The Way I Am

The Way I Am is a song by american hip-hop artist Eminem, the song was released as the second single off the album The Marshall Mathers LP released on September 7, 2000 a month after The Real Slim Shady single was released. The song debut at #58 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Writing process
The song was written by Mathers himself and it talks about the pressures of fame and talks about his overzealous fan base expecting him to top My Name Is with The Real Slim Shady. The hook is a tribute to the Erik B. and Rakim song “As the Rhyme Goes On” and says that the media is portraying something Em is not. The song references the Columbine School Shooting by saying "When a dude's getting bullied and shoots up his school And they blame it on Marilyn and the heroin Where were the parents at? And look where it's at." The line talks about that Manson was blamed for the shooting cause the person that did it listened to his music.

Music Video
The video shows Marshall standing on a ledge of a building and jumps off it as moments appear as flash backs manly his personal life and fans asking for his autograph.

Track listing

 * UK CD single
 * 1) "The Way I Am" - 4:53
 * 2) "Bad Influence" - 3:40
 * 3) "My Fault" (Pizza Mix) - 3:54
 * 4) "The Way I Am" (Video) - 4:53


 * UK Cassette
 * 1) "The Way I Am" - 4:53
 * 2) "Bad Influence" - 3:40


 * Australian CD single
 * 1) "The Way I Am" (Unedited Version) - 4:53
 * 2) "The Way I Am" (Clean) - 4:55
 * 3) "Kids" (Uncensored Version) - 5:07
 * 4) "'97 Bonnie & Clyde" - 5:17
 * 5) "Steve Berman" (Skit) - 0:56
 * 6) "The Real Slim Shady" (Video) - 4:44