Which rapper’s 1999 single “My Name Is” helped launch his career? Eminem.
“My Name Is” was Eminem’s breakthrough single and the second single from his 1999 major-label debut album, The Slim Shady LP. Released on January 25, 1999, it introduced a wider audience to his sharply comic, provocative alter ego, Slim Shady. The song’s unusual delivery and irreverent lyrics made Eminem stand out immediately.
Dr. Dre produced the track, and its musical foundation interpolates Labi Siffre’s 1975 song “I Got The…”. Eminem had recorded the song during sessions in Ferndale, Michigan, after Dr. Dre and Interscope executive Jimmy Iovine helped move him from Detroit’s underground scene toward a national audience.
The single became Eminem’s first U.S. Billboard Hot 100 entry and reached number 36. It also earned him the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance. The phrase is sometimes confused with his later signature song “The Real Slim Shady,” but “My Name Is” came first and was the song that introduced the Slim Shady persona to mainstream listeners.