Since there have been stars there have been superfans. But not until Eminem gave a name to his most obsessed, singularly focused admirers did we have “Stans.” Slim Shady’s 2000 “Stan” single from this smash Marshall Mathers LP — famously featured a lilting sample of Dido’s “Thank You” — has become shorthand for the kind of sometimes too-into-it disciple a famous musician might want to avoid meeting in person.
Well, now the reclusive Detroit rap god is calling all Stans for possible inclusion in an upcoming untitled documentary about his most monomaniacal mavens. ” [eyeball emoji] Looking for Stans [movie slate emoji] for a documentary produced by Eminem & Shady Films. To share your story, please answer the questions here,” read a tweet on Wednesday (April 10) seeking stories.
The solicitation tweet then whisked fans to a questionnaire featuring a list of queries aimed at gauging their level of super-fandom. “Share your story with the world in an exciting new documentary film produced by Eminem and Shady Films,” reads a message on the doc site. In addition to basic bio and social media information, the list of questions includes the following: “When/how did you first hear Eminem?,” “Would you consider yourself a ‘Stan?’ Why/why not?,” “Do you collect Eminem merch, make Eminem artwork, write fan fiction, etc.? If so, please explain in detail,” as well as queries about whether they’ve ever been to Detroit and where they went while there.
The questions go deeper still, asking about their favorite Eminem song (and which one hit them on a “deep personal level” and why), as well as which parts of Em’s personal story relates to them, whether his music has helped them through difficult times, things they’ve accomplished thanks to his songs, if they’ve met the rapper (where/when) and what the interaction was like, and, of course, if they have any photos or video of their Marshall meet cute.
The last batch really dig deep into their Stan-itude, asking if they remember the MC taking a break from touring/releasing albums around 2005 (and how it impacted them), how often they listen to his music/look at his socials/Google him, and, most importantly, “if you could tell Eminem anything, what would it be?” In addition to a recent photo, the questionnaire ends with a request for a one-minute video explaining why they are the Stanniest Stan, including a story about “anything unique” they’ve done, a fan letter they sent or their favorite Shady merch.
In February, Variety reported that Em was co-producing a Stans doc aimed at diving into the complicated relationship between artists and their audience. The film will reportedly open later this year, with Steven Leckhart tapped to direct what is described as a “revealing, edgy and disarmingly personal journey into the world of superfandom, told through the lens of one of the world’s most iconic and enduring artists, Eminem, and the fans that worship him.”
In a statement, the rapper’s longtime manager Paul Rosenberg added, “Stans will be the opportunity for us to to turn the camera around and ask the audience about being fans — and in some cases, fanatics. This is a study of the relationship between fanbase and artist through the lens of one of Eminem’s most fascinating songs and one of the world’s most important entertainers.”
“Stan,” produced by The 45 King, peaked of No. 51 on the Billboard Hot 100 in December 2000. The Oxford English Dictionary added the term “Stan” to its pages in 2017.
Check out the call for stories below.
