Elton John Says He's Still Helping Eminem Battle Drug Problem
In the run-up to the spring release of Relapse, [article id="1610557"]Eminem spoke openly[/article] about the drug addictions -- from Vicodin to Ambien -- that had kept him from putting out a studio LP for almost five years. The rapper revealed in May that he often leaned on Elton John to help him through his difficult times, saying, "[H]e's somebody who's in the business and can identify and relate to the lifestyle and how hectic things can be."
Now the Rocket Man himself is saying that he continues to counsel his pal. In an interview with BBC Radio over the weekend, John said, "I've been helping Eminem over the last 18 months and he's doing brilliantly.
"I'm there if people want my help," continued the singer, who has battled his own addictions over the years. "If people ask for help you tell them where to go, but there's no point advising people if they don't want to do it."
In a interview last spring with Vibe magazine, Eminem admitted he [article id="1610557"]almost died[/article] from a methadone overdose. He also estimated he took as many as 20 prescription pills a day, mixing and matching pain and sleep medication, before realizing he was suffering from addiction.
When he decided to get sober, he [article id="1611342"]reached out to John[/article].
"Me and him have had similar lives and stuff," he told Detroit's Metro Times. "So I reached out to him and told him, 'Look, I'm going through a problem, and I need your advice.' I also talked to T.I. a lot and, you know, we exchange advice."
