<P> The film is based loosely on Eminem 's actual upbringing , and follows white rapper B - Rabbit ( Eminem ) and his attempt to launch a career in a genre dominated by African - Americans . The title is derived from 8 Mile Road , the highway between the predominantly black city of Detroit and Wayne County and the predominantly White Oakland County and Macomb County suburbs . It was filmed mostly on location . </P>
who do the characters represent in 8 mile
loosely on Eminem