Eminem Biography
Beaten by bullies at school, berated by a pill-popping mum in his Detroit trailer park home, Marshall Bruce Mathers III's strife-ridden childhood served as a fertile creative breeding ground for his razor sharp rhymes and witty wordplay. Veering between misunderstood genius and misogynistic homophobe, Eminem would become the biggest and most controversial rap superstar of the 90's. Yes, bigger even than Vanilla Ice!
Born on 17 Oct 1973 in Kansas City, Marshall's transformation into his million selling alter ego, Eminem, began when he was nine years old and he heard Ice T's Reckless. It was on a soundtrack that his Uncle Ronnie bought him. 10 years later, Ronnie would commit suicide. (A tattoo on Eminem's right arm bears his uncle's name). Eminem began freestyling in his friend's basement at the age of 15. Some five years later, Em was becoming well known on the Detroit hip-hop scene as the only white rapper at the city's open mic contests (scenes that would fuel the basis of Eminem's Hollywood movie debut in the film 8 Mile). Eminem cut his first album, Infinite, in 1996 for a local label but only 1,000 copies were pressed. The album failed to attract any interest from the major labels. Eminem feared he'd spend the rest of his life working as a cook and he had new responsibilities. On Christmas Day in 1996 his girlfriend Kim gave birth to a daughter, Hailie Jade (her name is tattooed on his arm). "At this point in my life I had nothing," recalls Em. "I felt like robbing somebody or selling drugs to get myself out of the situation I was in." After the promise of another record deal fell through, Em swallowed more than 20 Tylenol painkillers in a suicide attempt but luckily, he couldn't keep them down. Em's big break came in 1997 when rap ledge Dr Dre discovered a demo tape on Interscope boss Jimmy Iovine's garage floor. Dre travelled to watch Eminem perform in the 1997 Rap Olympics. Dre signed Eminem on the spot. Eminem's rap cred was never in doubt with Dre at the helm. Dre produced three tracks for Eminem's debut album, The Slim Shady LP, including his 1999 debut single, My Name Is. The song and attendant video immediately made Eminem the most talked about rapper in the world. The album confirmed that Em was much more than a novelty. Relentlessly funny, defiantly un-PC, savage and unforgiving, Eminem's witty wordplay and his frenetic, whiny slur was set against Dre's chunkiest beats. And the fact that Eminem was white meant instant crossover success. "Hip hop is predominantly black but now and again one white motherfucker comes along. Now that happens to be me," said our trailer trash hero. On the day Em featured on the cover of Rolling Stone, his trailer park home was repossessed because he hadn't kept up the rental payments!
The aftershock of the Slim Shady LP's success meant that Eminem became a star overnight. Success would rattle Eminem's relationships with his mother, his wife Kim and the outside world. Debbie Mathers Briggs filed a $10m lawsuit in 1999 against her son claiming extreme defamation of character in Eminem's songs. (My Name Is included the line: 'My mom smokes more dope than I do.') Em told the Source magazine: "When I say my mum was doing a lot of drugs, people think I'm cracking jokes but that shit is real." Debbie Mathers eventually accepted $25,000 as a settlement.
Eminem's controversial lyrics meant he was now waging a constant battle with public morality as he was asked to explain songs that depicted rape, murder, drug taking and excessive violence - in short, all the subjects you don't find covered in the usual Rachel Stevens tune.
2001's follow up album, The Marshall Mathers LP, was an ever darker journey through Em's tortured psyche, shot through with his usual humour but stark realism, especially on the album's standout track, Stan, about an obsessed fan. The album's first single, The Real Slim Shady, was another shuffling, irresistible rap groove. The album shifted close to 2m copies in its first week of release in the US. On stage Eminem was now adopting the alter ego of the Texas Chain Saw Massacre serial killer, complete with fright mask, dungarees and regulation chain saw. 2001 also saw the emergence of side project D-12 - a collection of rappers from Eminem's formative Detroit days. A debut single, the controversial Shit On You was followed by debut album Devil's Night, which reached No.2 in the UK and No.1 in the US charts. Crammed with expletives, violence and drug talk the whole project seemed like a self-indulgent juvenile fantasy that would never have seen the light of day without Eminem's superstar patronage.
Success still bred problems though, including a scuffle with members of the Insane Clown Posse in a car stereo shop, a battle with Christina Aguilera over a lyric about her fictional exploits and a lawsuit after Em allegedly attacked a man he'd seen kissing his wife, Kim. But the publicity helped the album top the charts around the world. But one song on the album, Kim, finally ended his marriage as Em mused about violently murdering his wife. The couple divorced shortly after. The Marshall Mathers LP was nominated for several Grammy awards and to silence his critics who called him a violent homophobe, he called on Elton John to duet with him at the ceremony. Shortly after his tour finished in 2001 Em began rehearsing for his major movie debut in the vaguely autobiographical film, 8 Mile. It was the hip-hop equivalent of Rocky and although it didn't exactly stretch Em's acting talents he proved eminently watchable and helped to turn a $40m investment into $120m at the box office.
Em re-emerged in 2002 with new single Without Me, a single that attacked Moby and Limp Bizkit and which celebrated, er, Eminem basically. The resulting album, The Eminem Show, inspired little controversy but massive sales. Cleanin' Out My Closet dealt once more with his dysfunctional childhood and his hatred towards his mother. while elsewhere, on Soldier, he intimated that he might quit the rap game for good. "The fire inside expires at 30," he sang.
But my now, the Eminem name had become too big a brand to walk away. He'd established his own label, Shady Records and signed bullet-ridden rapper 50 Cent to huge success. Shady Wear clothing quickly followed and his success in 8 Mile led to several more film offers.
In 2003 Eminem stirred more controversy, this time allegations of racism from US hip hop mag The Source who had unearthed an early Eminem demo where the rapper was disparaging black women. Eminem apologised but said it was difficult to judge a boy's beliefs when he was just 16.
Eminem returned to the musical arena in 2004 with his new album, Encore. Received with solid, but slightly lukewarm reviews, critics felt Eminem was retreading old ground, fixating on childish farting, puking and diarrhoea gags and Jacko baiting lyrics on the album's lead-off single, Just Lose It. The anti-Bush rant Mosh, proved that Em wasn't the rap world's most lyrical political commentator while next single, Ass Like That was a study of er, celebrity booty. Eminem may have lost some of the 'what will he say next?' thrill which powered his earlier work but the tongue twisting lyrics and infectious production were all intact, proving there's still no one in hip hop with quicker wits. Not even Vanilla Ice...
50 Cent Biography 
50 Cent has been making major moves in the hip-hop music industry since his classic debut Get Rich Or Die Tryin' hit the streets. With the latest G Unit release Beg For Mercy there's no stopping Curtis Jackson aka 50Cent! With Eminem and Dr Dre behind the Queens Native, a Superstar was born and is taking over the charts with blazin' hot music for the streets!
Curtis Jackson was born on July 6, 1976, Queens, New York, USA. Before landing his contract with Eminem to be a part of Shady/Aftermath Records, 50Cent was already being noticed from his mixtapes circulating on the streets. Teamed up with the production crew, Trackmasters, 50 Cent hustled to put out hot music. On the underground hit "How To Rob", 50 took shots at hiphop artists Jay-Z, Sticky Fingaz and Lil' Kim among others which led him a deal with Columbia Records.
The rapper has completed his album Power Of The Dollar (Produced By Trackmasters) and released his first single featuring Destiny's Child titled: "Thug Love" before a series of events conspired to derail his major record deal. Power Of The Dollar was getting heavily bootlegged and Columbia Records wasn't too happy. On May 24, 2000 - 50 Cent received multiple gunshot wounds in a street shooting. As a result, 50 was released from his contract with Columbia and Power Of The Dollar was shelved. Ironically, the gun wounds gave 50 his signature slur which in no doubt improved his flow delivery.
50 Cent retreated back on the street mixtapes with his crew G-Unit and teamed up with producer Money-XL which again generated a huge buzz in the streets. 50 Cent started to gain attention again by major record companies and finally landed a deal with Shady/Aftermath records after Eminem took notice. The smash hit "Wanksta" featured on the 8 Mile soundtrack got media attention and when "In Da Club" (Produced By: Dr Dre) was released, the buzz was huge and 50 dominated the billboard charts going multi-platinum celebrating success. The new release from G-Unit, Beg For Mercy debuted at #3 and 50 landed a deal with Reebok to release the "G-Unit Sneaker". 50Cent has became a huge artist in the rap/hip-hop history and continues to dominate the charts today! G G G G G UNIT!
D12 Biography 
the post-Motown landscape of Detroit, brothers rocking the mic are still being considered the voice of young America. Yet, instead of dreaming of blue skies and white picket fences, the unruly boys known as D12 create surreal universes of wild times and unruly rhymes. On their bombastic sophomore effort, D12 World, this motley crew of versatile style slayers mixes the rowdiness and absurdities of their lives into one potent cocktail.
Two years after selling four million copies worldwide of their debut Devil’s Night, these motor city wild boys are on a mission to define themselves in the hectic canon of now-school hip-hop. “In D12 World, anything can happen at any time,” Kuniva laughs. “Devil’s Night was just an introduction, now it’s time for us to really go crazy.”
With a lineup that includes sharp tongued Eminem, crazy cat Bizarre, beatmaster Kon Artis, laid-back Swift, chilled-out Kuniva and freestyle king Proof, the D12 posse is already popular. The group’s debut disc received rave reviews in the press. USA Today wrote, “The garishly funky beats that underpin the diabolically clever wordplay make the album hard to dismiss…their diatribes seem born less of anger and more of disdain for all that’s politically correct.”
Indeed, Devil’s Night established D12 as one of the super groups of the new millennium with its chart-topping single’s “Purple Pills” and “Fight Music” and with their outlandish antics on record and in performance. So what if Eminem has nine Grammys and one Oscar (“Lose Yourself” from the 8 Mile Soundtrack); so what if Mr. Shady has proven himself as a film star (8 Mile) and America’s most popular rapper, when D12 is in the house, he’s just another group member.
“We all knew each other growing up in Detroit,” Proof remembers. “I used to sneak Em into my school lunchroom just so he could battle. Later, when we started battling once a month at Maurice Malone’s Hip-Hop Shop, everybody had a crew. So, we decided to form our own. That’s how D12 was born. Before we even thought about making records, our only goal was to be like verbal ninjas and kick ass.”
Although the Detroit hip-hop scene might not be on the scale of New York or Cali, those who are down take rap very seriously. Having known each other since the days when they were rapping just to be heard, head nodding on stage inside Detroit’s infamous Hip-Hop Shop (where Proof was also the host), these brothers from different mothers have always had a special bond. “We were the All-Star Team of battle rappers,” Kuniva recalls. “And when somebody like Bizarre got in front of the mic, we never knew what he might say. Bizarre is wicked ‘cause he’ll say shit that others won’t.”
While the group was a priority, each of the members has worked on solo and side projects. Still, it wasn’t until Eminem’s own legendary solo success with Dr. Dre that D12 finally got a chance to move beyond their neighborhoods. “Em was able to take D12 to the next level,” Kon Artis says. Prior to teaming-up in front of a mic, the two worked together at a local pizza joint called Gilbert’s Lounge. “He helps to bring stuff out of us. With him, no matter what happens, it’s always been about real friendship.”
One friend and group member who wouldn’t live to see D12 successfully rock the world was a young rapper named Bugz. Although he too was down with the crew, Bugz was killed shortly before D12 was signed to Shady Records. “His last request was that we put Swift in the group,” Proof says. “If you listen to our song ‘Good Die Young’ on D12 World, you’d understand how much he meant to the group.” In an odd coincidence, Proof’s son was born the same day Bugz died.
After the release of Devil’s Night, the D12 crew spent many days and nights touring the world. Although Bizarre was still bringing the laughs and Kuniva was still being his outspoken self, there was still time for reflection. “Anyone who listened to the Devil’s Night will hear a lot of growth on our new joint,” Kon Artis says. “For the past two years all we’ve done is tour and mature.” Bizarre concurs, “Although Eminem is the most prominent member of the crew, on this album the rest of D12 steps up and displays their skills. On D-12 World, you can clearly hear we’re all dope MCs. Most rap on the radio right now is either popcorn or gangsta, but we’re going for a new refreshing approach with our beats and lyrical content.”
Although D12 has grown, they are still funny as hell. “When you listen to the title track, it’s like walking into a dope house party,” says Bizarre. With its strange soundscape and spooky strings, the Kanye West produced track serves the listener a taste of the group’s bugged poetics.
While most cliques fronted by an internationally known rap superstar might try to distance themselves from second hand fame, the members of D12 rather make fun of it with their 1st single, “My Band;” lampooning the fact that more than a few journalists wrote about D12 as though they were the latest boy band on the scene.
“The entire ‘My Band’ track originated from a joke,” Swift explains. “On the whole song, Em is just this dick lead singer who anoints us the cute one or the shy one. It’s just a goof directed at the media.” Reminding one of a rap version of Spinal Tap, this minimally produced Em nugget has the charm of Mad magazine and sassiness of a snake.
The group balances out the release of “My Band” with the simultaneous release of “40 Oz.,” (video and single). The rowdy Trackboyz produced track gives the club heads the rush they need to get the party started.
Em also contributed the frantic beat on “Git Up.” Featuring Em’s bouncy chants combined with creepy gothic strings, “Git Up,” which is an exciting street burner taunts any suckers trying to step to the crew. As group member Kon Artis, himself a noted producer (find him listed as Mr. Porter in the production credits), says, “Em created a track that is just pure adrenaline. We just went in the studio and tried to destroy whatever people might think about D12. Any backlash that Em has to deal with from the press, we go though together. D12 is more than a group, we’re brothers.”
Although naysayers and corn balls might try to label the humorous “I’m Gonna Get My Gun” as just another gangsta anthem, Bizarre knows better. “That’s another one of those times we were just messing around in the studio,” he explains. “One of the engineers said, ‘You ever been in a club, and see dudes get in a fight. One guy always gotta announce...I’m gonna get my gun!’ It’s funny, but it’s also real.”
Lacing a little R&B with his pimping, Kon Artis constructed “You Are the One.” Reminiscent of a beat Big Daddy Kane would have been proud to use, Kon Artis has created a track that examines both the bitter and the sweet in love.
Although Kon Artis has gotten much fame from producing 50 Cent single “P.I.M.P.” and G-Unit’s “Stunt 101,” he doesn’t skimp when it’s time to bring the noise to D12. “By definition, Detroit has always been a funk town,” Kon Artis explains. “On ‘I’ll Be Damned,’ I was just coming with a funky George Clinton / Larry Graham vibe. To me, rap is boring right now and a great way to liven it up is to bring the funk.”
Kon Artis, who has studied the art of production under Detroit homeboy Jaydee (Slum Village) and Cali flyboy Dr. Dre (who also contributes to the project with “American Psycho II” featuring B-Real), has risen in the ranks as one of rap’s most sought-after sound providers. Currently, he is working on tracks for Dre’s upcoming CD, Snoop, Method Man and Bilal. “The best lesson Dre ever taught me was it doesn’t hurt to try an idea. The only way to get to the next level is to not be afraid.”
Additional producers on D12 World include: Hi-Tek, Night & Day, Red Spyda, and Sick Notes.
With the release of D12 World, the group has created the perfect blueprint for all future groups to follow. As Proof is quick to say, “Forget about the word real, D12 keeps it right.”
