Throwback: Eminem: Stan Feat. Dido

Eminem’s “Stan” is the third single from his 2000 studio album, The Marshall Mathers LP. The 45 King produced the single using a sample of Dido’s “Thank You” that he heard while watching the film Sliding Doors. Eminem heard the track after The 45 King sent it to Interscope Records and he was inspired to write a song about fans who were sending him letters and taking his words to heart. The lyrics about an obsessed admirer named Stan were dark and Eminem took on the voice of the fan as well as himself. Dr. Dre and Phillip Atwell co-directed the video, which intensified the story.  Actor Devon Sawa played Stan and Dido was his pregnant girlfriend, who ends up in the trunk of the car after he drinks a bottle of vodka. Stan is angry because he believes Eminem has ignored him after sending him a fan letter. The rapper finally responds to him but it’s too late because Stan drove off a bridge and Eminem realizes who he is after seeing a news report about the incident.

MTV censored the video and omitted Stan drinking, seeing Dido in the trunk of the car and the first two verses of the song. “Stan” was critically acclaimed and quickly pegged as one of Eminem’s best songs. He responded to criticism that his lyrics were anti-gay according to GLAAD by performing “Stan” with openly gay artist Elton John at the 2001 Grammy Awards. “Stan” is now a commonly used word to describe any person that is too fixated on anything. It was announced in 2024 that a new documentary about Stan culture, Stan, directed by Steven Leckart and produced by Eminem, will be released. Eminem’s 12th album, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce), was released.