Eminem comes clean over drug battle

Eminem has spoken out about his battle with drugs in a new magazine interview. Photo / AP

Rapper Eminem says he took a three-year break from music in a bid to conquer his addiction to prescription drugs.

In a candid new magazine interview, he reveals: "I wasn't ready mentally. I wasn't ready to give up the drugs. I didn't really think I had a problem. Basically, I went in, and I came out. I relapsed, and I spent the next three years struggling with it. Also, at that time, I felt like I wanted to pull back, because my drug problem had got so bad.

"I felt like, 'Maybe if I take a break, maybe this will help.' I started to get into the producer role more. I can still be out there with my music, but I don't have to be in the spotlight the whole time."

Eminem, who was treated for an addiction to sleep medication and also battled alcohol dependency, was forced to cancel the European leg of his Anger Management Tour in 2005 due to exhaustion and his addiction.

The 36-year-old hip-hop star also revealed the death of his close friend and fellow rapper Proof in 2006 worsened his drug problem.

He explained to XXL magazine: "I think it kind of hit me so hard. It just blindsided me. I just went into such a dark place that, with everything - the drugs, my thoughts. And the more drugs I consumed, and it was all depressants I was taking, the more depressed I became, the more self-loathing I became.

"I'm just now at the point where I'm better talking about it. It took me so long to get out of that place where I couldn't even speak about it without crying or wanting to cry. Proof was the anchor."

Following a three-year hiatus from recording new material, Eminem began working on his sixth studio album Relapse last year.

Relapse - his first studio album since 2004's Encore - is due to be released next month.

- BANG! SHOWBIZ