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Almost immediately after Eminem’s rap masterpiece “Stan” was released in 2000, people started using the term to describe a deranged fan. Even Nas joined in on the fun, calling Jay Z a “Stan” in his classic 2001 diss track “Ether.”
But over the years, the term has gained more and more popularity to the point that it’s an accepted part of our daily vernacular. People who aren’t even rap fans are aware of the term, and the Oxford English Dictionary has now decided that “Stan” is culturally relevant enough to be placed in their latest edition.
Here’s Exclaim with the scoop.
According to the OED, “Stan” is now officially defined as “an overzealous or obsessive fan of a particular celebrity.” The word can also be used as a verb, meaning to “be an overzealous or obsessive fan of a particular celebrity.”
The official listing under the term’s origin reads: “Early 21st century: probably with allusion to the 2000 song ‘Stan’ by the American rapper Eminem, about an obsessed fan.”
This is fantastic news. Eminem’s resume is chock-full of hits, and “Stan” is without question one of his top-five greatest songs. That third verse still gives me goosebumps after all of these years, so it’s awesome to see Eminem get recognized for painting the picture of a batshit crazy fan with such chilling precision.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOMhN-hfMtY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4DE2f-u3wg
