The song “Stan”, published by rapper Eminem, is one of the most frightening and gloomy compositions of the famous musician. Without a doubt, it can be considered a great work in the hip-hop genre. Let’s figure out what is the meaning of the song, which struck many listeners.
About the artist
Eminem’s real name is Marshall Bruce Mathers III. Even those who are superficially familiar with his work are well aware that in life he had to go through many trials.
It is difficult to list all the sorrows that this courageous man went through. Marshall’s father abandoned the family when he was very young. The future singer spent his early years in constant traveling and hopeless poverty. His mother chose Detroit as his final place of residence. Eminem has always had a tense relationship with his mother.
At school, Marshall had big problems with classmates. White people in Detroit were not welcome, so the boy was severely bullied. The lack of equality had a strong impact on creative development. But the rapper’s talent was unsinkable, and he managed to achieve such success that not a single performer of his genre came close to him.
Eminem’s personal life is even more complicated. His first love was Kimberly Scott. They loved each other very much, but attempts to get along together from year to year led to terrifying conflicts. In one of the songs, the rapper admitted that he would always love Kim. He has been in relationships with other women, but none of them truly conquered his soul.
One of Marshall’s worst blows was the loss of his best friend. He dedicated many songs to a loved one, in which he conveys the pain of loss.
Eminem’s work includes hundreds of songs of the most varied content: from humorous to terrifying. Many songs have such a dark meaning that even the fans are horrified.
- In the song “Kim”, the performer imagines the brutal reprisal against his wife (which, of course, was not in reality).
- The track “Brain Damage” describes all the horrors that the rapper had to endure at school, including a serious injury that a classmate inflicted on him.
- The composition “My Mom” tells about the relationship with the mother, including her addiction to psychoactive substances.
The plot of the song
The song “Stan” is about a young man named Stanley. He is obsessed with the creativity and personality of Eminem. His whole house is hung with posters of the rapper. Stan is oblivious to his pregnant girlfriend. His meaning of life is to get at least the slightest connection with his beloved creator.
In the first two letters (the text of which is in verses), the guy writes about his love for Eminem and sincerely asks him for at least a small answer. Stan’s anger about Eminem not answering him starts to build.
From the third verse, we understand that Stan, along with his girlfriend, is going to the bridge to commit suicide. He records an appeal to the singer on the recorder, blaming him for his death. At the last moment before the car falls into the water, he realizes that he will not be able to send this message to the addressee.
At the end of the song, Eminem writes back to Stan. The rapper apologizes for not responding in time as he was busy. He asks the fan not to do stupid things. Marshall recalls a recent news episode about a drunken guy who threw himself off a bridge. And then he realizes that Stan is the same guy …
What did the author want to say?
The meaning of the song is extremely simple – Eminem urges the listener not to get carried away by love for anything creative. You can endlessly admire your idol, but your own life should be above all. Possession can cause a person to go insane.
Fans of the rapper’s work are well aware that “Stan” is an autobiographical song. The author has millions of fans around the world, and some of them tried to unceremoniously invade Eminem’s privacy. By creating such a story, he tells the fans that you should never forget that the performers are the same people as others. You can not demand from the idol an immediate response to letters and appeals.
Eminem is absolutely right: real fans will always respect the personal space of an idol!
