My Name Is
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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"My Name Is" is a song by Eminem, released in 1999. It is the commercial debut but second single overall from his major label debut album, The Slim Shady LP, also released that year. This song was the first to propel him (and his debut album) up the mainstream singles charts, and helped establish his rapping styles, which lead to further chart-topping success the following year. Due to the single's widespread exposure, it became the first rap song to grace the top spot on Total Request Live, which was maintained until it was retired after 30 number one days in a row.
Other versions
Producer Dr. Dre wanted to use a sample of Labi Siffre's "I Got The ..." for the rhythm track; as revealed in the sleeve notes of the re-mastered CD of the source album, Remember My Song, Siffre, who is openly gay, stated, "attacking two of the usual scapegoats, women and gays, is lazy writing. If you want to do battle, attack the aggressors not the victims." Eminem made lyric changes and Siffre cleared the sample.
There are currently three different versions available. The "clean" and "explicit" versions are available on iTunes. There is also another version which is more explicit than the one available on iTunes, released as the B-side to "Lose Yourself" on the CD single. The Explicit version on iTunes contains reverb on the backing vocals (the kids voice) in the beginning of the song while the backing vocals on the clean version does not.
During the time the song was released, Eminem and Insane Clown Posse were having a "rap feud". After the release of this song, Insane Clown Posse parodied this song with a song called "Slim Anus".
"My Name Is" was later re-released in 2005, on Eminem's compilation album, Curtain Call: The Hits.
The song is mixed with Jay-Z's song "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)" and Beck's song "Loser" on the video game DJ Hero.
Eminem also made a remix of it (using the most explicit version) over the top of AC/DC's "Back In Black".
