Eminem on SiriusXM's Town Hall: 'I'm in this game to press buttons and spark conversation'

For a relative recluse, Eminem sure gets around when it’s time to do business. In the lead-up to the release of his new album The Marshall Mathers LP 2, out today, Mr. Mathers was the musical guest on Saturday Night Live, stopped in to spit “Rap God” and collect a prize at the YouTube Music Awards, and finished up his New York media tour with a long conversation on his own SiriusXM station Shade 45.

In the latest entry in SiriusXM’s Town Hall series, Eminem sat down with host Sway for a lengthy chat about the rapper’s early days (Sway first met him way back in the mid ’90s when he was co-hosting The Wake Up Show on KMEL out of Oakland), his new album, his inspirations, and the controversy that constantly follows him around. He was a little elusive in spots, ducking questions about his daughter and his relationship with his mother despite the fact that thoughts about them both appear on MMLP2. “What I said on the record is what I have to say about that,” he told Sway when asked about being the father of a teenager. “There’s no need for me to elaborate on it. I’m just gonna leave that part of my life out from now on.”
But when confronted with a question from a fan in the studio about his controversial lyrics, he laid out his goals head-on. “I’m in this game to press buttons and start conversation,” he said. “I’d rather have bad attention than no attention at all.”
To hear the rest of Eminem’s thoughts, including some of his favorite MCs of all time and whether or not he thinks he’ll still be rapping in 10 years, tune in to SiriusXM’s Shade 45 at Noon Eastern. (It’ll also air at 2 PM and 8 PM; check out this page for a full list of the rebroadcasts.) And for more Eminem, stay tuned to the Music Mix as more fan reaction and sales numbers start rolling in regarding the just-released The Marshall Mathers LP 2.