Dr. Dre and Eminem have collaborated together to produce some of the greatest tracks of all time. Dr Dre was known for producing great beats and Eminem is extremly popular as a rapper. So, how did both of them meet each other and what happened after that.
How it started?
Well, the story of them meeting each other is pretty mind blowing. It was crazy how lucky they were to get to know each other at the right time. So Dr Dre was in Jimmy Iovine’s house as Dre recalls. Jimmy was trying to help Dre get an artist to work with. They were in the garage where cassettes were lying everywhere.
Back in those days I didnt have an artist to work with. I would go to Jimmy’s house and have listening sessions. He was trying to help me figure out where I was gonna go with my music.
Dr Dre
I remember him picking up this cassette tape. He popped this in and I was like ‘What the f*** and who the f*** is that?’. Rewind that. Play that again.
Dr Dre
So, Jimmy just happened to pick up a cassette and play it. It was Eminem’s cassette. The intern at Jimmy Iovine’s office had brought that cassette from Eminem. Eminem had just lost at the Rap Olympics after reaching the finals. He was feeling pretty low at that time when the intern came up to him and asked him for his music and Em gave him his cassette.
Eminem talked about how all he wanted was to be a legitimate MC and doing what he loved to do to put food on the table was his ultimate goal. Eminem would take different trips to anywhere and pass out his cassettes just so he could get an opportunity to make a name for himself.
Eminem is brought to Interscope Records Office
When Jimmy played Eminem’s cassette, Dre was simply amazed and like ‘Find this guy’. So, later then Eminem was brought to the Interscope Office. Dre was Eminem’s biggest influences ever and Eminem was shell shocked when he met him. It was beyond Eminem’s wildest dreams.
So, Eminem comes in in this bright yellow f***ing sweat suit. Hoodie, pants everything, its bright f***ing yellow. You know and I’m like ‘Wow’
Dre on meeting Eminem for the first time
So, later Dre told him he wanted to work with him and took Em to the studio. Dre played some of his recording beats to see what Em thought about that. When the beat started Eminem went like ‘Hi, My name Is’ and that is how the song ‘My Name Is’ was later created. Dre really liked what he saw from Eminem and wanted to get him signed as soon as possible.
I’m blown the f*** away. Its just one of those things when you know something special is happening.
I’m rushing I’m trying to get this thing recorded because sometimes as a producer you can feel when the magic is happening. You don’t want the artists to loose this and I don’t want to loose this momentum.
Dre on recording with Eminem for the first time
Acceptance Issues
But, the problem was that most of the executives didn’t want to sign a white guy for their label. Eminem had been through acceptance problems like those before. Dre’s records weren’t really doing good at the time and the officials wanted him out of the business. So, they were even more infuriated when they brought Eminem who was a white guy to be signed.
Dre and Eminem finally get together and release their album
Eminem went back to Detroit thinking that it wouldn’t happen. He had got evicted from his house with nowhere to stay. Both of them were in pretty bad conditions at the time. However, Dre took his chance and decided to go ahead with Eminem. Somehow, he knew it was his best chance and he took it. Eminem knew Dre was taking a risk on him. Dre’s career was on the line and both of them knew that they had to be successful.
I knew he was taking a risk, but I just didn’t know how much internal s*** he was fighting. You know, I owe him my life for that.
Eminem on Dre
Well, luckily for both of them, their records turned out to be successful. ‘My Name Is’ from their album ‘The Slim Shady LP’ released in 1999 went on to be a great hit winning the Grammy award for the Best Rap Solo Performance along with MTV Best Music Video Award for Best New Artist. So, ever since then both of them enjoyed huge amounts of success and went on to produce several great hit tracks.
So, that was how Eminem and Dr. Dre met each other.
