According to Rolling Stone, “The Real Slim Shady” was produced by none other than Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine, and was one of the last songs finished for Eminem’s “The Marshall Mathers LP.” The song turned out to be the lead single, and while there’s some fan speculation that it might be about Eminem’s multiple personalities or imposters, that is not the case. Song Meanings and Facts says that “The Real Slim Shady” is about Eminem and the powerful influence he has had on pop and the celebrity mainstream culture, given all of the references he makes to Will Smith, Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee, and even Chris Kirkpatrick in his songs.
That said, Eminem did tell Spin in an interview back in 1999 that he doesn’t write songs to boast about his celebrity status or his prowess, but rather about some of his inner struggles. “I actually stopped writing for about five or six months and I was about to give everything up,” he revealed. “I just couldn’t, though. I’d keep going to the clubs and taking the abuse. But I’d come home and put a fist through the wall. If you listen to a Slim Shady record, you’re going to hear all that frustration coming out.” Nonetheless, that hasn’t stopped fans from still wondering who the real Slim Shady is …