Cleanin' Out My Closet
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| "Cleanin' Out My Closet" | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
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| Single by Eminem | ||
| from the album The Eminem Show | ||
| Released | 2002 | |
| Format | CD | |
| Genre | Hip hop | |
| Length | 4 min 57 s | |
| Label | Shady/Aftermath/Interscope | |
| Producer(s) | Eminem and Jeff Bass | |
| Chart positions | ||
| Eminem singles chronology | ||
| "Without Me" (2002) |
"Cleanin' Out My Closet" (2002) |
"Lose Yourself" (2002) |
"Cleanin' Out My Closet" is a song by the rapper Eminem, released in 2002. It was from his worldwide hit album, The Eminem Show, which was also released that year. In the song, he sarcastically apologizes to his mother for ever hurting her.
In the song, he describes how others protest to his lyrics. He expresses the anger that he feels towards his family and how he is better off without them now, and goes on to reassure his audience that his words regarding his mother are not done for the sake of public attention ("now I would never dis' my own mama just to get recognition").
In the music video, it shows a younger Marshall Mathers' life and relationships with his mother, and also his father who had never lived with him. Throughout most of the video, Eminem appears barefoot. One memorable scene occurs at the end, when the young Mathers digs a grave, most likely for his mother. Although, the face of the "mother" is never seen, usually blocked by objects to avoid the viewer to ask Eminem about his actual mother being in the video. Other faces were never seen were the father and Mathers as a baby.
The song was later included on Eminem's greatest hits album, Curtain Call.
Another version of this song included a sample from Blondie's "Atomic".
[edit] In culture
In 2003 the Australian comedy duo Scared Weird Little Guys produced a rap version of the folk song "Waltzing Matilda" called "Cleanin' Out My Tuckerbag", which parodies both "Lose Yourself" and "Cleanin' Out My Closet", but does not credit Eminem.
[edit] See also
Autobiographical songs
Songs about mothers
