Rap superstar Eminem is speaking out about his addiction to sleeping pills and his fear it could have killed him.
In an interview with BBC Radio 1, the 41-year-old rapper — whose real name is Marshall Mathers — described being hospitalized in 2005 for his addiction.
“I certainly could have taken another path,” he said. “I know that there are so many addicts in this world and people who have problems like that (who) don’t make it.
“I think that one thing that keeps me pushing forward is the music, and the passion,” he said, “so I am thankful for that.”
He said he’s glad to be connecting again with his audience.
At times, dealing with his addiction was crippling, the singer said.
“I think back then it was so big in my head,” he said. “Let me take this and this, drink this and this and get through it, as opposed to see the people, connect with the crowd and have fun with it.”
A key ingredient in the Detroit-born singer’s battle with drugs and other emotional problems was the fame he had earned. It was, he said, not something he desired.
“I’ve never been an attention seeker,” he told the BBC. “I don’t like to go in public and walk around and be like, ‘Here I am.’ When it all went crazy, it was really hard to wrap my head around, a lot of it still is.”
Eminem said while he will always write and be involved in music, there may come a day when he puts down his microphone.
“I always write, and I probably always will,” he said. “Whatever point I decide I am going put the mic down or whatever happens like that, I always think I want something to do with the music.”
Eminem’s eighth studio album — The Marshall Mathers LP 2 — was released in early November.
