Eminem's independently released 1996 debut album was Infinite.
Released on November 12, 1996, Infinite came out through Web Entertainment, an independent label associated with Detroit producers Jeff and Mark Bass, known as the Bass Brothers. Eminem recorded much of the album in the Bass Brothers' basement studio, with production from Eminem, Denaun Porter, and the Bass Brothers.
The album predates Eminem's major-label breakthrough with Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records. Its sound was more reflective and influenced by artists such as Nas and AZ, rather than the darker, comic-book-inspired Slim Shady style that later made him famous.
Only a limited number of physical copies were made, mainly on cassette and vinyl. Eminem reportedly sold copies from the trunk of his car in Detroit, and the album's commercial disappointment helped motivate the creation of his Slim Shady alter ego. A later mix-up is confusing Infinite with the Slim Shady EP, which followed in 1997.