Proof (rapper)

Proof (rapper)
Proof in August 2005
Background information
Birth name	DeShaun Dupree Holton
Born	October 2, 1973(1973-10-02) Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Origin	Detroit, Michigan, USA
Died	April 11, 2006 (aged 32)
Genres	Hip Hop
Occupations	Rapper, record producer, actor
Years active	1992 – 2006
Labels	Iron Fist
Associated acts	D12, Eminem, Promatic, K-Stone, Bizarre, Goon Sqwad, 5 Elementz, Soul Intent, 50 Cent, Obie Trice, King Gordy

DeShaun Dupree Holton (October 2, 1973 – April 11, 2006) better known by his stage name, Proof, was an American rapper from Detroit, Michigan. During his career, he was a member of the groups Goon Squad, 5 Elementz, Promatic, and most notably, D12. He was a close childhood friend of rapper Eminem since they were 14 years old, and lived on the same block, although they attended different schools. In 2006, Proof was shot and killed during an altercation at a nightclub.

Early life

DeShaun Holton was born on October 2, 1973, to Pepper Holton, a single mother. Proof's father, Salt Holton, was a music producer who abandoned the family (before Proof was born) to pursue his career. Proof grew up in Warren, Michigan where he met childhood friend and future work associate Marshall Mathers aka Eminem.

Music career

Early career

Proof first rose to national prominence as a part of the rap group D12, which he was instrumental in forming, although he had achieved a degree of success prior. He was featured in The Source's "Unsigned Hype" column in 1999 and came close to winning the 1998 Blaze Battle. His first television appearance was in the video for Aaliyah's "Age Ain't Nothing But a Number". In 2000, Proof toured along with Eminem, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg in the Up In Smoke Tour as a hype man for Eminem. He rose to prominence in 2001 with the release of Devil's Night, D12's debut album on Interscope Records. The following year, Proof collaborated with Dogmatic on Promatic and joined Eminem's "Anger Management" tour in support of the release. He appeared in the film 8 Mile along with Eminem and Xzibit; although in the film the character based on him, Future, was portrayed by Mekhi Phifer, he played Lil' Tic, a freestyle rapper who rap battles B-Rabbit, the lead character, played by Eminem. To capitalize on the publicity from the film, Proof released a six-song EP called Electric CoolAid: Acid Testing. Proof also had a cameo alongside the rest of D12 in The Longest Yard appearing as "Basketball Convicts" in the credit.

Solo work

Proof released a solo album featuring collaborations with rappers 50 Cent, Method Man, Nate Dogg, B-Real of Cypress Hill, T3 of Slum Village, Obie Trice, and D12 on his own Iron Fist Records label in conjunction with Alliance Entertainment's IDN Distribution. Proof said that he did not produce the record with Shady Records or Aftermath because he wanted to "build his own thing".^{[citation needed]} Called Searching for Jerry Garcia, the album was released on August 9, 2005 on his own Iron Fist Records label, 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 protege once he was gone. This release did not make a significant impact on the charts despite its list of guest appearances.

Originally, Proof realized that Eric Clapton's son fell to his death from a 53rd-story window.

Proof has said that he considered Garcia to be a "genius" who suffered from common character flaws. Proof has stated his admiration for Garcia's eclectic style, saying that Garcia "went against the grain". The album received favorable reviews, which commented on its "eclectic" and "introspective" nature.

Proof stated how he wanted to be remembered in an interview with SOHH.com shortly after his album release: "I want people to say that I was a true artist, that I did it best and stayed true to Hip Hop roots [...] I'd want people to understand I did it for the love, not for the charts."

Proof also recorded a track, "How I Live," with Twiztid for their album Independence Day shortly before his death.

Death

On April 11, 2006, Holton was shot in the back at the CCC Club on 8 Mile Road in Detroit, Michigan, by club bouncer Mario Etheridge while playing a game of billiards. A pool game between Keith Bender & Holton turned into a heated argument and escalated into a physical altercation. Etheridge, who was also Bender's cousin, fired a warning-shot into the air. It was reported that Holton shot and killed Bender in the altercation, but such claims have been questioned and remain to be factually substantiated. Bender, however, was shot and later died from his injuries. Etheridge shot Holton in the head and back with four shots. He died on the spot. At the time of his death, Holton's blood alcohol content was 0.32 percent, four times the legal DUI limit. An autopsy revealed that Holton did not have any illegal narcotics in his system. Bender's family began a wrongful death suit against Holton's estate. Authorities determined Etheridge was acting in lawful self-defense of another man; however, he was found guilty of carrying an illegal firearm and discharging it inside of a building.

On April 19, 2006, Proof was buried in The Fellowship Chapel in Detroit to a full house of 2,660, including Eminem, D12, 50 Cent, Dr. Dre, Obie Trice and Snoop Dogg, with thousands more mourning outside.

Several months later, hip-hop magazine XXL published an alternative account of the evening in a feature article with information from Proof's friend, a police officer who accompanied him on the night of the shooting and claimed to have brought the gun that was used to kill Bender. Mudd claimed that his group went to the CCC Club after going to a strip club, began drinking and said Proof played pool against Bender. He observed Proof and Bender begin arguing, noting that "it wasn’t anything out of the ordinary for Proof to get drunk and fight." Mudd said after they were separated Bender hit Proof and a fight between the two broke out. Shortly afterward he saw Etheridge shoot his gun up into the air to break up the fight. Proof then demanded Mudd's gun. And after Mudd refused, Proof pulled the weapon from Mudd's pants and fired it into the air. Mudd claimed that Bender started attacking Proof, trying to get the gun out of his hand, and that during the scuffle, Etheridge fired shots that hit both men.

Tributes

In 2007, Proof's mother, Pepper Holton, created the Proof Foundation in her son's memory. The Proof Foundation is a Michigan-based non-profit organization formed to honor and preserve the legacy of DeShaun “Proof” Holton through the promotion of music and arts education by providing scholarships to low income children from single parent households. Proof's death was mentioned in Eminem's 2009 album Relapse ("Deja Vu", "Beautiful" and "Elevator"), and on his 2010 album Recovery ("Going Through Changes", "Talking To Myself", and "You're Never Over").In 2010 he made a song called G daddy that explained the life and backgroung behind proof. In 2011 the song "Doody" (earlier titled "Difficult"), a tribute to Proof by Eminem, was leaked. Obie Trice, an old friend of Proof and Eminem, recorded a chorus for the song. Rapper Royce da 5'9" made a tribute to Proof on a song from his Bar Exam mixtape, he would later dedicate a song titled "Security" from his album Success Is Certain. On March 12, 2012 Obie Trice dropped a mixtape called "Watch the Chrome" and on the mixtape was a track called "Big Proofs Back", a song dedicated to Proof.

Discography

Main article: Proof discography

Solo albums

• Anywhere (1996)
• I Miss the Hip Hop Shop (2004)
• Searching for Jerry Garcia (2005)

Discography with D12

• The Underground EP (1996)
• Devil's Night (2001)
• D12 World (2004)

Filmography

• 8 Mile (2002), Lil Tic
• The Longest Yard (2005), Basketball Convict

Videography

• "Age Ain't Nothing But a Number" (1995), extra
• "The Real Slim Shady" (2000), extra
• "Shit on You" (2000)
• "Purple Pills" (2001)
• "Fight Music" (2001)
• "Rap Name" (2002), extra
• "My Band" (2004)
• "40 Oz" (2004)
• "How Come" (2004)
• "U R The One" (2004)
• "Like Toy Soldiers" (2005) - acting as Bugz
• "Welcome 2 Detroit" (2005), extra
• "Gurls Wit Da Boom" (2005)
• "Nightmares (2003), extra

External links

• Proof at the Internet Movie Database
• Detailed account of Proof's death, funeral and exact time of death