Anyone who listened to music in the late 90's to the 2000's knows who Eminem is and can recite multiple Eminem songs from memory. Eminem has been a polarizing figure in American and global culture for the better part of two decades and will continue to do so with projects like a new album that drops in the summer of 2017. He has never been afraid of offending people, and has always been unapologetic when it comes to that.
Despite his controversial position in the world, he has a list of accolades, including multi-platinum albums, Grammy's, and an Oscar-winning movie. He has touched people all over the world, and one of his greatest songs is a song called "Stan."
'Stan'
It describes an obsessed fan who takes fanatic to a whole new stratosphere. He writes countless letters to Eminem, he goes to a bunch of his shows and concerts, and even influences his little brother to be a fan of the superstar as well. After a build up of frustration in response to getting no reply from the artist, "Stan" couldn't handle his perceived rejection from Eminem and Committed Suicide.
What many people don't know is that it is a true story. One of Eminem's fans committed suicide because he felt rejected by the superstar. This example exemplifies the microcosm of influence that musicians have over the people they entertain based on the platform of their art. Music is more than just music, it's the underlying voice and spirit of a people.
Eminem's influence has gone from his fans and the youth who love his music, all the way to the people of the Oxford Dictionary.
Yes, I said the Oxford Dictionary
On June 1, 2017 the word "stan" was added to the Oxford Dictionary. As a noun, it describes an "overzealous or obsessive fan of a particular celebrity," while as a verb it means to "be an overzealous or obsessive fan of a particular celebrity." The dictionary also credits the star by name in the entry, as the origin of the word.
His voice and the words he spoke through song began to influence the way people viewed the idea of a fanatic. His song changed it so much that it has been added to the dictionary. He went from reading the dictionary in order to have the widest vocabulary to pull from, to putting words into that dictionary.
Eminem started as a young man breaking into the music industry that told him he couldn't do it, to the man who now dictates social and cultural movements. As great as Eminem is, he will not be the only one to influence the world.