Eminem: 'I wasn't ready to get clean'

By Greg Cochrane
Newsbeat music reporter

Eminem, aka Marshall Mathers, releases Relapse II later this year

Eminem has spoken about his time spent in rehabilitation for drug and alcohol addiction.

The Detroit rapper was treated in 2005 following his 2004 album Encore.

In an interview to be broadcast Tuesday night [19 May] with Zane Lowe, Eminem says: "I wasn't ready for it. I wasn't ready to get clean."

Eminem releases his first album in five years, Relapse, this week with reports that a second LP will follow later in 2009.

'Reassessing everything'

On the subject of his treatment, Eminem explained: "When I landed myself in rehab in 2005 I felt like I wanted to reassess everything. I remember sitting in rehab thinking, 'Is this what it comes to, really?'.

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"So when I got out I knew I needed to pull back from the spotlight because of the fame thing.

"I was like Bugs Bunny in rehab, Bugs Bunny walking in the room. The second you walk in the room…

"There were some people who were as supportive as they could be…some people that were like, 'I don't look at you as Eminem. I'm seeing you as Marshall'."

The full interview with Eminem including three live session tracks - 3am, We Made You and Beautiful - will be broadcast tonight from 7pm on Radio 1.

Radio 1's Zane Lowe