https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSLZFdqwh7E Enimem made his name as a rapper with a rapier wit. He could cut the subject of his ire to pieces with a witty a one liner as succinctly as Morrissey. Indeed a line from Morrissey sums him up, Beware, I bear more grudges than lonely high court judges. However, Eminem and indeed hip-hop itself never sounded as paternal, sensitive and lacking in ego as he did on 'Stan'. This was a tale one part leave me alone, and one part I do care what you think; I just havent got time to listen. Which made the story a fait accompli, rather than a mea culpa. Adding Didos then obscure Thank you to the mix was a masterstroke, most listeners initially assumed this was a sample from an obscure Dusty Springfield song. It not only launched her career but also went a long way to moving Enimem away from the boorishness and sexism of hip-hop. There would be regrettable occasions where he struggled to rein in his apparent homophobia, yet Stan would also give him the vehicle to atone for this when he duetted it with Elton John. Stan was a story about fame. Its tender, regretful and a soliloquy on the loneliness that success can bring, both for the artist and the fan. Eminem would sound louder and brasher on pulsating songs such as Lose yourself. But his greatest strength has always been as a storyteller. And he never told a story better than he did on Stan.
What makes music fantastic? Star quality, amazing music, breathtaking lyrics and the ability to bring something new to the table, even if that means a new take on the classics. That's what I love to listen to and write about.
As well as writing for What Culture, I occasionally write a blog http://tedney.blogspot.co.uk and sometimes use Twitter, but sparingly @TedneyNash