The Eminem Blog

I dedicate this article to Runyon Aves fallen soldier, with all my love. D12 for life.

My mind is confused and my heart is in pain as I am writing this article. I feel like being amputated. Yes, you heard it well: amputated from an important member of my D12 extended musical family. Yesterday, somebody decided to take Deshaun Holtons life at a Runyon Ave nightclub at 4: 30 am, Detroit time.
A few hours later, a Detroit homie contacted me, asking me if I was aware of the latest news.
I was like ‘What are you talking about? ‘
I first believed that the news of Proofs death was a joke. But when I saw, the RIP messages on Detroit rap and the Detroit Free Press, I knew this was the sad reality. Proof had been savagely assassinated. Somebody shot him in the head and when he arrived at the hospital, it was too late.
I am haunted with visions of Eminems Like Toy Soldiers video and I keep asking myself if Em had foreseen his best friends death that now looks like a dark prophecy.
I think that he feared such things to happen if we consider the harsh war of words that had been exchanged with Benzino and co.
One thing seems to be quite clear: somebody targets the Shady clan. On December the 31st, 2005, Obie Trice was shot in the head while driving on a freeway. Fortunately, the talented rapper survived to the shooting.
For the moment, we have no idea about who is behind those shootings. I sincerely hope that Benzino and their crew of cowards have nothing to do with it. Anyway, I do think that the murderer deserves an exemplary punishment. This murderer cut a talented man’s life short at only 30. This man, Big Proof, inspired a lot of people and was loved in the hip hop community.
He leaves a family three kids behind him.
In Detroit, some people knew him under the nickname Maximum, at a time he got started as an emcee. He was one of Detroit hip hops richest contribution and with his amazing qualities as a freestyler, he earned the title “Living Proof”.
Since I discovered Deshaun Holton as an artist, I have always been very supportive of his work, because I always considered his immense talent.
Not only has Proof done some incredible good work with D12, his great talent is also enlightened in his solo work. Proof has always been real in his words, making me laugh to tears with tracks like Do What I Wanna Do from his Promatic album (in collaboration with Detroit emcee Dogmatic) or moving me deeply with songs such as Forgive Me in collaboration with 50 Cent.
Proof did never shy away from his enemies. He dedicated a track to his enemy Detroit acid rapper Esham called E.S.H.A.M (Every Sucker Has His Moment). Last October, during his birthday party, he reconciled with Esham, making a great move in favor of peace.
His Grown Man Shit mixtape attacks traitors to Detroit hip hop (that wont be named in my article on purpose) and is a pretty good example of the great emcees realness and his love for his hometown.
Deshaun missed the former days of Maurice Malone’s Hip Hop Shop in Detroit, as he expressed it with nostalgia in his non commercial I Miss The Hip Hop Shop mixtape.
Deshauns music has been part of my every day life and now I feel like crying every time I hear one note from his tracks. I feel his death like a profound injustice and a great loss to our hip hop community.
I had a dream yesterday night, dear readers. Deshaun appeared in my dream. He was dressed in blue. He looked at me, opened his hands and gave me a golden faceless medal. I have no idea about the meaning of my dream, but be sure that Deshaun is in a better place now and that he is still watching over us.
Deshaun, you will live on in our hearts for ever. You will be missed and remembered for ever.
RIP Big Proof. Living Proof For Ever.

April 11, 2006
Rapper Proof of the rap group D12, one of the key figures on the Detroit hip-hop scene, was shot and killed this morning at an after-hours club on Eight Mile, police said.
Proof, whose real name is Deshaun Holton, was dead on arrival at Conner Creek Medical Center in Detroit, according to a spokeswoman for St. John Health System. He was 32.
Proof was among the most pivotal players in Detroit hip-hop, and revered as one of the battle rappers in the city — the man who would handle anyone who dared to challenge him in a war of words. He befriended Eminem long before he was a houshold name, and was a nearly constant presence as the rapper rose to superstardom.
Proof was friends with many of the top Detroit hip-hop DJs, radio personalities, rappers and producers. A number of them were planning to gather with his family at the hospital this morning, including Eminem, Obie Trice and Marv Won from the Detroit group the Fat Killahz.
An unidentified 35-year-old man, who was shot along with Proof, is in critical condition at Detroit’s St. John Hospital.
Police were called to the shootings around 5 a.m, following reports of a fight and shots fired. The club where the shooting occurred is called 3C, and it’s at 8 Mile near Hayes. The venue isn’t illegal but it was operating illegally after hours.
In the mid-’90s, Proof’s Saturday afternoons were spent hosting rap battles at the famed Hip Hop Shop on Seven Mile Rd., a role that would be fictionalized by actor Mekhi Phifer in 8 Mile, the Hollywood blockbuster film in which he Proof also played a bit part.
Proof was a steady hand for Detroit’s then up-and-coming hip-hop scene. It was his idea to assemble a collection of Detroit’s best hip-hop talent and call it D12; it was his hand that helped push Eminem to become one of the world’s biggest pop stars, including serving as his on-stage hype man on concert tours.
After the release of “8 Mile,” when battle rap was gaining newfound commerical exposure, Proof was hired to host a national search for the next best battle rapper by Showtime Networks.
In Detroit, he hosted Fight Club, a battle rap competition that would happen near his Iron Fist Records offices, which are located on Bagley in Detroit. There, Detroit hip-hop elite would gather and listen as up-and-comers on the hip-hop scene would verbally duke it out, looking to become as big as Proof, Eminem or other Detroit hip-hop comrades.
In January, he served as best man in Eminem’s wedding, giving a poignant toast about how it’s important to marry your best friend. D12 was scheduled to begin recording its third album this month.
This is the second shooting involving Eminem’s entourage in three months. Obie Trice was shot and wounded New Year’s Eve while driving along the Lodge Freeway.
Anyone with information on the shootings is asked to call Detroit Police at 313-596-2260.

I have been contacted by a Detroit homie a few hours ago…D12 member Proof has been killed at an 8 Mile bar at 4 am Detroit time this morning…
My sympathy goes to Deshaun Holton aka Proof’s family, his best friend Marshall Mathers, his other D12 fellows and to all the people in this world who cared about him.
The news has been posted on Detroit rap dot com.
RIP Deshaun Holton aka Proof. We will never forget you:)

EMINEM knew his fame was getting out of control when a trip to his local garage caused a pile-up accident. The STAN hitmaker was so tired of having to plan every trip in detail as stardom took over his life, he drove to a Michigan garage – just so he could do something normal, like pump his own gas. Little did he know that the decision would cause a smash-up. He tells US urban magazine Complex, “I went out to the pump, and somebody slammed on their brakes too hard, and the person behind them rear-ended them. I caused an accident. “That’s when I realised, if I wanna take my daughters to the movies, we gotta rent out the whole theatre. “We can’t do normal people things – and we’re the most regular people.”

Meet another member of the Iron Fist crew: Supa Emcee. If most of you have heard about D12 member Proof, Purple Gang and maybe his Woof Pac fellows, Supa Emcee remains less known from many people. Supa Emcee is nevertheless an interesting artist who has some good quality music to offer to his listeners.
Supa Emcee is not your average emcee: he has the spirit of thousand soldiers inside of him and comes to you with his incisive instrumental and lyrical weapons. Army With Harmony is one of Supa Emcee’s beautiful piece of work. Built on catchy beats, offensive and rhythmic violin sounds that will give you the impression of an army marching on, Army With Harmony fully exposes Supa Emcee’s incredible lyrical skills. I highly recommend it to all of you.
You like it when hip hop gets lyrical? Then Cypher is exactly what you need. Dark guitar sounds combined with drums and keyboard enlighten the song that definitely represents the hood of Detroit City. Feel the heat, feel people running away from the lyrical bullets Supa Emcee sends with an amazing celerity.
Crazy is a softer track based on a nostalgic musical background. Supa Emcee is as « crazy » as he used to be. Same love for the ghetto, same love for hip hop. Supa Emcee remains true to himself.
Feel That will make you feel the evilness of the hood. The streets are ruled by offensive gun talks. Supa Emcee puts a lot of energy into the track and has a real nice flow delivery that makes his song very much enjoyable.
Check out Iron Fist’s new talent here.

Supa Emcee is part of Proof’s Iron Fist family and has some good music to offer to his audience…stay tuned:)

Who is Black Hand?
Black Hand is a label composed of the following artists: Chaz, G Real, Graph, Black Hand Chain (group) and Block Staff (group) and DJ Skrilla.
The tracks exposed on my space expose the streets of NYC in their nudity. If you like it gangsta, you will probably taste Black Hand’s sounds with delight. The artists keep it real in their words and music.
Rhythmic drum sounds, electric guitars, gun shootings in the background and lyrical bullets coming from their mouth. Gun Talk makes you travel through the hoods of New York, LA, DC, Virginia. Feel the gangsta mobsters unity. Gun talks take place everywhere: Ak’s, Mac Eleven’s…weapons are ready to shoot. Enjoy the rhythmic hood anthem and nod your head to the track.
Not Like Rick is written on a dark instrumental background mixed up with softer nostalgic sounds. Black Hand is in the game. Bullets, quick money are part of a gangster’s game. Enter into Black Hand’s world and discover a hustler’s life.
Tryna Rep introduces you into Black Hand’s lyrical passion. Monotonous on purpose, claps in the background, the track will probably please people whose passion is made of hip hop and gangsta tales.
Make It Hot is instrumentally very well handled. Beautifully cadenced by drums and vocals, the song is an invitation to swing. Square dance with them emcees of the Black Hand Gang.
Globally, the Black Hand label that proudly represents NYC, has a lot of original sounds to offer to his listeners. Check them out here.

You can look at Eminem and Kim’s divorce papers here. (PDF)

Your mind is confused and you don’t know what to do? A few days earlier, everything seemed so clear into your mind like clear water and now dark clouds seem to be hanging over you. Your feelings are mixed up, and you’re not feeling well in your mind. You probably keep asking yourself what to do in such kind of troubled situations.
First of all don’t let this stress situation invade you completely and make you feel trapped. Stop all unnecessary activities. Sit back in your chair or sofa, put some music you really like into your headphones and breathe a little while trying to relax.
When you will feel better and ways more relaxed, try to think about what caused this confusion into your mind. Try to analyze the situation.
If the problem you are facing depends on you, you must find out which of your actions will help you to minimize the problem or to get totally rid of it. Once you found a concrete solution, do not only put it into words. You must be concrete and apply to it.
In case the problem doesn’t depend on you, close the door behind you and try to isolate yourself from the external world for a few minutes. Try to clear your brain from thoughts of any kind. Just breathe deeply and meditate for a few minutes. While staying silent, try to reach your inner sanctum and ask God for the answers you need.
As strange as it might sound to non believers, God always answers our requests, regardless of what we requested. Of course, God doesn’t always answer us the way we expected him to answer. He might answer through a metaphor or through persons he puts on our roads. Sometimes, God remains silent, despite our numerous calls. Don’t feel desperate about it. Always remember that even silence is a response. Maybe not exactly what you expected, but this kind of response has a meaning too.
Don’t let emotions and confusion overwhelm your mind and affect your spirits. Many problems could be solved if we were willing to make a break and to analyze what caused so much trouble into our minds.

Black Hand from Jamaica, New York…stay tuned, folks:)