Featuring: Fred Durst

Songwriter: Eminem

Producer: DJ Lethal

[Intro: Eminem]
Here's the story, of a little boy
Growing up in a suburban home
Trying to cope with everyday life
Who lives in a little house
That was built, in the middle of the street

[Verse 1: Eminem]
"Hey, Mom! 2Pac's on the jukebox"
"So what, he shot two cops
And raped a little girl while two dudes watched"
"Nuh-uh! They were tryin' to frame him"
"You and that Tupack Shaker..."
"No! That ain't how you say his name, mom!
You're so lame, don't you know anything?"
"Yeah! I know that you'll probably go and join in a gang,"
"Yeah, right. I'm out. Where's my fuckin' Walkman at?"
"Stop cussin' at me!"
"Shut up, bitch!"
"Quit talking Black!"
Well, slammed the door and I'm out
Now, what? It's probably warm in the house
Fuck, I forgot my jacket, forgot it was winter
I'm gettin' thinner, I'm hungry
Is Mom cookin' dinner?
"Mom! Let me back in! I forgot my coat
Mom, come on, I'm not playin', it's cold!
Alright, sorry, I need a jacket
Mom, look, my 2Pac tape, I just cracked it
Ma, please let me back in
It is Tupack Shaker, I just asked him"
I'm freezin', I'm sneezin'
I'm breathin' too much cold air, I'm wheezin'
"I ain't did nothin' I didn't say 'I'm leavin'"
I said "I'm goin' on the front porch to get somethin'"
(scissors cutting) "Alright, here take your damn coat and leave,"
"Fine, I'll le— Mom, you cut off the sleeves!"

[Hook: Fred Durst]
Our house
In the middle of the street

[Verse 2: Eminem]
One, two, three
My teacher's two-faced, went to lower all my school grades
Since last Tuesday I had a toothache from Kool-Aid
So Mom kicked me out, and all I had in my suitcase
Was one shoelace, a tube sock, and a tube of toothpaste
Sometimes it was cool cause I could go to Fred's
Crash there, fool around and just skip school
But other times I'd rather just be home
In my own room alone beat my shit and nobody would know
My little brother sucked on a bottle 'til he was six
So I'd hide it inside the couch and say
"I don't know where it is"
But as soon as Mom found it I would either be grounded
Or kicked out of the house a thousand weeks and still countin'
Even when I was underage
Mom was tellin' cops I was tryin' to run away
I told her "Someday, bitch, you're gonna pay"
Please, Mom, please, Mom, please, I wanna stay
(Let me stay)

[Hook: Fred Durst]

[Verse 3: Eminem]
My brother's incoherent, Mom's a single parent
Who ain't carin', starin' through me
Like I'm transparent, made it clear
That I was just there to run her errands
Told her friends I was a son from her last marriage
Sent me up to the corner store with a little note
"Please, sell my step-son some cigarettes so I can smoke"
One time I tried to fake sick to get attention
Back-fired, Mom sent me to school with a vengeance
My life's the worst thing that could ever happen to me
I go to class and every teacher's always laughin' at me
And Mom says white rappers are laughed at
Not only that, she heard me upstairs
I can't rap, and I'm stupid
I'll never make it averaging a D+
I need to sit on my ass and sue people like she does
One time, I got food poison from a hot dog
Mom sued and got $2,000 from Ballpark
"Hey, Ma. You got a dollar?"
"I don't think so, now keep an eye on your brother
I'm goin' to bingo."
"But, Mom, you said you were broke."
"Who said? You got your ears messed up
From that damn rap music."

[Hook: Fred Durst]

Eminem

A legendary hip-hop icon who started as an underground battle rapper in Detroit, Marshall “Eminem” Bruce Mathers III (1972 – present) has developed a career full of controversy, wild swings, and some of the most noteworthy raps in the history of the genre.

Eminem has broken countless barriers, shifting and impacting the culture in several ways. In June 2017, “Stan” was added into the Oxford Dictionary, and in 2019, to the Merriam-Webster dictionary. He was the first rapper to win the Grammy Award for Best Album for three consecutive albums. “Rap God” set the Guinness World Record for most words in a song. He was also the first rapper to win an Oscar. His albums The Marshall Mathers LP and The Eminem Show became certified Diamond by the RIAA in 2011, making him one of the few artists to have more than one Diamond album. This has helped him become the highest selling hip-hop artist of all time. In January 2020, with his 11th studio album Music to Be Murdered By debuting at #1 on the Billboard 200, Eminem became the first artist in history to have 10 consecutive #1 debuts.

Produced and co-signed by Dr. Dre, Em had an unprecedented run of success from 1999 up until 2003, releasing three well-reviewed multi-platinum albums, stealing the show on countless collaborations, and even starred in a hit movie. However, it all came crashing down around 2004, when a string of problems ranging from drug dependence to depression to the tragic death of best friend Deshaun “Proof” Holton in 2006 led to a long hiatus from music and a pair of what were, by his own admission, sub-par albums.

From the album