, "Half of you critics can't even stomach me, let alone stand me".
The success of the video and song itself marked a significant step in Eminem's career, taking him further into the mainstream. The song's catchy and ironic themes, coupled with its danceable R&B-influenced funk sound, contributed to its massive popularity.
The video and song's impact was such that even over a decade later, in 2011, NME placed "The Real Slim Shady" at number 80 on its list of the "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years". This enduring popularity is a testament to the iconic nature of the song and its music video, which has left an indelible mark on pop culture.
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The song's place in Eminem's career
"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 was written by Eminem, Dr. Dre, Tommy Coster, and Mike Elizondo just hours before the final copy of the album was due. The song's chorus interpolates the famous catchphrase "will the real _____ please stand up?" from the television game show "To Tell the Truth".
The song is considered the quintessential early Eminem song, showcasing his ability to be simultaneously funny and serious, with crazy rhyme schemes and devices. It was Eminem's biggest hit at the time, peaking at number four on the Billboard Hot 100. It was also his first song to reach number one in the UK and Ireland, and it was the 14th best-selling song of 2000 in the UK.
The song was very successful at the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards, winning awards for Video of the Year and Best Male Video. It also won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance. The song's music video has over 1 billion views on YouTube as of October 2024, making it Eminem's seventh video to cross the one billion mark.
"The Real Slim Shady" is a significant song in Eminem's career, as it helped propel him further into the mainstream and showcased his unique style and lyricism. It also demonstrated his ability to create catchy and successful songs, even under pressure and with tight deadlines. The song's success and impact solidified Eminem's place in the music industry and paved the way for his continued success and influence.
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The song's creation and influences
"The Real Slim Shady" is a song by American rapper Eminem from his third studio album, The Marshall Mathers LP, released in 2000. The song was crafted in the studio with Dr. Dre, with whom Eminem had previously worked on his second album, The Slim Shady LP, which was released in 1999. Eminem and Dr. Dre's creative process generally began with Dr. Dre creating a beat, which Eminem would then use as a template for his freestyle raps.
"The Real Slim Shady" was written just hours before the final copy of the album was due. Interscope Records' Jimmy Iovine wanted Eminem to get a song to introduce the album, similar to the way Eminem's breakthrough single "My Name Is" was the first single on The Slim Shady LP. Eminem, frustrated, felt he couldn't produce another "My Name Is", but he was under pressure, so he rushed to record tracks. However, instead of crafting a formulaic single, he recorded "The Way I Am". Shortly before the deadline, Eminem got back in the studio with Dr. Dre and swiftly crafted what became the album's lead single.
The song's first verse interpolated the 1999 novelty single "Lonely Swedish (The Bum Bum Song)" by Tom Green, 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. Eminem was also influenced by the little-known track "Real Solo Please Stand Up" by K-Solo, released in 1990.
The song has been described as "slamming their 'enemies' with comic book intensity", with ironic themes surrounding the number of near-identical "wannabes" due to Eminem's signature style, including his bleached blond hair, pale skin, and baggy T-shirts. The song has also been praised for its slick, bright, melodic funk sound.
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Frequently asked questions
The song is about Eminem asserting himself as the "real Slim Shady", while dismissing all the other Slim Shadys as mere imitators.
This line is an interpolation of the famous catchphrase "Will the real _____ please stand up?" from the television game show "To Tell the Truth". It emphasizes the song's theme of distinguishing the authentic from the imitators.
The song was written by Eminem, Dr. Dre, Tommy Coster, and Mike Elizondo.
The song won multiple awards, including MTV Video Music Awards for Best Video, Best Male Video, and Best Rap Solo Performance (Grammy Award). It was also ranked highly on various music lists, including NME's "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years" and "500 Greatest Songs of All Time".
