Elton John is all praise for rap star Eminem, claiming he is at par with music legends Jimi Hendrix and Mick Jagger.

"From the start, I've always admired Eminem's thinking. That's the reason I wanted to appear on the Grammys with him ... despite all the nonsense about his being homophobic," Ireland Online quoted the "Candle in the Wind" singer as saying.

"Let the Boy Georges and the George Michaels of the world get up in a twist about it if they don't have the intelligence to see his intelligence," said the gay singer.