Thats funny because i have a very similar story. I remember not knowing who eninem was at the time but knowing a few of his songs that were on a sony mp3 disc my father compiled, and they were killyou, criminal and i think kim. And i remember sneaking the mp3 in church and listening to criminal while they were preaching but i was laying down the long chair so i wont be spotted. But my sister eventually caught me and took it away. Eminems music just had that magic touch, like Michael Jackson music did, where you just want more or it immediately gravitated to you. I remember around the same time having this hot97 mix cd and lose yourself being one of the first tracks, and that song would get me hyped. No outside influence for me to even be biased because its em, just raw talent and good music.