Benzinga - by Chris Katje, Benzinga Staff Writer.
Paul Rosenberg has been managing rapper Eminem for 27 years. Speaking at the Benzinga Sports Business Titans event, Rosenberg shared how he initially met Eminem and the hurdles they overcame together on their path to success.
What Happened: Today, Eminem is one of the most successful musicians on the planet. Without key individuals like Rosenberg and Dr. Dre, Eminem may have never succeeded in music.
In a story of perseverance, Rosenberg recalled his first interactions with the musician.
After a semi successful rap career, which included a deal with a local Detroit record label, Rosenberg was ready to go to law school at the age of 22 to become a music lawyer.
"I didn't want to be just a regular lawyer," Rosenberg told the live audience at Benzinga's Detroit headquarters at the Sports Business Titans event.
Rosenberg listened to rap music since he was 11 years old, which blossomed into rapping and later his music law aspirations.
While he was still connected to the local music scene, Rosenberg told musicians that he was going to be a music lawyer and could represent them in the future.
Local retail clothing store The Hip Hop Shop hosted open mics and rap battles that Rosenberg attended.
Detroit rapper Proof, who Rosenberg was going to represent as a lawyer, hosted battles and encouraged the future manager to stick around after battles and hear someone he thought was good and happened to be "a white boy."
Rosenberg said he remembers the "audition" like it was yesterday, with Eminem wearing an all-white tracksuit, appearing kinda scrubby looking and kinda pudgy.
"I thought he was really good."
Although, Rosenberg said it wasn't the best thing he had ever seen. Eminem's future manager later bought a $6 cassette from him a month or two later and said it was really good music, well-constructed, but wasn't there in terms of songs and deliveries.
"I'm interested, but I'm not like this is it."
Rosenberg received a call later on from a DJ at The Hip Hop Shop saying that he needed to hear Eminem's new music. That music was the bare bones of what would become "The Slim Shady LP."
"Then I was convinced."
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Lesson In Perseverance: Rosenberg himself being convinced in Eminem's music wasn't enough to turn the rapper into a success.
Rosenberg said his job was to find Eminem a record deal, but it didn't happen overnight.
"It wasn't a straight path, though. Nobody wanted to sign him," Rosenberg said.
Rosenberg said the landscape for hip hop was very different back then and being a white rapper was not seen as a favorable thing.
"I didn't give up."
Rosenberg said it just took the right someone hearing Eminem and helping him succeed.
"The someone was Dr. Dre."
Dr. Dre heard Eminem freestyle on the radio and also listened to a cassette later and knew it was the same talented musician he heard on the radio, which led to an eventual record deal with Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records.
"You shouldn't take no for an answer," Rosenberg said of his perseverance to get Eminem a deal.
Rosenberg said you hear this all the time, but it's so true.
Another important lesson shared with the live Benzinga audience was the 25+ year working relationship between Eminem and Rosenberg.
"I was very lucky that he's a loyal guy. Loyalty's very important."
Rosenberg added that loyalty is less and less valued by people today.
Rosenberg and Eminem were in Detroit for the 2024 NFL Draft, which included a food truck for the Mom's Spaghetti restaurant, which is based on a lyric in the rapper's song "Lose Yourself." The food truck also has official NFL licensed merchandise for sale during the draft in Detroit.
Eminem was one of the featured guests on stage during the 2024 NFL Draft alongside NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.
"We know the commissioner now," Rosenberg said. "I call him Rog."
Rosenberg received the "Detroit Inspiration Award" from Benzinga during the Benzinga Sports Business Titans event.
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Photo by Dustin Blitchok.
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