<Tr> <Th> Box office </Th> <Td> $242.9 million </Td> </Tr> <P> 8 Mile is a 2002 American drama film written by Scott Silver, directed by Curtis Hanson, and starring Eminem, Mekhi Phifer, Brittany Murphy, Michael Shannon, and Kim Basinger . </P> <P> The film, set in 1995 and based heavily on Eminem's real life upbringing, is an account of a young, aspiring white rapper named Jimmy "B - Rabbit" Smith Jr . (Eminem), who lives in a trailer park in Warren, Michigan, and his attempt to launch a career in hip - hop, a genre dominated by African - Americans . The film's title is derived from 8 Mile Road, the highway that runs along the border between predominantly black city of Detroit and Wayne County, and its predominantly white Oakland County and Macomb County suburbs . </P> <P> Filmed mostly on location in Detroit and its surrounding areas, the film was both a critical and commercial success . Eminem won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for "Lose Yourself". </P>

Who are the characters in 8 mile based on