Marshall Bruce Mathers, best known by his stage name Eminem, published a song before the turn of the century that told the tale of a fan obsessed with him nearly driving himself insane. Even the hardest Stan in the room can start to cry when Dido sings the chorus and the lines with such compassion. Fans continue to question whether Stan was based on a true story 20 years later and whether the letters Eminem read aloud were written by a real-life obsessive fan who was prepared to commit his life for just one small response from the rapper.
In this globe, society focuses far too much on the bad. An article of news that is worth typically sharing involves war, illness, and misery. Celebrity misery is the topic of discussion in the break room. Therefore, it’s critical to occasionally take a step back from the edge of cultural pessimism and remember that there are also positive aspects—crazy stuff, genuinely amusing things.
For instance, in 2000, just when it appeared that the Fresh Prince would dominate the hip-hop industry due to the long-promised arrival of the Millenium, one Marshall Bruce Mathers III dropped “Stan,” which is still regarded as one of the craziest rap tracks of all time. It tells the musical tale of an idiot who loved Eminem so much that he forgot you couldn’t send stuff to people who passed away.
It’s comparable to Detroit Rock City, except for Dido’s more mature language. It strikes. The good or terrible news, depending on how much you despise good news, is that the Stan depicted in the song was not based on any specific man.
The Oxford English Dictionary now recognizes the term “Stan” as “an ardent or obsessive follower of a specific celebrity,” transcending its original context. There’s a good chance that at least one person you know defines themselves as “stunning” for an artist, And in that case, perhaps inspect their trunk.
We Just Don’t Under-Stan; The Parents
It debuted without advertising or forewarning. Unexpectedly, the song “Stan” appeared. The entire album “The Marshall Mathers LP” was released on November 13th, 2000, with zero pre-release advertising. Hip-hop fans started speculating that the song might have been hastily created in response to a possible Stan incident that Eminem had experienced.
In 12 nations, Stan reached its highest point at No. 1, including Germany, Australia, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. Both the song itself & the video were nominated for numerous awards. It was listed among the best videos of the year, best rap videos, best films, and best director categories.
Stan wasn’t modeled on any specific person. Stan was conceptual, the product of Eminem’s imagination after his experiences and relationships with fans, the rapper claimed. It turns out that the song was inspired by Dido’s “Thank You,” which producer Mark Howard James had previously heard. The producer recorded the tune, added a fresh bassline, and then delivered Marshall Mathers the remix. Eminem claimed that he felt a connection right away. He said about his lightbulb moment, “This is about an obsessed fan. That was all I could think of.
Stan Is Now A Recognized Word
Today, “Stan” refers to more than just a person’s name. The Oxford English Dictionary defines the term as “an enthusiastic specific celebrity” since it has evolved beyond its original definition. If you’re a star, there’s a good chance that you’ve gone through numerous “Stans” over your life. Stans are chasing you down the street, Stans snooping around your home, Stans pelting your mailbox, Stans sprinting onto the stage during one of your concerts, Stans, eh?
Three Perspectives Are Used To Narrate The Song
Stan presents the tale of a fanatic from three distinct angles. First, it starts with the worried fan crying to Eminem and explaining why he hadn’t written back by saying that the post office had made a mistake or something. The second stanza worsens as Stan becomes increasingly enraged and anxious due to the rapper’s carelessness. He laments how the rapper snubbed him during a concert and walked past Stan and his younger brother as they left the venue.
Stan says his parting words in the third verse of the song. He screams at a cassette tape while driving fast down a rainy highway, berating Eminem for not answering. Stan is now completely out of his mind. He is tired of pleading for Eminem’s attention and of him ignoring his letters.
What is the remedy? Stan advised you to put your pregnant girlfriend into the trunk of your car and drive away. Stan’s automobile is about to fly off the bridge & into the sea below when, in the next instant, Oh sh*t, I forgot how I’m meant to send this stuff out, he thinks himself.
Stanley Mitchell’s Story Was Far From Over
Stanley Mitchell’s terrible story was far from ended, and Eminem’s fans knew they would be seeing him again in yet another rap god’s hits because of all the interest the song generated. The rapper ultimately gave his followers what they wanted. The song “Bad Guy” was included on his album “The Marshall Mathers LP 2,” released. In it, Eminem tells the tale of Matthew, Stan’s younger brother. Matthew is mentioned in Stan’s second verse and is depicted in the song’s music video.
Bad Guy Makes Unsettling Remarks About Stan
His older brother, Matthew Mitchell, who is the younger brother of Stanley Mitchell, used to be a huge fan of the rapper. But after Stan passed away, the affection he had been feeling changed to rage. Matthew decides that he wishes to kill Eminem due to his mental issues and the loss of his older brother.
After discovering Eminem’s address, Matthew Mitchell tries to kill him. The song is intended to raise awareness of the risks associated with mental illness & obsessions. Matthew is not in his right mind.
Release Of Lil Wayne’s Sequel
When it initially came out, Stan dominated the charts, and hip-hop fans continue to adore it now. However, some well-known musicians were the ones for whom the song hit the closest to home. While some general population members could contend that celebrities created that vulnerable situation in the first place, that doesn’t imply they should be hunted out and killed! In any case, Lil Wayne, a fellow rapper, found the song’s message to be particularly personal.
Rapper & music producer Swizz Beats chose to release a follow-up to the Grammy-winning song Stan a few years after he and Eminem collaborated on the original version. He designated it Stan 2. Rapper Eminem quickly rejected the song when it was played to him by the music producer. Swizz Beats took the track to Lil Wayne instead because he honestly thought it had potential. Lil Wayne made some minor changes to it.
He gave it the new name Dear Anne. The distinction is that whereas Stan portrays the fan’s viewpoint, Wayne’s follow-up depicts it from the viewpoint of an artist attempting to respond to their most ardent supporter.
How Is Stan Portrayed In The Music Video?
In the music video, the actor who plays Stan performs a fantastic job. Devon Sawa, a skilled Canadian actor who began his profession at a very young age, is in the acting business. Devon Sawa played Junior in the movie Little Giants before appearing in Eminem’s music video. In the 1995 adaptation of Casper, Sawa also had the lead role of Casper the Friendly Ghost. The Canadian actor was quoted as remarking that his favorite role of all time was playing Stanley Mitchell, Eminem’s crazed admirer, despite having been in far bigger roles.
Surrounded By Excellence
When discussing the filming of Stan, Sawa remarked that the actors and crew who made the music video for Stan had utterly blown him away. He was said to have said that he felt “surrounded by grandeur.” Devon Sawa claims it didn’t take long to finish the music video. Stan’s amazing music video took three days to make, even though it appears to be a full-length film. These, according to Sawa, were his career’s most memorable days.
Director: Dr. Dre
Dr. Dre directed Eminem’s music video for Stan while working on it. Everyone involved was incredibly motivated by their enthusiasm for the project, which kept everyone on schedule. Devon Sawa is still happy to talk about his experience working with Dr. Dre and Eminem, even though the Canadian actor went on to work on numerous fascinating projects after playing Stan. Devon Sawa landed significant roles in movies like Slackers after Stan (2002).
