Eminem celebrates 16 years sober

Eminem is celebrating a remarkable milestone in his sobriety journey.

The 51-year-old rapper – whose real name is Marshall Mathers III – has been candid about his struggle with substance abuse disorder.

On Saturday (April 20), the ‘Lose Yourself’ hitmaker marked 16 years of sobriety by sharing a picture of his hand holding a sobriety chip, a symbol of his ongoing commitment to recovery.

The coin had an image of a tree embedded in it, alongside the inscription ‘Unity Service Recovery’.

Check out Eminem’s post below:

https://www.instagram.com/p/C5_Vi9zgdp-/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=5b74a7c2-d1cb-4674-8d7f-0dbaa6547038&ig_mid=AF7318B4-4AD4-4CF3-9B78-33EF992FB4A0

The ‘Real Slim Shady’ rapper chose not to caption the Instagram post, which became inundated with comments from fans congratulating him on the milestone.

One user praised: “Respect. So proud of you. keep going forever.”

Another remarked: “Congratulations and thanks for sharing, especially to the ones who are trying to get through Day 1.”

A third shared: “Congratulations! We watched you grow up and watching this version of you has been the most amazing thing to witness as a fan.”

A fourth inspired follower revealed Eminem’s music had motivated him to stay sober. “You helped me stay sober. I have 14 years and listening to your music during that vulnerable first year helped me so much. Congrats on your 16 years sober!!!” they wrote.

Other famous followers – including John Mayer, Michelle Visage, and his brother Nathan Mathers – were also quick to comment on the post and congratulate the rapper.

Eminem has been sober since April 2008. Credit: Jeff Kravitz / Getty

Eminem has been sober since April 2008.

According to Rolling Stone, the ‘Not Afraid’ rapper struggled with an addiction to Ambien, Valium, and Vicodin between the years 2002 and 2008.

The father of three previously revealed that in 2007, he suffered an overdose that almost killed him when he took a huge dose of methadone and left him fearful he had brain damage.

“In 2007, I overdosed on pills, and I went into the hospital,” Eminem told Men’s Journal. “I was close to 230 pounds. I’m not sure how I got so big, but I have ideas. The coating on the Vicodin and the Valium I’d been taking for years leaves a hole in your stomach, so to avoid a stomachache, I was constantly eating — and eating badly.”

Appearing on his manager Paul Rosenberg’s podcast Paul Pod: Curtain Call 2 in 2022, the musician disclosed that “it took a long time for my brain to start working again” after the harrowing incident.

In 2008, Eminem sought help for his addiction to substances such as Vicodin, Ambien, and Valium. Credit: Kevin Mazur / Getty

The year after he sought help and got clean, the ‘Without Me’ rapper dropped the 2012 album Recovery, which won a Grammy for Best Rap Album.

On the podcast, Eminem shared he felt “really happy” after the drugs left his system and added that making the album was the first time “that I had had fun recording in a long time”.

Congratulations on your milestone Eminem!