Chapter 53: November 15th, 2001 - Family, Friends, and a "Crazy Mind" in the Making
The anticipation surrounding the Holmes-Eminem collaboration was already building. Rumors were swirling, speculation was rampant, and fans were clamoring for any details they could get. But behind the scenes, the two artists were focused on creating something special, something that would live up to the hype.
Billboard Rankings:
As of November 15th, 2001, the Billboard Hot 100 looked like this:
1. "Let's Get High" - Holmes, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre
2. "Fallin'" - Alicia Keys
3. "Juicy" - Juice ft. Holmes
4. "Family Affair" - Mary J. Blige
5. "I'm Real" - Jennifer Lopez ft. Ja Rule
6. "Big Bully" - Holmes ft. Jay-Z
7. "U Remind Me" - Usher
8. "Bootylicious" - Destiny's Child
9. "Where the Party At" - Jagged Edge
10. "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)" - Jay-Z
Meeting at Eminem's Home:
Holmes drove out to Eminem's home in Clinton Township, a modest but comfortable suburban residence that reflected Eminem's down-to-earth personality. As Holmes pulled up to the house, Eminem was already outside, pacing and looking eager.
"Yo, Holmes! Glad you could make it, man," Eminem said, extending his hand for a shake. "Come on in, I wanna get you acquainted."
As Holmes stepped inside, he was immediately greeted by a small, energetic figure.
"Uncle Holmes!" a little girl exclaimed, running towards him with open arms.
Eminem chuckled. "This is my daughter, Hailie. Hailie, this is Holmes, the guy I was telling you about."
Hailie, a sweet-faced girl with bright eyes, wrapped her arms around Holmes's legs. "Hi, Uncle Holmes!" she said, beaming.
Holmes, who wasn't used to being called "uncle" by anyone, smiled awkwardly but warmly. "Hey, Hailie," he said, patting her on the head. "Nice to meet you."
For the next few minutes, Holmes played with Hailie, engaging in a game of chase around the living room. He was surprised by how much he enjoyed it, realizing that Eminem, despite his tough exterior, was a devoted father.
Meeting 50 Cent:
"Alright, Hailie, why don't you go watch some cartoons?" Eminem said, gently steering Hailie towards the television. "Holmes, come on, I want you to meet someone."
Eminem led Holmes down a hallway and into a small studio that had been set up in one of the spare bedrooms. Inside, a muscular, imposing figure was sitting behind a mixing board, nodding his head to a beat.
"Holmes, this is my new signee, 50 Cent," Eminem said. "Fiddy, this is Holmes."
50 Cent, who had yet to release his debut album, looked up and sized Holmes up with a calculating gaze. He was a street-hardened rapper from Queens, known for his raw lyrics and his unflinching delivery.
"What's up, Holmes?" 50 Cent said, extending a hand. "Heard a lot about you."
"Likewise," Holmes replied, shaking 50 Cent's hand. "I'm looking forward to hearing what you got."
Creating "Crazy Mind":
"Alright, let's get to work," Eminem said, clapping his hands together. "I got this beat from Dre that I think is perfect for us. It's got that crazy, manic energythat we both do well."
Eminem played the beat, a frenetic, hard-hitting track with a haunting melody. It was the kind of beat that made you want to bang your head against a wall, in a good way.
"I call the song Crazy Mind" Holmes shouted
"Alright let's do it!" 50 Cent said
"I already got some ideas," Eminem said, pulling out a notebook filled with scribbled lyrics. "I was thinking we could each talk about the crazy thoughts that go through our heads, the things that keep us up at night."
"I'm down," Holmes said. "I got plenty of crazy thoughts to share."
Over the next few hours, the three rappers worked tirelessly on the song, bouncing ideas off each other, writing and rewriting lyrics, and perfecting their flows. Eminem took the lead, crafting the overall structure of the song and providing the hook. Holmes contributed a verse that was both introspective and aggressive, delving into the darker corners of his mind. 50 Cent added a raw, street-level perspective, talking about his experiences with violence and poverty.
D12 joined in, adding their signature blend of humor and horror to the track. Each member contributed a verse, adding to the song's manic energy.
The song was a masterpiece of controlled chaos, a raw and unfiltered glimpse into the minds of four of the most talented and controversial rappers of the time.
Release Date and Spreading the Word:
Once the song was finished, Eminem, Holmes, and Dre gathered to discuss the release strategy.
"I think we should hold off on releasing this until January," Dre said. "Let it build some anticipation. The holidays are coming up, everyone's gonna be busy with that. We release this in January, it'll blow everything else out of the water."
"I agree," Eminem said. "Let's drop it on January 3rd. New year, new anthem."
The decision was made. "Crazy Mind" would be unleashed upon the world on January 3rd, 2002.
Even though the song wasn't officially announced, news of the collaboration inevitably leaked. Word spread like wildfire through the music industry.