TAKING to the floor to share a cute dance with his newlywed daughter Hailie, rapper Eminem couldn’t have looked more proud.
Suited and booted, he looked a million miles away from his tough persona as the Real Slim Shady.
Fans of Eminem will already know that Hailie, who married her boyfriend of eight years Evan McClintock this month, is the apple of her daddy’s eye, having been name-checked in many of his hits.
But she isn’t his only child. In fact, the rap superstar is proud dad to two other kids who he and ex-wife Kim adopted, as well as bringing up his younger brother Nate, who is 14 years his junior.
All of them had a tough start to life – witnessing drug addiction, death and abuse.
But thanks to the love and support of Eminem – real-name Marshall Mathers – and his ex-wife Kim, they have all gone on to build successful lives.
Eminem knew all about making his own way against the odds. He was born in a trailer park in Detroit to a single mum, and was determined things would be different for his own kids.
But at first he and Kim struggled to give baby Hailie the stable upbringing he had dreamed of.
The couple met when 13-year-old Kim ran away from home claiming she had been abused by her alcoholic stepdad.
She moved into 15-year-old Eminem’s trailer with his mum, Debbie Nelson.
The pair had a rocky relationship and after the birth of their daughter Hailie Jade, in 1995.
They lived in crime-stricken areas and struggled to get by, with Eminem working as a dishwasher in a hotel for $4 an hour.
By 1999 Eminem had hit the big time and the couple married, but both struggled with drug addiction and Eminem later admitted he was abusive to Kim.
The couple divorced in 2001, and then briefly remarried in 2006 before splitting again.
Kim has battled depression and addiction since, attempting to take her own life several times.
But the pair were believed to be reunited to support their beloved Hailie at her nuptials this week, alongside her siblings.
And Eminem says being a good dad is the most important thing in his life, telling Rolling Stone in 2004: “Bein’ a dad is definitely living a double life.
“Even before Hailie was born, I was a firm believer in freedom of speech … But once I hit them gates where I live, that’s when I’m Dad.
“Takin’ the kids to school, pickin’ ’em up, teachin’ ’em rules. I’m not sayin’ I’m the perfect father, but the most important thing is to be there for my kids and raise them the right way.”
Hailie was born on Christmas Day, 1995, and initially brought up in poverty, with warring parents.
In 2001, Eminem said his daughter was “a real wake-up call” for him.
“She made me get my ass in gear — to make something of my life and try 10 quadrillion times harder than I had before,” he told Q. “Everything that I am doing right now is for Hailie … the money — it’s for her college.”
And despite her chaotic start to life, she grew up well-adjusted – graduating from Chippewa Valley High School in 2014 with highest honours.
She fulfilled her dad’s dream of seeing her go to university, graduating from Michigan State College with a psychology degree and impressive grade.
“She’s made me proud for sure,” Eminem said on Hotboxin’ with Mike Tyson in 2020.
Hailie, 29, has become a successful influencer, launching her “Just A Little Shady” podcasting 2022.
When asked about how she feels being questioned about her dad she told her listeners: “Why do people care?’ I was young and I didn’t totally understand the situation, so I was like, that’s my dad. I don’t ask you about your dad.”
Hailie added that she understands some people want to confirm what they’ve heard but explains, “Some stuff it’s just like, that’s weird. Let’s move on.”
The show has helped her to amass 3.2million Instagram followers, and she has been signed up by several brands for paid partnerships including make-up brand Revlon and sports designer Puma.
But for now she is enjoying being in the newlywed bubble with husband Evan, gushing on social media: “We couldn’t have asked for a better, more beautiful weekend celebration.”
She added: “So so many happy tears were shed, laughs & smiles were had, & so much love was felt. Evan and I are feeling so grateful for all of the family & friends that traveled to support us and be a part of this new chapter of our lives as husband & wife.”
Alaina was born to Kim’s sister, Dawn Scott, in February 1993.
But Dawn had battled with heroin addiction ever since her teens, so Eminem legally adopted her in the early 2000s. Dawn sadly died from an overdose in 2016, aged 41.
“I have full custody of my niece,” the rapper told Rolling Stone about Alaina in 2004.
“My niece has been a part of my life ever since she was born. Me and Kim pretty much had her, she’d live with us wherever we was at.”
In 2020, he said Alaina, whom he often calls Lainey in the lyrics of his songs, is “like a daughter” to him.
And Alaina has proved that her sister Hailie isn’t the only academic in the family, graduating from Oakland University, where she got a bachelor of arts in communication with a double minor in public relations and advertising.
Alaina, 31, is a travel blogger, runs a book club and is an advocate for plus-size fashion, sharing her recommendations with her 117,000 followers on her Instagram page.
She married her long-time love Matt Moeller last year in front of family and friends, with Hailie as a bridesmaid and Eminem giving her away.
And she was the first to congratulate Hailie on her nuptials, posting a stunning shot of her sister in her wedding gown, captioned: “When you baby sister gets married. Couldn’t be more happy for you Hay.”
Born on April 16, 2002, Stevie – christened Whitney – was the result of a short relationship Kim had with tattoo artist Eric Harttner in between her two marriages to Eminem.
Eminem legally adopted them back in 2005, after he and Kim rekindled their relationship, four years after their divorce.
Their biological dad, a professional tattoo artist, had various run-ins with the law and was in and out of prison as he reportedly battled drug addiction. He died in 2020 aged 40.
Stevie unveiled the new name on August 12, 2021, and revealed they identify as non-binary.
Now aged 21, they received huge support from fans when they posted a touching TikTok documenting their journey through “becoming more comfortable with” themselves.
Stevie is in a long-distance relationship with TikToker Declan Jace, and often posts cute videos when they’re together.
Last year, Stevie told Hailie on her podcast: “He moved in with me last year, like December. It’s going really well, we’ve been together like two years now.
“It’s hard but I feel like if you really have a connection with someone it can work, especially if you make time for it to work. It’s a pretty hard thing but it’s a lot easier and it’s worth it once you get to live together and actually experience those things.”
They also took to social media to congratulate Hailie and Evan on their wedding day, posting “My sister is married! Congratulations so happy for both of you.”
Eminem brother Nate is 14 years younger than him and was born on February 3, 1986 as the result of a brief affair between his mother, Debbie Nelson, and Fred Samara.
The brothers were close to each other but distanced from their mother, who they have claimed was abusive and neglectful.
At one point Nathan was placed in foster care but Eminem, now a global superstar, took him in when he was 16 and gained legal custody.
“When he was taken away I always said if I ever get in a position to take him, I would take him,” Eminem told Rolling Stone. “I tried to apply for full custody when I was 20, but I didn’t have the means.”
Nate, 38, now an actor, DJ and music producer, has always said he was grateful to his big brother for taking him in.
He is now married to wife Ashley and has three children, and credits Eminem for helping him to become a good dad.
He and Hailie remain close and she calls him her “bruncle” – a cross between a brother and an uncle.
Speaking on her Just a Little Shady podcast, Nate said of his famous brother: “He was the best role model I could have had to help me be the dad that I am today.”
