Eminem is known for other anti-gay lyrics in the past, but
Gigwise claims – pointing to a yet-to-be-published interview in
New York Times Magazine – that Mathers has “matured as he has grown older”.
“I think I’ve calmed down a bit,” he’s quoted as saying. “My overall look on things is a lot more mature than it used to be.”
On gay marriage, Eminem says: “I think if two people love each other, then what the hell? I think that everyone should have the chance to be equally miserable, if they want.”
In 2001, Eminem surprised many when he gigged with the openly gay British star Elton John at the 43rd Grammy Awards ceremony. John’s decision to perform the song “Stan” with the rapper brought criticism from the US organisation the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), which considered Eminem’s lyrics at the time to be homophobic.
Entertainment Weekly put the occasion on its end-of-the-decade best-of list, saying: “It was the hug heard round the world. Eminem, under fire for homophobic lyrics, shared the stage with a gay icon for a performance of ‘Stan’ that would have been memorable in any context.”
.jpg)