Eminem has admitted that he nearly quit rapping after a disastrous first gig.

The 39-year-old, who this week became the first artist to reach 60 million Facebook likes, told The List that he nearly abandoned his music career before it started after facing a hostile reaction on his debut performance:

“The first time I rapped in front of actual people that mattered, in a club, I got booed. And it was very traumatic for me. I just remember it being so fucking traumatic, and I think I went home and I was like, man, I quit.

"And you know a week later, a day later, an hour later I got the urge, and I was like, I gotta get up, I gotta do it again."

The ‘Lose Yourself’ star, who last month confirmed he’s working on new music with Dr. Dre, went on to credit rap for giving him a purpose in life:

"I certainly feel like if it wasn't for rap, obviously, I wouldn't be here, but it gave me my voice, it gave me my outlook, it gave me strength, you know what I came back from, overdose and a whole load of shit - without rap I wouldn't be able to do a fucking thing.

"This is the one thing I feel that I feel like I have and I can do well, if I didn't have this I don't think I could do anything else, except for maybe play basketball."