Eminem, the hip hop icon who famously ended Machine Gun Kelly’s rap career with his diss track “KILLSHOT,” adds restaurateur to his list of accomplishments. His quick service spot Mom’s Spaghetti opened on Sept. 29 in Detroit, featuring, you guessed it, spaghetti with your choice of meat or vegan balls. Spaghetti sandwiches are also available for Slim Shady fans on the go.
The Italian comfort meal is, of course, referenced in Eminem’s autobiographical smash hit “Lose Yourself,” which details a young man who is nervous before a rap battle: His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy. There's vomit on his sweater already, mom's spaghetti.
While Eminem’s description of his dinner in “Lose Yourself” may sound less than appetizing, the line became notorious across the internet, inspiring a remix in which nearly all of the original lyrics are replaced with “Spaghetti.” The rapper, known legally as Marshall Mathers, has clearly been a good sport about the joke, leveraging the concept into an occasional pop up at his shows, and now, a brick and mortar restaurant.
Per his biopic 2002 8 Mile, Mathers reps Detroit hard, making the troubled but resilient U.S. the obvious location to plant the roots of Mom’s Spaghetti. He has historically given back to his hometown, even providing free spaghetti to essential workers at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mathers made a surprise appearance at the grand opening of his store on 2131 Woodward Avenue, taking photos and serving up the sauce for the first 10 fans in line. DJ Eddie provided the sounds as a line of eager patrons snaked through the building and around the block. Retail shopping was also available for those seeking merchandise branded with the establishment’s heart and arrow logo, as well as clothing sporting Eminem’s likeness.
While Mathers has not announced that any new albums are in the works, he has a tendency to release material by surprise. He is, however, featured alongside Polo G and Mozzy on the Skylar Grey track "Last One Standing”, which is featured on the soundtrack for the upcoming superhero flick Venom: Let There Be Carnage. “Last One Standing” dropped yesterday via Aftermath.
For more information on Mom’s Spaghetti, visit their official website.
