"My reality was that my mother never had a job. Never ever," he explains. "We moved from house to house, apartment to apartment, about every three months. I couldn't even tell you how long I was in one school. I dropped out in ninth grade. I failed ninth grade three times. I could sit here and put the blame on my mother, but I feel that's a cop-out, because if I really wanted to do it, I could have done it. But I can tell you she wasn't any help."

That's not to say that Eminem's an idiot. He understands how dangerous ignorance can be in the music industry, how it can end up costing an artist millions in lost royalties. Just ask Dr. Dre.

"I'm trying to educate myself in that, but that's why I got a personal manager and lawyer that take care of me in every aspect," Eminem asserts, "somebody that's close to me and that I've known for a long time."

Although his plans of earning a GED were thwarted four years ago because he had no stable place to live, Eminem said that he hopes to get it in the future.

"I might if I find time to do it," he says. "Right now I'm so busy. I would love to do it. I would love to be able to go back and say, 'Look, yo, I got my education.'"

That's something that would make any former grill cook proud.