Eminem spills on rehab, divorce in MuchMusic special

Eminem spills on rehab, divorce in MuchMusic special
Updated Mon. May. 18 2009 7:27 AM ET

Constance Droganes, entertainment writer, CTV.ca

Attention Eminem fans: The wait is over! In a new, 30-minute MuchMusic special the controversial rapper finally breaks his silence to discuss his new album, "Relapse," his battles with addiction and other woes that have marked his life over the last three years.

"Hooking Up With Eminem" premieres on Monday, May 18 at 8 p.m. ET on MuchMusic, one day before "Relapse" hits stores.

"I wasn't nervous talking to him but I knew it was a big deal," says Devon Soltendieck, the MuchMusic VJ who landed one of just three interviews the elusive artist granted.

Soltendieck and his MuchMusic crew travelled to a secret location in Detroit to conduct the candid sit-down with the legendary Slim Shady - aka Marshall Bruce Mathers III.

"I think people will be surprised by what they see," says Soltendieck.

Fans can also go to muchmusic.com to watch eye-opening raw interview footage not shown in the TV special.

"This guy's gone through a lot," says Soltendieck. "His mother's tell-all book, his stint in rehab. Then there's that whole drama surrounding his two divorces from his ex-wife Kim. You can't go through such upheaval and not be changed in some way and he clearly was."

In 1999 Mathers' mother, Deborah Mathers-Briggs, sued him for US$10 million over alleged slander about her in his lyrics regarding "The Slim Shady LP." She won US$1,600 in damages in 2001.

Mather's infamous ex Kimberley Anne Scott attempted suicide in 2000 and sued the rapped for defamation after he depicted her violent death in his song "Kim."

The couple met in high school, beginning their troubled, on-and-off relationship in 1989.

Add to that the death of Eminem's best friend and his views on the perils of celebrity and "Hooking Up With Eminem" paints a picture of a man, not an infallible superstar, who has struggled to find his way.

The 36-year-old star gained huge popularity in 1999 with the debut of "The Slim Shady LP," which won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album.

Eminem's following album, "The Marshall Mathers LP," became the fastest-selling hip hop album in history.

The pugnacious rapper went on to win nine Grammy Awards and an Oscar in 2002 for Best Original Song for the film "8 Mile," in which he starred.

"This Eminem interview is a real coup for MuchMusic. But it also makes sense,' says Soltendieck. "We've had a long relationship with this artist. The fact that he granted us this interview goes back the way MuchMusic has treated him over the years."

As Soltendieck says, "We've always been fair with him. At the end of the day I think that's what Eminem appreciates most."