Darius World

Am I Talking Rap

Now Darius reckons his life is just like Eminem's

Lindsay Clydesdale Exclusive
Daily Record 28 February 2003

POP pin-up Darius Danesh has compared himself to bad-boy Eminem, claiming his life echoes the rags-to-riches story of the rapper's recent hit movie 8 Mile.

Without a hint of irony, squeaky-clean Darius says growing up as the privately- educated son of wealthy parents in a posh part of Glasgow reminded him of the struggle of 8 Mile's hero - an uneducated white trash rapper who lives in a trailer park in a rough area of Detroit.

He said: "Although I didn't grow up in a trailer park, I relate to that feeling - the idea of being that close to failure or success and following your belief in music, despite the fact people have a different idea of you or don't like you first time round.

"You can't always judge a book by its cover. You try again and you win people over. The end of the film when Eminem wins the crowd over in the nightclub and wins the rapping competition is great, it's one of the best parts."

Darius thinks Eminem's success reflects his own turnaround in fortunes.

By losing his ponytail, goatee and most, though not all, of his cheesy sentiments, Darius has transformed himself from a national laughing stock on Popstars, to a best-selling singer songwriter.

The third single from his chart-topping debut album, Dive In, is out on Monday.

The 22-year-old said: "8 Mile was great. It really summed up for me, with its plot, the things that made me write Dive In.

"Ideas like seizing the moment and not being afraid, taking the plunge. It talks about only having one shot and not letting it slip through your fingers. That's why I made the decision last year to do the album and that's why I called it Dive In."

Darius, from Bearsden, Glasgow, studied at Edinburgh University before the reality TV shows that made him a household name.

Sadly, his love-life doesn't resemble a Hollywood movie.

Since splitting from his last girlfriend in the run-up to Christmas, he said he has enjoyed a holiday romance with a South African stunner in Mauritius but claims to be single at the moment.

"I'm friends with all of my ex-girlfriends, that's one thing my dad taught me," he said.

"Two of them were at a gig of mine on Tuesday, but nothing serious. I've had some great fun in the last couple of months."

He added: "I'm looking forward to coming back to Glasgow, performing a show and going out afterwards to meet a Scottish girl. There's nothing like a good night out at home."

What, Darius the wild rock star having an Eminem-style good time with one of his groupies?

Not quite, just another of the young smoothie's well-meaning but helplessly cheesy comments.

In fact, when Darius did return to Glasgow the day after our interview, it was to do nothing more rock and roll than launch a Crimestoppers campaign in Easterhouse.

As if on auto-pilot, Darius trots out the old line about his career being more important than romance - it litters all his interviews these days. But surely there's one woman out there who could distract him from his metronome?

"I really like Avril Lavigne," Darius beams. "I heard her stuff about a year ago before she was signed and before her album was released and I liked the songs and her style.

"I'd really like to duet with Avril, I rate her stuff and she's a very cool chick.

"I find it very attractive when a girl has a passion, it doesn't need to be music.

"If I went out with someone in the public eye, it would be doubly difficult to have a normal relationship, so I think when I meet someone, she'll be a normal girl."

He added: "Celebrity couples can be very difficult. The relationship that Posh and Becks have is incredible, but they got married and they've got kids and that's very different from me.

"I'm a young single guy at the beginning of my career. I really enjoy working hard and playing hard and I really don't want to give that up just now. "You won't see me getting hitched for at least 10 years.

"I've not had a relationship with a Scottish girl in a year so maybe it's about time. If girls want to come and join me after the gig in Glasgow, I'm open to offers."

My, Darius is practically flaunting his red-blooded self at me. I'm feeling overcome by cliches and smarm.

During the next couple of months, Darius will travel to Europe, Australia and Asia to plug his album. He'll be abroad at the time of the Scottish Parliament elections in May - and had to admit he'd completely forgotten about voting.

When we asked him about the threat of war with Iraq, Darius said he had strong feelings on the subject, but wanted to keep them private.

Artists like Coldplay's Chris Martin, Damon Albarn, of Blur, and Ms Dynamite have used their fame to highlight anti-war feelings, but Darius said politics have no place in pop.

He said: "The only form of politics you'll hear in my songs are the politics of relationships.

"I do have an opinion on this but I don't choose to air it at the moment.

"In Scotland, we're lucky to have a great mix of people including Asians and Muslims, but there's also religious tensions with Catholics and Protestants.

"When I was 15, a boy I was friends with at school was killed in a Catholic- Protestant attack. He worked backstage on the production side of the school musicals I was involved in.

"His death shook me up and made me aware that politics doesn't have to be about war, it can be something closer to home.

"But I don't think politics has a place in pop music.

"For me, that's not what it's about, which is why I choose not to comment. I think pop can be there to remind us of the good things in life.

"There's so much bad stuff and serious things in the world, pop music is a good form of escapism."

SEPARATED AT BIRTH: HOW THEIR LIVES COMPARE

FAMILY: Darius is the son of Booth, a consultant gastroenterologist, and Avril, a GP. He has two younger brothers, one of whom is a part-time model.

In interviews, he repeatedly thanks them for their love and support.

Eminem's father abandoned his family when the rapper was 14 months old, and the two have had no contact since.

Eminem's relationship with his mother is summed up in his lyrics, which repeatedly refer to her as a "bitch" and "pill popper".

Eminem ended up marrying his stepsister Kim, only to split from her, write graphic songs about killing her and sport a tatoo declaring: "Kim: Rot in Pieces".

GROWING UP: Darius grew up in the leafy, exclusive Glasgow suburb of Bearsden. Eminem and his mum moved from state to state until he was 12, when they settled in a rundown part of Detroit.

EDUCATION: Darius was privately educated at Glasgow Academy, before studying philosophy at Edinburgh University. Eminem dropped out of school to flip burgers, read comic books and listen to black rap music.

BIG BREAK: Darius came to public attention sporting a pony tail, goatee and relentlessly cheesy manner on ITV reality show Popstars. Comments like "I can feel the love in the room" and his murder of Britney Spears' Hit Me Baby One More Time turned him into public enemy number one.

Shamelessly, and minus the pony tail and goatee, he resurfaced on Pop Idols, only to fail again (this time finishing third), but managing to secure a record deal in the process.

Eminem was spotted by rap producer Marky Bass at the age of 15.

STYLE: Darius is the clean-cut King of Smarm, ever eager to clasp a sick child to his chest, blow kisses to a pretty girl, or front a worthy civic campaign.

Eminem, tattooed, crop-haired and spitting anger, is your mother's worst nightmare, who has assaulted effigies of his ex-wife and simulated taking drugs on stage.

LYRICS: Darius: "Nobody told me it feels so good, Nobody said you'd be so beautiful, Nobody warned me about your smile."

Eminem: "If you see my dad, tell him I slit his throat in this dream I had."

RECORD VIEW

Get real Darius

POP star Darius wants to be compared with shock rapper Eminem, but he will need a drastic makeover.

Darius is the ultra-nice lad from Bearsden, who is grateful to his well-off parents for sending him to private school and university. Eminem is the tattooed foul-mouthed former drop-out who describes his mother as a pill-popping bitch.

Dream on, Darius. You have about as much resemblance to Eminem as cocoa has to cocaine.