2014 marked the 15th anniversary of Eminem's label Shady Records. Eminem and his longtime manager Paul Rosenberg celebrated the milestone with the release of the compilation Shady XV that features the likes of 50 Cent, Yelawolf, Royce Da 5'9" and others. Now Complex has created a 32-minute documentary -- Not Afraid: The Shady Records Story -- on the history of the label, from its inception until what it has become today, from its glory days in the early 2000s to its more scaled back form today with artists like Yelawolf, Slaughterhouse and Royce Da 5'9" on the roster. The film sits with a variety of guests who have been crucial to the development of the label and Eminem as an artist over this career, notably Rosenberg, Dr. Dre and 50 Cent, whose album Get Rich or Die Trying was released through Shady Records.
It starts with Em and Rosenberg in a studio talking about how they first met and got the idea to start a label.
Influential Detroit rapper Proof who was friends with Paul Rosenberg told him to stick around after a battle and introduced him to Em. Paul listened and bought Marshal Mathers's Infinite tape after hearing him rap live and they stayed in touch. Em really liked the connection because Paul was someone from New York who knew people.
Dr. Dre first heard Eminem at Jimmy Iovine's house. He heard a demo and said "this is f**king incredible." He found out a few days later Em was white and they made "My Name Is" within the next few days. Eminem credits his learning about production from making beats to mixing to Dre.
Fitty came into the picture right after The Eminem Show had gone platinum in the first week and turned down a deal with Universal. He went with Shady instead and sold 800,000 units in the first week -- Friday to Tuesday -- and then another 800,000 in the following week.
This was the height of the label because right in summer 2003, without any radio hits, Obie Trice sold 2 million with his album.
It took a major blow in 2006 when Proof was shot in a Detroit nightclub, which took a major toll emotionally on everyone on the label and Em especially.
After he got sober with Relapse and Recovery, Em refocused on label with Royce and Slaughterhouse and then new signees. Watch the full documentary below.
