Throughout his career, American rapper Eminem has received recognition as a public figure. His transgressive work during the late 1990s and early 2000s made him a controversial figure, as well as a symbol of popular angst of the American underclass.

Eminem has created numerous alter egos that he uses in his songs for different rapping styles and subject matter, most importantly Slim Shady. He has had several lyrical feuds with other musical artists, creating numerous diss tracks. Some of his lyrics have been criticized as being homophobic, though the rapper continuously denied the accusations. Eminem has also had several legal issues, the first one at the age of 20.

Mainstream perceptions In 2002, the BBC said that the perception of Eminem as a "modern-day William Shakespeare" was comparable to the reception of American singer Bob Dylan: "Not since Bob Dylan's heyday in the mid-1960s has an artist's output been subjected to such intense academic scrutiny as an exercise in contemporary soul-searching. U.S. critics point to [Eminem's] vivid portraits of disenfranchised lives—using the stark, direct language of the street—as an accurate reflection of social injustice." In addition, the BBC highlighted that, "Where parents once recoiled in horror [to his music], there now seems a greater willingness to acknowledge a music that is striking such a chord among the American young, angry white underclass." Dan Ozzi of Vice highlighted that Eminem during the early 2000s was "the one artist high school kids seemed to unanimously connect with ... he represented everything high school years are about: blind rage, misguided rebellion, adolescent frustration. He was like a human middle finger. An X-rated Dennis the Menace for a dial-up modem generation."

Concerning the controversy surrounding Eminem due to his transgressive music, American musician Madonna said in 2003, "I like the fact that Eminem is brash and angry and politically incorrect ... He's stirring things up, he's provoking a discussion, he's making people's blood boil. He's reflecting what's going on in society right now. That is what art is supposed to do." Fellow musician Stevie Wonder added "Rap to me is a modern blues—a statement of how and where people are at ... I think art is a reflection of our society, and people don't like to confront the realities in society ... But until we really confront the truth, we are going to have a Tupac or Eminem or Biggie Smalls to remind us about it—and thank God. They force people to look at realities in society."

Alter egos

Eminem uses alter egos in his songs for different rapping styles and subject matter, including Slim Shady and Ken Kaniff, among others. Slim Shady is the controversial and rebellious alter ego of Eminem, introduced in his 1997 extended play Slim Shady EP. Conceived during a period of personal and professional struggle, Slim Shady allowed Eminem to express his darker, more aggressive thoughts through exaggerated and often violent lyrical content. This persona embodies the chaotic, satirical side of Eminem's music, pushing boundaries with provocative, sometimes offensive, themes, which blend fiction and reality. The use of Slim Shady is shown in The Slim Shady LP, The Marshall Mathers LP, The Eminem Show, Encore, Relapse, The Marshall Mathers LP 2, Revival, Kamikaze, Music to Be Murdered By, and The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce).

Slim Shady's influence on Eminem's career is significant. His shock-value content helped skyrocket the rapper to fame, but also attracted criticism and legal challenges, particularly due to songs like "'97 Bonnie and Clyde" and "Kim", where he addresses deeply personal and often disturbing subjects, such as family conflicts and imagined violence. Despite the controversy, the Slim Shady character is credited with much of Eminem's early success, but over time, the persona also contributed to the rapper's personal struggles, including substance abuse.

Another character is Ken Kaniff, a gay man who pokes fun at Eminem's songs. Ken was created and originally played by fellow Detroit rapper Aristotle on The Slim Shady LP, where Kaniff makes a prank call to Eminem. An argument after the album's release prompted Eminem to use the Kaniff character on The Marshall Mathers LP and later albums (except Encore, Recovery, Revival, Kamikaze and Music to Be Murdered By). Aristotle, angry with Eminem's use of his character, released a mixtape in his Kaniff persona ridiculing him.

Comparisons with other artists As a white performer prominent in a genre influenced by black artists, Eminem has been compared, much to his chagrin, to Elvis Presley, and has lyrically been compared to Bob Dylan. Rapper Asher Roth has been compared to Eminem and Roth devoted a song on his album ("As I Em") to him, which Eminem took offense to. The accomplished trumpeter Nicholas Payton has called Eminem "the Bix Beiderbecke of hip-hop".

Feuds

Eminem has had lyrical feuds during his career with many recording artists, including Christina Aguilera, Machine Gun Kelly, Everlast, Cage, Insane Clown Posse, Will Smith, Miilkbone, Mariah Carey, Nick Cannon, Nelly, Limp Bizkit, Benzino, Ja Rule, Vanilla Ice, Canibus, Jermaine Dupri, Joe Budden, and Lord Jamar.

Insane Clown Posse The feud with fellow Detroit hip-hop duo Insane Clown Posse began in 1997, when Eminem was throwing a party to promote his debut EP, Slim Shady EP. He gave Joseph Bruce (aka Violent J from Insane Clown Posse) a flyer which stated "Featuring appearances by Esham, Kid Rock, and ICP (maybe)". Bruce asked why Eminem was promoting a possible Insane Clown Posse appearance without first contacting the group. Eminem explained, "It says 'maybe.' Maybe you will be there; I don't know. That's why I'm asking you right now. You guys comin' to my release party, or what?". Bruce, upset over not being consulted, responded, "Fuck no, I ain't coming to your party. We might have, if you would've asked us first, before putting us on the fuckin' flyer like this."

Eminem took Bruce's response as a personal offense, subsequently attacking the group in radio interviews. Bruce and Utsler responded with a parody of Eminem's "My Name Is" entitled "Slim Anus" and other tracks including "Nuttin' But a Bitch Thang" and "Please Don't Hate Me". Eminem insulted Insane Clown Posse on various tracks from his album The Marshall Mathers LP (2000), including "Marshall Mathers" and "Ken Kaniff". In 2002, Eminem briefly dissed them on his single "Business" from The Eminem Show.

Insane Clown Posse talked about the feud being squashed in an interview with MTV, saying that Proof squashed the conflict in 2005, which was followed by a bowling game between members of D12 and Psychopathic Records. Violent J stated that, "He contacted us and we had a bowling game—it was really cool. We're something different. They could have skipped over us and said forget them, but they included us and said let's squash it."

Canibus The animus with rapper Canibus started when Canibus and Haitian musician Wyclef Jean confronted Eminem and asked him if he had ghost-written the track "The Ripper Strikes Back" by LL Cool J. Eminem denied that he wrote the track. After he was confronted, Eminem said Canibus was "rude" to him.

Two years later, Canibus went to see Eminem on the Warped Tour and apologized to him for his reaction and asked him if he still wanted to feature on the track "Phuck U" from his album 2000 B.C.. Eminem agreed, but when he heard the track, he thought it was directed at him and LL Cool J, and subsequently declined the offer. Shortly afterwards, Eminem released his third album The Marshall Mathers LP (2000) and Canibus decided to continue the "story" of Eminem's single "Stan". He titled the track "U Didn't Care" and it continued to take shots at Eminem. Eminem decided to take more shots at Canibus on his album The Eminem Show (2002) on tracks such as "Say What You Say", "When The Music Stops" and "Square Dance". Even though Canibus did not immediately respond to the tracks, Eminem continued to take shots at him, including "My Name", a track that Eminem was featured on from Xzibit's album Man vs. Machine (2002).

On November 19, 2002, Canibus responded with the track titled PhD". Over a year later, Eminem's track "Can-I-Bitch" leaked as a part of his bootleg mixtape Straight from the Lab. He attacked Canibus in a humorous matter. Since then the hostilities have cooled down, but Canibus tried to provoke a reignition of it when he leaked a track titled "Air Strike (Pop Killer)", that featured vocal parts of D12, where Canibus takes shots at Eminem and his deceased friend Proof. D12 member Swift responded to the record publicly and had the following to say about DZK (another rapper featured on the track). "[He] asked us to do a track with him when he already was teamed up with Canibus without us knowing. They dissed Em, took our verses, and added them to the song, so they can bring traffic and make it seem like we were turning on Em[...] as a desperate attempt to be heard after ducking and dodging Em for 7years. It was a straight hoe move."

Christina Aguilera Aguilera mentioned Eminem during an MTV special in 1999, noting that she took issue with some of his lyrics. Eminem first dissed Aguilera on "The Real Slim Shady" where he alleged that Aguilera had given oral sex to Carson Daly and Fred Durst. Aguilera's representative reported to the New York Daily News that it was "disgusting, offensive and above all, not true". She later referenced the feud at the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards while introducing Whitney Houston alongside Britney Spears who mentioned Eminem, at which point Aguilera dismissed him.

After the release of "Can't Hold Us Down" by Aguilera in 2002, critics noted its lyrical references to her feud with Eminem. The two met face to face at the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards where she presented him with the MTV Video Music Award for Best Male Video. In 2018, Eminem reintroduced the feud on his rap "Kick-Off" which mentioned her by name. Aguilera responded on Watch What Happens Live! with Andy Cohen that its "really in the past and [...] it was thirsty then and it's thirsty now".

Michael Jackson The 2004 music video for "Just Lose It" generated controversy by parodying pop icon Michael Jackson's child molestation trial, plastic surgery and an incident in which Jackson's hair caught on fire while filming a Pepsi commercial in 1984. It was banned on the BET channel, after complaints from Benzino and others (but was later reinstated, as critics of the ban argued that Nelly's "Tip Drill" video could be seen). Both were only seen on BET: Uncut. However, MTV did not drop it, and the video became one of the most requested on the channel. A week after the release of "Just Lose It", Jackson called in to the radio show of Steve Harvey to report his displeasure with the video. "I am very angry at Eminem's depiction of me in his video", Jackson said in the interview. "I feel that it is outrageous and disrespectful. It is one thing to spoof, but it is another to be demeaning and insensitive." The singer continued: "I've admired Eminem as an artist, and was shocked by this. The video was inappropriate and disrespectful to me, my children, my family and the community at large." Many of Jackson's supporters and friends spoke out about the video, including Stevie Wonder, who called the video "kicking a man while he's down" and "bullshit", and Steve Harvey, who declared, "Eminem has lost his ghetto pass. We want the pass back."

Ja Rule

Eminem's conflict with rapper Ja Rule started after 50 Cent signed to Shady Records and Aftermath. Ja Rule stated that he had a problem with Eminem and Dr. Dre of signing someone he had conflict with.