March 23rd marks the 21st anniversary of a truly iconic moment in hip hop history: Eminem’s Oscar win for “Lose Yourself” from the movie “8 Mile”.
This wasn’t just any award. “Lose Yourself” became the first-ever rap song to snag an Academy Award for Best Original Song. That was a monumental achievement that shattered boundaries. Once again, it was Eminem who opened to hip hop a door that was previously firmly closed.
But the story doesn’t end there. In true Shady fashion, Eminem himself was absent from the ceremony. He opted to stay home with his daughter Hailie, reportedly sleeping through the entire event. This unexpected move, while surprising, somehow fit perfectly with his rebellious persona.
Marshall showed up to an Oscars ceremony 17 years later, in 2020, finally performing the song for the Academy elite and making them pay respect to the culture that was not taken seriously back then.
