8 Bizarre Music Collaborations That Were Surprisingly Successful

2. Eminem And Dido - "Stan"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOMhN-hfMtY Eminem certainly wasn't the first rapper to sample a chorus from a pop song, but "Stan" can claim bragging rights for incorporating Dido's verse from "Thank You" so seamlessly that you'd have thought she wrote the part especially for Eminem. Prior to the release of "Stan," Eminem was best known as the goofy white rapper who gave himself the nickname Slim Shady and occasionally rhymed about disposing of his ex-wife's corpse while his infant daughter watched. Contrast that with Dido, the angelic voiced singer-songwriter who sang about feeling so sad after a breakup that she didn't want to get out of bed, and you've got yourself quite an odd couple. To simply call it a dichotomy would be like calling a minotaur "a peculiar thing to see at the supermarket." The song's refrain is what ultimately made this tale of Eminem's obsessive, suicidal admirer so accessible. Without that little bit of softness, four verses about a deranged fan emulating the most grotesque portions of Eminem's discography to impress his idol might be a bit much for causal listeners to sit through. And yet, "Stan" went on to become one of the most successful rap songs of all time, climbing to the top of the UK charts and cementing Eminem's legacy as a serious rap artist with skills beyond rhyming about ripping Pamela Anderson's breasts off.