
Although they were uncle and nephew, Ronnie was only two months older. Ronald Dean Polkingharn, widely known as Ronnie, was the uncle of Eminem and his grandmother Betty’s sixth child. Hip-hop veteran DJ Green Lantern once told a story in which he may have unintentionally offended Eminem by saying that “Cleanin’ Out My Closet” sounded like another Slim Shady classic, 2001’s “ Renegade“. Does “Cleanin’ Out My Closet” sound like “Renegade”? A Major HitĬleanin’ Out My Closet is recognized as one of Eminem’s greatest or in the very least most-memorable songs. It charted in a variety of countries and in the course of doing so achieved a 4 on the UK Singles Charts and a 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. And in the latter case, it has also been certified double-Platinum in the United States. This track was released on the 26th of May 2002 as part of Slim’s fourth album, “The Eminem Show”. This project was put out by Interscope Records, Aftermath Entertainment and Eminem’s own Shady Records.Īlthough it would appear that Eminem is completely unhinged in “Cleanin’ Out My Closet”, he did practice some restraint in terms of the tune. That is to say that this song was actually meant to be featured on the rapper’s 2002 semi-autobiographical film, “8 Mile”. But Shady opted not to use it as he felt that it did indeed hit too close to home. When did “Cleanin’ Out My Closet” come out? Going back to Slim Shady’s mention of the “ I’d like to welcome y’all to The Eminem Show” in the second verse, that was actually the original phrase he came up with upon which this entire song was based. “Cleanin’ Out My Closet” was written and produced by Eminem alongside Jeff Bass. And being that Eminem, especially back in those days, held nothing back when it came to dropping records, he felt that the industry was also the appropriate venue to finally release all of this frustration that he has been holding in for basically his entire life.
#Clean eminem songs lyrics full
So at the end of the day the audience walks away knowing, if nothing else, that Slim Shady’s family life was full of strife and challenges while he was growing up. Moreover the listener is easily able to conclude that the two of them had their fair share of issues, including Eminem’s mother once wishing him dead. And most offensively, the rapper refers to his mother straight-up as a “selfish b**ch” who is unable, even at the family’s detriment, to admit her own faults. She also played cruel mental games on him, as in ‘making him to believe he was sick’ when in actuality ‘he wasn’t’. He also insinuates that the family growing up in poverty was her fault.

In the chorus, the rapper apologizes to his mother for undoubtedly hurting her feelings on this track. The irony or sarcasm of that statement has been pointed out by some analysts. In other words, Em’s concern for his mother’s emotions does not prevent him from still tearing into her in the third verse. And apparently the things that he says about her is stuff that he needed to get off his chest. That’s the notion which the title of the track implies.Īnd ultimately, it’s easy to ascertain how he knew this song would hurt her even before he put it out, because in said verse he does get quite personal, revealing personal matters that basically only the two of them would know. For instance, he implies that his mom was addicted to “prescription pills”. And overall, the tumultuous circumstances which define his familial life are what he refers to as “The Eminem Show”. Indeed even though he knows that he has and will make mistakes along the way in terms of raising his own family, Eminem is committed to being “man enough to face them” as opposed to running away like his own dad. And in proving this point, he references a recent incident he got into with the law which basically was the fault of his wife, Kim. a bad a*s, via his upbringing. And in explaining this to the audience he goes all the way to his baby years, before he even had conscious memory. And what he notes in that regard is his father abandoning him and his mother while he was still in the cradle. Of course his dad doing so has Shady emotionally-charged, in a negative sort of way, even to this very day. But he is also using his associated anger as rationale to never abandon his own child.

Meanwhile the sentimental connection between the end of the first verse and the beginning of the second is that Eminem became this way, i.e. In the first verse, the rapper illustrates how he is often perceived as the bad guy due to things that he says on record. But he appears to be more than willing to accept this title, as he is not the type to hold his tongue. Indeed he’s about to show the world even more that he doesn’t give AF so to speak, as on this track he is going after his own mother.
