As an underground rapper Eminem released his debut solo album, Infinite in 1996. The album was a critical and commercial failure. He gained mainstream popularity in 1999 after the release of his major-label debut album The Slim Shady LP. The LP also earned Eminem his first Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. His next two records The Marshall Mathers LP, and The Eminem Show, also won Best Rap Album Grammy Awards, making Eminem the first artist to win Best Rap Album for three consecutive LPs. This was followed by another studio release in 2004 titled Encore. Eminem then went on hiatus after touring in 2005. He released his first album in five years titledRelapse, on May 15, 2009. In 2010, Eminem released his seventh studio albumRecovery. Recoverywas an international success and was named the best selling album of 2010 worldwide, joining The Eminem Show, which was the best seller of 2002. Eminem won Grammy Awards for both Relapse and Recovery, giving him a total of 13 Grammys in his career.
Eminem has opened other ventures, including his own record label Shady Records with his manager Paul Rosenberg. He also has his own radio channel, Shade 45 on Sirius XM Radio. Eminem began an acting career in 2002, when he starred in the hip hop drama film 8 Mile. He won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, becoming the first rap artist ever to win the award.[8] He has also made cameo appearances in The Wash(2001), Funny People (2009) and the television series Entourage.