"It symbolizes, like, what my life is like right now because of the fame, but also kind of how I've had to remove myself from society a little bit, pull back to conquer my demons, my addiction and that whole thing. It also symbolizes me never leaving Detroit, you know? I'm kinda just sitting in the middle of Detroit, watching TV. And it's kind of my living room, where people are just walking by."
-Chart-topping rapper Eminem, explaining the symbolism behind the album cover of his already-platinum full-length Recovery. In a video posted on his official website, Slim Shady takes fans behind the scenes of the photo shoot that lead to the album cover, and he talks about the different layers of imagery at play in the now-iconic shot of Mr. Mathers sitting in a glass cube watching television.
Like any piece of art worth doing, it didn't come without a little bit of suffering. Though they were outside in Detroit in April (where it was painfully cold), photographer Nigel Parry still encouraged Em to take his coat off for the shoot. "Oh man, listen, take your time, listen, I am enjoying the weather so f---ing much!" Eminem shouted, half-jokingly, at Parry while the photographer kept snapping shots.
In addition to those scenes, there are also shots of Eminem spouting self-help clichés and hanging out with his crew in a van. At the end, he promises that there is more behind-the-scenes footage coming soon, allowing fans further insight into the creation of one of the biggest and most important albums of 2010.