...Stat Quo?
Slane hassle: Rap fans rejoiced at the announcement that Eminem is headlining Slane this year. Rock fans, however, groaned in dismay at the news, anticipating an absence of guitars, drums and other accoutrements of old-fashioned rock'n'roll. Some rock fans, however, may notice the inclusion of one Stat Quo on the bill. Sadly, anyone hoping to hear Rockin' All Over the World and Pictures of Matchstick Men on September 17th will be sorely disappointed. This is not the loveable- but-cheesy denim-clad quartet who have made a 40-year career out of playing the same three chords. Stat Quo is the street name of one Stanley Benton from Atlanta, Georgia, who, to the best of our knowledge, has never been Down the Dustpipe.
Quid pro Quo: Stat Quo is the latest protege of Eminem and Dr Dre, signed to the moguls' Shady/Aftermath label. Stat is the first Southern rapper to benefit from Marshall Mathers's patronage - with such acts as Outkast and Nelly making hay on the international scene, it's no surprise that Shady has been checking out what's happenin' on the other side of the Mason-Dixie line. By this time next year, Stat may well have followed 50 Cent and The Game into superstardom. Quo is already a legend on his local Atlanta scene; his sound is a dirty, punch-drunk style of crunk, with stripped-down beats and tightly strung keyboards. His debut album, Statlanta, is out this summer. Produced by Eminem and Dr Dre with Scott Storch, the album features guest slots from Slim Shady himself, along with Kanye West, Young Buck and Devin the Dude.
Funky business: Stanley grew up in west Atlanta and was, by his own admission, quite the "deviant little muthafucka", running with the bad boys and ruling the street like a mini- Godfather. But the gangbanging life was not for him, so he went to college and studied business and economics. Armed with a head full of raps and a sound head for business, Stat began making mix tapes of his hip-hop heroes and handing them round to friends.
Mother load: While contemplating a career in law, Stat gave a demo to Scarface, now head of Def Jam Recordings, who told him: "Hey, you need to be rapping, man." With these words of wisdom ringing in his ears, Stat put away the law books, picked up a mic and began rappin' all over the world. Stat Quo chose his name because "Status quo is the average, the bar by which we live by. Stat Quo is the new average. I consider myself to be real different, and the next motherfucker as far as what I'm doin'. Everytime I step into that mother- fucking studio, I really try to elevate the whole fuckin' hip-hop game."
