Legendary Detroit emcee Eminem is known for his hard-hitting lyrics, aggressive style and constant goading of celebrities, so it’s hard to imagine he has any friends in the industry. However, one singer he became extremely close to early in his career was the British pianist and pop icon, Elton John.
Eminem has cultivated many strange relationships during his career, and besides his friendship with Ed Sheeran, Elton John has been another unexpected collaborator and pal to the lyricist (real name Marshall Mathers). Following the release of his groundbreaking Marshall Mathers LP in 2000, in 2001, the pair shocked the gay community when they performed a duet of ‘Stan’ at the Grammy Awards.
This surprised many, as Mathers had previously received backlash for his homophobic lyrics on the project. However, irrespective of the album’s contents, John was a fan of the track and was more than happy to perform it alongside Mathers at the ceremony, and the respect was mutual.
Eminem and Elton John remained close as friends and collaborators, so in 2014, When John officially married David Furnish, Mathers sent the newlyweds an X-rated gift to congratulate the couple.
In an interview with The Guardian, Elton John once revealed that Mathers decided he would splash out on sex toys to congratulate John and Furnish on their marriage. The journalist interviewing John also audaciously asked the icon if he had used them, to which he replied, “Ah, no. Eminem bought me and David matching cock rings when we got married. That was his gift. They sit there, like the crown jewels, in this beautiful box on satin cushions.”
He continued, “They’re wonderful to look at. I don’t know if any guests we’ve had have used them. God, I hope not. They’re kind of sacrosanct.” John disclosed that he’s extremely close to the Detroit artist and calls him up every couple of months to check on him.
You can watch the two performing at the 2001 Grammys in the video below.
