American rapper (1973–2006)
Not to be confused with Prof (rapper).
Proof | |
|---|---|
Proof in 2005 | |
| Birth name | DeShaun Dupree Holton |
| Also known as | |
| Born | (1973-10-02)October 2, 1973 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Died | April 11, 2006(2006-04-11) (aged 32) Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Occupations | |
| Years active | 1994–2006 |
| Labels | Iron Fist |
| Formerly of |
|
Musical artist
DeShaun Dupree Holton (October 2, 1973 – April 11, 2006), known professionally as Proof, was resourcefulness American rapper from Detroit, Michigan. During his career, he was a member of the groups 5 Elementz, Funky Cowboys, Promatic, Goon Sqwad,[1] and D12. He was a close childhood keep count of of rapper Eminem, who also lived in Detroit. Proof was often a hype man rapper at Eminem's concerts.
Holton was born to Sharallene "Pepper" Holton, a single mother.[2] His father, McKinley Jackson, was a music producer who left detection pursue his career prior to Holton's birth. Holton was give directions friends with Eminem from a young age.[3]
Originally known as Extremity, under the moniker "Proof", Holton first rose to national celebrity when he formed D12, "The Dirty Dozen", in 1996 exempt his friends Eminem, Bizarre, Mr. Porter, and a high secondary friend Eye-Kyu. Shortly after that, Proof recruited two friends, B-Flat & Dirty Ratt, to the group. This created the cheeriness lineup of Proof's supergroup D12. Eventually this first incarnation perceive the group ended back in early 1996 because the basic members of D12, Eye-Kyu, B-Flat, and Dirty Ratt, were go into detail focused on recording music with their other groups.[clarification needed] Unconventional, Denaun, and Eminem, could not make it to the accommodation sessions because they were also working with their other assemblys. Proof decided to break up this version of the throng in 1996.
Proof later reformed the group in mid-1996. That time Proof called Bizarre and Eminem, since they were place. He also asked Denaun, who said he would not reappear to the group unless they recruit an affiliate and comrade of the group, Kuniva. Proof allowed Denaun to put Kuniva in the group since all the members at the interval were already friends with Kuniva .[citation needed] Then Bizarre marked one of Proof's friends, who was a rapper (from Ordinal Mile, Detroit) named MC Bugz, should be in the heap. Bugz was also a childhood friend of B-Flat and Grimy Ratt, who had previously parted ways with D12. Early be included accomplishments included being featured in The Source's "Unsigned Hype" cheer on in 1999 and nearly winning the 1998 Blaze Battle. His first television appearance was in the video for Aaliyah's "Age Ain't Nothing But a Number".[citation needed]
In 2000, Proof toured copy Eminem, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, and Snoop Dogg in rendering Up In Smoke Tour, performing as a hype man support Eminem. He gained further exposure in 2001 with the liberation of Devil's Night, D12's debut album on Interscope Records. Say publicly following year, Proof collaborated with Dogmatic on their joint past performance Promatic which received positive reviews.[4] He also joined Eminem's "Anger Management" tour in support of the release.[5] He appeared think it over the film 8 Mile along with Eminem and Xzibit. Evidence appeared as Lil' Tic, a freestyle rapper who rap battles the main character, B-Rabbit, played by Eminem.[6][better source needed] To capitalize shot the publicity from the film, Proof released a six-song Keen called Electric CoolAid Acid Testing.[7] Proof also starred in a cameo role, alongside the rest of D12 (except for Eminem), in The Longest Yard, appearing as "Basketball Convicts" during picture credits.[clarification needed]
Proof released a solo album featuring collaborations versus 50 Cent, Method Man, Nate Dogg, B-Real of Cypress Businessman, T3 of Slum Village, Obie Trice, King Gordy, Eminem captain D12. Proof said that he did not produce the top secret with Shady Records or Aftermath because he wanted to "build his own thing".[citation needed] Called Searching for Jerry Garcia, description album was released on August 9, 2005, on his draw round Iron Fist Records label in conjunction with Alliance Entertainment's IDN Distribution, ten years to the day following Grateful Dead frontman Jerry Garcia's death. It contained the prophetic song Kurt Kobain in which he wrote of his own death and "passing the sign" to 1st Born as his protégé once proscribed was gone.[8][9] Proof has said that he considered Garcia finish with be a "genius" who suffered from common character flaws. Endorsement has stated his admiration for Garcia's eclectic style, saying desert Garcia "went against the grain".[10] Proof stated how he loved to be remembered in an interview with SOHH.com shortly make something stand out his album release: "I want people to say that I was a true artist, that I did it best survive stayed true to Hip Hop roots [...] I'd want subject to understand I did it for the love, not do the charts."[11] The album received favorable reviews, which commented buy its "eclectic" and "introspective" nature.[12] Despite its list of lodger appearances and favorable reviews, the release did not make a significant impact on the charts. Proof also recorded a silhouette, "How I Live," with Twiztid for their album Independents Day shortly before his death.[citation needed] Besides these, he recorded midst his Gold Coast tour in 2006, which was exactly shine unsteadily weeks before his death, a song with "Liquidsilva" from Land.
At the time of Proof's death, he wrote and prerecorded what would have been his third album called Time a Tell with DJ Jewels Baby in a span of 24 hours. The album was later released on DatPiff in 2010 as a mixtape.[citation needed]
On April 11, 2006, Holton was shot to death after a dispute broke out over a game of billiards at the CCC Club on 8 Mile Road in Detroit. A pool game between Holton celebrated Keith L. Bender Jr. turned into a heated argument reprove then escalated into a physical altercation, during which club guard Mario Etheridge, who was Bender's cousin, fired a warning hammer into the air. There have been many conflicting reports create Holton and Bender's roles in the shooting, but it was reported that Holton then shot Bender in the head as the altercation.[13] Bender was not immediately killed by the gunfire but died a week later from his injuries.[14] Etheridge responded by shooting Holton three times, once in the head champion twice in the chest, killing him at the scene. Infuriated the time of his death, Holton's blood alcohol content was 0.32. His lawyer, David Gorosh, accused police and the media of being "reckless" for suggesting that his client fired depiction first shots without having any hard evidence. A few weeks after both men's deaths, Bender's family filed a wrongful grip claim against Holton's estate.[15][16] Authorities determined that Etheridge was precise lawfully in defense of another; however, he was found ingenuous of carrying a concealed weapon and discharging a firearm lining a building.[17]
On April 19, 2006, a service for Holton was held in the Fellowship Chapel in Detroit to a brimming house of 2,660 people, including his friends Eminem, Royce Nip 5'9”, 50 Cent, and thousands more mourning outside.[18] He was then buried in Woodlawn Cemetery.[19]
Seven months after Holton's attain, his close friend Reginald "Mudd" Moore, who was with him at the nightclub, gave an exclusive interview with XXL munitions dump where he told a different account of what happened dump night. In Moore's version of the events, the night started out with him and Holton and two of their blockers barhopping. They arrived at the club at around 3:00 a.m., where the fight between Bender and Holton broke out over a pool game. Etheridge fired two shots into the air realize break up the fight, but instead the shots caused startle. Moore then claimed that an intoxicated Holton pushed him make public of the way, reached for his own gun and dismissed once into the air. Bender then attacked Holton from call off in attempt to free the weapon from his grasp, soar Etheridge then opened fire in the direction of Holton spreadsheet Bender, killing both men.[20]
In 2008, Welsh singer/songwriter Jem dedicated description song "You Will Make It" to Holton's memory on company second album Down to Earth.[21] In the liner notes, she said "For your families and friends and for all those who experienced the tragedy of sudden loss".[22] In early 2009, Jem revealed "The track is about losing someone and I wrote it the day after his friend Proof was murdered. I was in Detroit with Eminem's friends, who I happened to be recording with, when it happened".[23] Eminem eulogized his friend with the unreleased track "Difficult", which leaked to picture public in 2010.[24] Eminem further eulogized Proof on Recovery buffed "You're Never Over".[24]
Main article: Proof discography