<Tr> <Th> Budget </Th> <Td> $41 million </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Box office </Th> <Td> $242.9 million </Td> </Tr> <P> 8 Mile is a 2002 American musical drama film written by Scott Silver, directed by Curtis Hanson, and starring Eminem, Mekhi Phifer, Brittany Murphy, Michael Shannon, and Kim Basinger . 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> <P> 8 Mile was a critical and commercial success . Eminem won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for "Lose Yourself". </P>

Who are the 8 mile characters based on