Eminem appeared in the music video for “Without Me” alongside Dr. Dre and an outlandish yellow-painted Lamborghini Murcielago. At the time, this V10-powered supercar stood at the top of the Lamborghini ladder. Mentor and producer Dr. Dre had similarly expensive tastes, with him proudly showcasing his Ferraris.
Eminem stepped into stardom in 1999 upon the release of "The Slim Shady LP." The frequently criticized album raised Rap's profile heading into the new millennium. A controversial release, the album voices Eminem's alter-ego, Slim Shady. A violent, rude, and angry character, some of the listening public found themselves in the lyrical content. Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Mathers, had a new and large income. Unlike Dr. Dre who spent his new wealth on luxury brands and imported supercars, Eminem opted for a more common car: a purple Ford Mustang Convertible.
The rapper bought one of the Motor City's best cars.
Why Did Eminem Buy A Mustang?
The line between Eminem and Slim Shady is at times is blurry. This is the case for most artists who use alter-egos such as David Bowie. One undeniable truth for both Eminem and Slim Shady is that they're from Detroit, otherwise known as Motor City. Eminem lent into this character further with his rap battling character Jimmy in 8 Mile. From the poorer side of Detroit, the rapper has a nostalgia for the economic boom that supported his hometown and left it impoverished. This is in the music video for his track “Beautiful,” where the rapper wanders around abandoned buildings while rapping his ode to the past.
The Mustang embodies this history. The pioneering pony car in 1964, it popularized the muscle car market. It also came to symbolize being economically affluent due to its higher price tag than most Ford products. No other car would make sense for Eminem's first big purchase. As for the color, there isn't such a simple explanation. The cover for "The Slim Shady LP" is a photo of Eminem staring out to sea with a body in the trunk of a car. This photo has a purple filer over it. The purple Mustang either refers to this, or Eminem just likes the color purple.
What's Eminem's Mustang Like?
In 2002 his car came up for auction. Three years after Eminem's first royalty check, his car sold for $27,900. Around $10,000 more than MSRP for a similar new Mustang at the time. Profits from the sale supported Macomb Literacy Project, a charity that educates adults. The car didn't have the much sort after 5.0-liter V8 power unit, only the base V6. The car can still move relatively quickly, achieving 60 in 8.5 seconds.
This fourth-generation Mustang is less desirable than most. Not as classic looking as the first and second generation. Nor is it as peculiar as the third generation Foxbody or as modern as the fifth-generation model. However, Eminem's Mustang stands out among the boring-looking models. In a bold purple paint with an equally bold tan interior, the example had the cobra wheel fitted. As most musicians do, Eminem demanded the best from his sound system, dropping $7000 on speakers for the car.