(AllHipHop News) The word “stan” has been part of the Hip Hop lexicon for years.
Thanks to Eminem’s 2000 song “Stan,” rappers and rap fans used the term to describe an overly infatuated fan.
Eventually, the word spread to the mainstream as a way for people to describe himself or herself as a devoted follower of a public figure.
The Oxford Dictionaries Online has even accepted the impact of Eminem’s creation by adding “stan” to its database.
Oxford defines the noun as “an overzealous or obsessive fan of a particular celebrity” and the verb as to “be an overzealous or obsessive fan of a particular celebrity.”
The ODO credits Slim Shady with the entry: “Early 21st century: probably with allusion to the 2000 song “Stan” by the American rapper Eminem, about an obsessed fan.”
“Stan” appeared on the Detroit-bred rapper’s Diamond-certified The Marshall Mathers LP.
The single featured British singer-songwriter Dido, and it became an international hit.
Em’s performance of “Stan” with Elton John at the 2001 Grammys is often cited as one of the best presentations in the award show’s history.