Eminem is scheduled to appear in a Macomb County, Michigan court next month to defend himself against a defamation lawsuit.

Eminem and sanitation engineer DeAngelo Bailey, 32, of Warren could not come to a settlement after mediation and proposals to settle the case were rejected.

Bailey, a childhood associate of Eminem, claimed he was defamed on 1999's track "Brain Damage" from the Slim Shady LP. He is seeking over $1 million dollars.

In the song, Eminem claims Bailey was a bully who teased, tormented and beat the rapper bloody during their childhood.

The official lawsuit claims "this case arises out of Eminem's desperate quest for money, fame and acceptance. This style of music is dominated by African-American artists and most of the songs are about the difficulties facing young in ghetto's where violence, broken families and financial hardship are prevalent. Eminem is a Caucasian male who faces criticism within the music industry that he had not suffered...and he therefore was a 'pretender.'"

The lawsuit goes on to deny that Eminem was the recipient of "outrageous and grotesque physical abuse from his childhood friend, Bailey."

Bailey claims that Eminem did permanent damage to his musical career and caused him anger, embarrassment.

Eminem said in an 1999 interview with Rolling Stone that the song's lyrics had truth to them.

Motherf**ker [Bailey] used to beat the sh*t out of me," Eminem said. "Everything in that song is true. One day he came in the bathroom, I was pissing, and he beat this sh*t out of me. [I] pissed all over myself.

The case will go to trial May 30 in Macomb County Circuit Court.

lawsuitz a lil silly but hell, doesnt tha whole world wanna kick that guyz ass...

career in the headline could be spelled right

LOL...damn...Everyone tryna get at EM..

Fuck that bitch Baily. There is fucking hospital records of Eminem being in a coma for a fucking month because of how badly he got his ass beat.

Damned shame it didn't knock some sense into the little f***. I want 10 minutes to give him a Louisville Slugger attitude adjustment.

Jealousy is so, so ugly. Lawsuit's a joke. The Bailey guy even appeared on one of those documentary specials (some "Behind the Music"-type show) having a laugh over it, if I recall correctly.

And I love this: "Bailey claims that Eminem did permanent damage to his musical career and caused him anger, embarrassment."

Love or hate Eminem and his music -- he undeniably took that anger and embarrassment that HE experienced, and built a damn successful career out of it. Maybe Mr. Bailey should consider the same ... if he has the talent.

Whatever Eminem called him, he used the guy's real name. No musician with half a brain would complain about free publicity.