Rapper divides a city

Fans hail the bad-boy rapper as a "genius"

By BBC News Online's Darren Waters

Eminem's arrival in the UK caused a huge controversy in the press, but his fans were oblivious to the row around them.

The rapper, known for his violent lyrics and frequent use of abusive language, has been attacked by some commentators as homophobic and sexist.

But the debate had seemingly not reached the ears of his thousands of young fans at the Manchester Evening News Arena.

He is a homophobic bigot

Richard Martins

"He's a great rapper and a genius," one 14-year-old boy said.

The boys had come dressed as their idol - thousands of teenagers like miniature Eminems, wearing the regulation baseball cap, white T-shirt, gold necklace and trainers.

Some had even dyed their hair blond, and baseball caps of the New York Yankees, who this week signed a marketing deal with Manchester United, were also in evidence.

There was also a large number of girls; not put off by claims that Eminem is sexist.

"Eminem doesn't mean what he says, he doesn't really want to kill his wife," 17-year-old Jessica Tandy, from Macclesfield, said.

"They're just lyrics."

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The youthful air of the audience - most aged between 13 and 16 years old - was more reminiscent of a Boyzone concert than a host awaiting the sermon from a singer dubbed the most dangerous man in pop.

"I like his music, his style and his lyrics," said 18-year-old Darren Johns from Stockport.

"People are blowing his lyrics out of proportion.

"They are meant to be funny."

But in the pubs and clubs of Manchester's so-called "Gay Village", Eminem is seen in an altogether different light.

"He is a homophobic bigot," Richard Martins, from Stockport, said.

"But he is an idol."

He is unusual, the only white rapper, he is not offensive, not to individuals anyway

Karl Dennis

"He has the backing of a multi-million dollar marketing campaign.

"Teenagers aren't going to listen to people the same age as their parents who call him dangerous."

In bars up and down Canal Street gay men agreed that Eminem was insulting but few thought banning the singer would serve any purpose.

Outside the concert teenage girls huddled in groups, smoking cigarettes while boys shuffled around trying not to shiver in the cold.

"My parents let me listen to him," Karl Dennis, 17, from Manchester, said.

"He is unusual, the only white rapper, he is not offensive, not to individuals anyway."