The incessant beat and avoidance of actual musicians is so inartistic to me. Plus, just because words rhyme does not make something a poem! (I'm an English teacher...)
You mean despite the fact that there are real world musicians performing the beat? It is not easy to craft a beat you know, there is all the difference in the world between a good producer and a bad producer.
No, not because the words rhyme (though the rythmic timing, rhyming, wordsmithing in general require a LOT of talent to be on Eminems level, he is in fact one of the best MCs to have recieved mainstream attention) but because of the way the song works.
I have heard "Stan" be compared to Rimbaud’s ‘Le Dormeur du Val’. For example, the song begins normally, with a fan called "Stan" writing to Eminem, sharing his pains and sorrows, tells Eminem that his girlfriend is pregnant. But Eminem never answers, and as the song progresses with each letter (verse) we gradually begin to understand that Stan is sick, and his fandom becomes more and more obsessional ("
I even got a tattoo of your name across the chest"). He cuts himself because he takes the words in Eminems songs so seriously ("
Sometimes I even cut myself to see how much it bleeds/It's like adrenaline, the pain is such a sudden rush for me/See everything you say is real, and I respect you cause you tell it"), he stops caring about his girlfriend and ends up saying "
P.S. I think we should be together too". Eminem still doesn't reply.
Stans last message to Eminem, recorded on tape as he sits in his car, is the message of a broken, almost mad person.
That's kinda how this is, you coulda rescued me from drowning
Now it's too late - I'm on a 1000 downers now, I'm drowsy
And all I wanted was a lousy letter or a call
I hope you know I ripped +ALL+ of your pictures off the wall
I love you Slim, we coulda been together, think about it
You ruined it now, I hope you can't sleep and you dream about it
And when you dream I hope you can't sleep and you SCREAM about it
I hope your conscience EATS AT YOU and you can't BREATHE without meThe last picture is terrifying, Stan driving his car off a bridge, with his pregnant girlfriend tied up in the trunk.
The song ends with a verse of Eminem writing back, but suddenly realises that he is too late, and that he saw Stans death on the news a couple of weeks ago.
the message of the song is clear, the scary power of fame and that fans should not take Eminems words litterally. It becomes clear that Eminem meant to write back, but that he just haven't found the time.
If you think he is a violent mysogynist, consider that it is Stan and not Eminem who ties up his girlfriend. Eminem tells Stan to treat his girfriend better (“
I really think you and you girlfriend need each other/Or maybe you just need to treat her better”). And he never encourages him to act foolishly (”
I’m glad I inspire you, but Stan why are you so mad, try to understand that I want you as a fan. I just don’t want you to do some crazy sh*t.”)
I'm an English teacher...
Try reading "Stan" as a poem
https://www.lyricsmania.com/lyrics/eminem_lyrics_107/the_best_of_lyrics_518/stan_lyrics_5999.htmllol I am feeling that I am becoming more and more like Stan in this conversation
Topic: Has anyone heard "Relapse"?