Zitat:Superstar rapper Eminem will retire from touring and making solo albums this fall, according to a report in the Detroit Free Press. The piece quotes sources close to Eminem as saying his final live performance will be Sept. 17 in Dublin, and that his 2004 album, "Encore," will likely be his last.

Eminem exploded into the mainstream in the late 1990s, having honed his skills amid the Detroit rap underground. He has sold nearly 29 million albums to date, according to Nielsen SoundScan; "Encore" has shifted 4.68 million since its release last fall.

Eminem's manager, Paul Rosenberg, told the Free Press that while "no official decision" has been made about the artist's future plans, "Encore" is "certainly the cap on this part of his career."

A source close to the situation offered Billboard.com a similar take, saying, "'Encore' was the close of the first chapter in his career. Beyond that, who knows?"

Like his mentor, Dr. Dre, Eminem (real name: Marshall Mathers) will transition into a behind-the-scenes existence of writing and producing material for other artists, according to the article.

Based on its cover art showing the rapper taking a bow, Rosenberg says he is "actually pretty shocked" more observers didn't begin to wonder if "Encore" would be Eminem's last album.

The theme is taken a step further during a video montage that plays during Eminem's set on the in-progress Anger Management tour. At one point, he is seen aiming a gun at his face in the mirror before placing it at his temple and pulling the trigger. But the weapon misfires, leaving Eminem to exclaim, "This is how you go out with a bang, baby!"