Rocket Man Elton John recently took flight with the No. 1 hit “Someone Saved My Life Tonight.” However, Eminem stated that the ’70s superstar has already helped save his life, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
“If it wasn’t for Elton, Eminem might not even be here today – and he admits it,” a source said.
Sir Elton, and Detroit rap superstar Eminem, became unlikely pals after they performed together at the 2001 Grammy Awards. However, it turns out they had more in common than just music. John fought a cocaine and booze addiction before getting clean in 1990 and agreed to become Eminem’s AA sponsor in 2009 – taking on the role of sober coach that he embraces to this day.
As his music career exploded, Eminem was saddled with addictions to prescription pills such as Valium, Vicodin and Ambien, as well as boozing. He even admitted to nearly dying of a methadone overdose in 2007.
Eminem also admitted that the I’m Still Standing star was the first person he turned to when he finally decided that he wasn’t going to live long if he didn’t change his bad ways. “When I first wanted to get sober, I called (Elton) and spoke to him about it,” said the star.
They added: “He’s somebody who’s in the business and can identify and relate to the lifestyle and how hectic things can be. He understands … the pressure and any other reasons that you want to come up with for doing drugs.”
A friend also said: “Eminem has been tempted so many times to slide back into his destructive addictions when pressures have mounted in his life, but one call to Elton and he talks him off the ledge.”
