However, it was as a solo artist that D12 member Eminem found success. All of the members of D12 have aliases and Eminem chose Slim Shady as his. Eminem was formerly in a group called Soul Intent along with Proof before leaving and forming with D12.
Eminem's success persuaded Proof to establish D12 on a more permanent basis in early 1999. Bizarre, Eminem, Kon Artis, Bugz, and Kuniva were recruited to join the group. Kuniva and Kon Artis were previously part of Da Brigade. However, Bugz passed away in Detroit on May 21, 1999 because of a gun incident at a picnic that turned into a shooting, leading to Kuniva proposing Swift take Bugz's place. Each of the members of the crew wears a tattoo of Bugz's name in his honor. The tracks Good Die Young and Bugz 97 (the latter of which features an appearance from Bugz) on D12 World are also in his memory.
The six members of D12 signed a contract with Eminem's Shady Records and Interscope in 2000. The fact that D12 rose to prominence after Eminem led many people to assume that the other members had less significance in the group - this would be the concept of the group's 2004 hit single My Band. They also made the song to adress the common using of Eminem featuring D12.
Despite Eminem's prominence in the music industry, D12 insists that there is no frontman in the group and that Eminem is just another member. In spite of this, D12 recently began to tour as a separate entity to Eminem, a controversial move that could lead to confusion among concert-goers who may believe they are paying to see Eminem as well as the other five performers.
Sadly, early morning on April 11, 2006, Proof was shot and killed at a Detroit-area nightclub. Proof, real name DeShaun Holton, was 32 years old. Proof was also one of Eminem's best friends and will be missed by fans and friends.
History
Early career and The Underground EP (1996–1998)
In 1997, they released their debut extended play, The Underground EP, which was recorded between 1996 and 1997. In 1997 and 1998, its members began establishing reputations locally. Bizarre was named Inner City Entertainment's "Flava of the Week" and went on to release an album, Attack of the Weirdos. Along with Eminem, Rah Digga and Young Zee, he became an honorary member of The Outsidaz. Proof won a freestyling competition run by The Source. In 1999, Bugz released These Streets EP, and made several appearances on other rappers' songs.
Around the time of Eminem's first record deal, Proof attempted to revive D12. He managed to recruit local Detroit hip hop duo Da Brigade, composed of Kuniva, a local MC, and Mr. Porter, a longtime friend of Eminem and Proof. At the time, Porter was the group's producer (he later produced Eminem's first album, Infinite), but Kuniva persuaded him to join the group as an artist. Later the group was joined by Bugz, and Bugz introduced his longtime friend Swift, who at the time was a member of rap duo Da Rabeez.
Death of Bugz (1999)
On May 21, 1999, Bugz was shot and killed at a picnic. One of his final acts had been a request that Swift join the group. Eminem volunteered to replace Bugz; this led to him rejoining the group. Mr. Obnoxious, his first solo album, was released in February 2000 after his death. D12's first album, Devil's Night, is dedicated to him.
Devil's Night, D12 World and appearances without Eminem (2000–2005)
Their debut album, Devil's Night, referring to the tradition of setting unoccupied buildings on fire the night before Halloween, was released in June 2001. It debuted at number one on the U.S. and number two on the UK chart, also reaching the top of the Canadian charts. Devil's Night went on to sell four million albums worldwide and two million in the U.S. In 2021, the album was rereleased digitally as an expanded edition to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of its release which featured three bonus tracks, an unreleased freestyle, the a cappella version of "Shit On You" and the instrumentals to "Shit On You", "Purple Pills", "Fight Music" and "Blow My Buzz".
In August 2001, D12 and Esham were kicked off the Warped Tour after members of the group physically attacked Esham over the lyrics of his song "Chemical Imbalance", which contained a reference to Eminem's daughter. Eminem was not present during the tour. D12 World was released on April 27, 2004, featuring production by Dr. Dre, Eminem, Porter and Kanye West, and guest appearances by Obie Trice on the track "Loyalty" and B-Real of Cypress Hill on the track "American Psycho II". It debuted at the top of the U.S., UK, and Australian albums charts, and at number two in Germany—selling over half a million records in its first week of release in the U.S. alone. "My Band", the album's first single, also reached number one in Australia, New Zealand and the U.S. rhythmic top forty, the top five in the UK[9] and Germany, and the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100.
D12 was eclipsed by Eminem's success, touring without him to promote their second album while he recorded Encore. D12 members Bizarre and Proof managed mildly successful solo careers with the releases of Hannicap Circus and Searching for Jerry Garcia in 2005. D12 performed live, without Eminem, at the House of Blues in Chicago to promote both albums. That concert was released on DVD in 2005 as D12: Live in Chicago. D12, without Eminem, performed on the track "She-Devil" of Tech N9ne's 2002 album Absolute Power. They recorded "Hit Me with Your Best Shot" for Eminem's album Recovery but the song wasn't included on the album. It was eventually included on an Eminem mixtape Straight from the Lab Part 2 in 2011.
Death of Proof and Eminem Presents: The Re-Up (2006)
On April 11, 2006, Proof "pistol-whipped an unarmed man and shot him in the head", and was in turn fatally shot by the man's cousin. On December 5, 2006, Shady Records released Eminem Presents: The Re-Up which featured performances by Eminem, D12, 50 Cent, Obie Trice, Stat Quo, Bobby Creekwater and Cashis while affiliated artists such as Lloyd Banks, Akon and Nate Dogg, made guest appearances. Some tracks were collaborative performances from D12 members, such as "Murder" by Bizarre and Kuniva and "Whatever You Want" by Swifty McVay and Mr. Porter. The track "Trapped" by Proof included an intro by Eminem paying his final respects saying, "Big Proof, rest in peace dudey we love you. We just wanna keep making you proud."
Member changes, hiatus, mixtapes and comeback (2007–2013)
After four years of inactivity D12 released a new mixtape Return of the Dozen Vol. 1 (2008), without Eminem who was working on his solo album Relapse. There were solo performances by D12 members such as Kuniva's "If You Want It", similar to Eminem's solo performance "Girls" on Devil's Night. The mixtape Return of the Dozen Vol. 2 (2011) followed three years later. It featured Fuzz Scoota, an original member of D12 who left in 1999. Eminem performed on one track. Because Eminem was on tour promoting Recovery with Mr. Porter his hype man D12 had only four active members, Bizarre, Kuniva, Fuzz and Swift.[citation needed] D12 performed at the Kanrocksas Music Festival on August 5, 2011. The track, "Outro", off the Return of the Dozen Vol. 2 mixtape, had a music video released on September 1, 2011, though the video did not feature either Eminem or Mr. Porter. The group also stated intentions to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the release of the Devils Night album, though the celebration was held on the actual Devil's Night on October 30 in Saint Andrew's Hall in Detroit, Michigan, even though the album was released months earlier on June 19, 2001. In 2012 Bizarre left D12, citing creative differences, and Mr. Porter left to pursue a solo career, leaving D12 with four members. Asked about the group's status in 2012, Kuniva replied that it's "not over, we're still coming. However, when Mr. Porter was asked in 2013 about a possible new D12 album he responded "Not happening bro sorry".
Bizarre and Kon Artis rejoin, Shady XV, unreleased third studio album and The Devil's Night Mixtape (2014–2015)
In January 2014, Mark Bass of the Bass Brothers confirmed that D12 had been recently recording at the F.B.T. studio and he had been mixing their recorded material. He also confirmed that Eminem was featured on at least three songs that had been completed. February 2014, Bizarre confirmed that he was back in the group and that D12 would be releasing their third studio album during 2014. On August 25, 2014, a press release on Eminem's official website also revealed D12 to be featured on the label's upcoming 2-disc compilation album, titled Shady XV. The album, released on November 24, 2014, featured one greatest hits disc and one disc with new material from a variety of Shady Records recording artists including D12. The new D12 song was entitled "Bane", which features the return of Kon Artis and was also produced by him. The song did not feature Eminem or returning member Fuzz Scoota.
On August 18, 2015, D12 confirmed on Tim Westwood TV that they had already recorded a large number of songs for the album and will release it "when the time is right."[25] On October 1, 2015, it was announced that D12 would be releasing a new mixtape, The Devil's Night Mixtape was released on October 30, 2015, and it featured Lazarus, King Gordy, Royce da 5'9", Bizarre, Swifty McVay, Kuniva and Mr. Porter. It also included a freestyle by Eminem for its introduction although he wasn't present on any other tracks throughout the whole mixtape. It was hosted by DJ Whoo Kid.
Solo careers, collaborative works and breakup (2017–2018)
In 2017, D12 had been focusing on their respective solo careers. On February 17, Swifty McVay released his debut album Grey Blood. Bizarre released his new mixtape Tweek Sity 2,in addition to working on collaborations with other artists such as Riff Raff, King Gordy and Qom Qazamah respectively. Swifty McVay and Kuniva are currently working on their collaboration album, titled My Brother's Keeper. On August 31, 2018, Eminem released a song titled "Stepping Stone" on his album Kamikaze. On it, Eminem announced that D12 was officially broken up due to the death of Proof.
6 in the Morning
D12 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Haha, wake your mother fucking asses up
Yo what is the what?
Well come on then, you know what time it is
Stop sleeping on my roof bitch!
For whatever it's worth it's worth me having my ass whipped
'Cause I'ma have the last lift that ever gets ass squished
That wanna be rauny bad asses so bad
And they so mad they can't stand it
Cause we can and they can't spit (Hawk)
And they can't handle it like a man
And that's when it just happens
And I snap and it's a wrap, and it's a scrap an then it isn't crap is it?
Hip-Hop isn't a sport anymore when you got to go and resort back into that shit
Maybe I'm old fashioned but my passion
Is to smash anyone rapping without having a slapping
Believe me I'd much rather pick up a pencil than a pistol but I'm pissed now
But it all depends on just how far it get's took on the mic
'Cause I'm telling you right now your not gonna like it
'Cause if I get pushed over the edge then I'm pulling you with me
You poke a stick at a big boy you get bit be
These words stick to you like crazy glue
When you diss me cause they just bounce off me like bullets do fifty!
I'm the beautiful-est thing and your gonna miss me when I'm gone
Like Kieth Murry when he threw a stool and hit a girl accidentally
I do this for Swifty, Kon and Kuniva, Bizzy & Proof are you with me?
[Chorus]
Come on an everybody come on an
Kick your shoes off mother fuckers come on an
Cause we get it on an till the break of dawn an
Wake your ass up motherfuckers quit yawning
'Cause we ain't leaving till 6 in the morning
So have sing along with the words to the song an
If you don't know the words an you can't sing along an
Fake like you know 'em motherfucking join in
Everybody come on an
Its in the media pitted me of a beef starter
In a party with heat it's hard to keep me without one
Fuck slugs I'm walkin' gloves with a shotgun
Constantly popping slugs they hot son, better not run
The bosses of all bosses a Holocaust to whoever ain't conscious
In a house full of dog shit,
I'ma gothic death project, you stop breathing
You die quicker than mach speed without bleeding
It ain't about what you reading
When you meet me better speak like a season's greetings
Either that or we'll be beefing free when
You niggas need a 'E' just to speak shit!
Your leader is a boutique bitch
Keep the heater where you can reach quick
I snipe you with it and we won't even keep it a secret
Nigga I did it from a mind of a mental patient
When glocks wave you can save that conversation for Satan
You brave?
[Chorus]
Yo yo I heard you niggas don't like us
But so what this beef is like
'What the fuck did he say in his rap Em?'
I can see that he's just a punk
I mean these niggas squeeze on me
Please I'm seeing guts
I don't need no enemies, as my family a couple trucks
Am I empty seeing them white I empty out them white to fight you
In front of every reporter that I don't like
No need for metaphors I get yours across when I write
So emotions enough to say "fuck you bitch, and I don't like you, WHAT!"
I might as well give this up like heavy sales
And just fuck an leave D12 and this blunt
We can't self destruct
I've never felt it this much
Come on fellas, get up
We got to fight like Bugs last night of his life
I walk with a limp, pistol hanging off-a the hip
I'm awkward and quick enough an sick when sparking a fifth
Your carcass is split even the beef is partially thick
We can't take you serious, you a comedy skit
You probably wish that you could be out shooting them G's
But the only thing you shoot is the breeze
I can't believe you speaking on moving key's
But every time we hear you kick it
The only thing you selling is wolf tickets
I look wicked cause niggas will test your nut sack
So when they bust you better bust back
And get your guts clapped outa your stomach
And when they want it (yeah)
I bring a hundred niggas from runave
So get your gun and if you coming
[Chorus]
D12's "6 in the Morning" is a rap song that features intense lyrics, a thumping beat and an aggressive tone throughout. The song starts with an aggressive wake-up call, followed by Eminem's verse where he talks about the challenges he has faced in the rap industry. The lyrics describe how he often finds it difficult to deal with the new wave of rappers who want to be raunchy and tough guys, yet they can't handle it when someone like him traditionally trained in Hip-Hop disses them. He hints at his frustration with this modern-day Hip-Hop, where rappers resort to violence instead of using it solely as a means to express themselves.
In the following verses, Swift, Bizarre, and Kon Artis take over, and they continue with the aggressive tone. They rap about topics that range from guns to tough guys who can't handle their fights. Even though the lyrics of the song may seem over the top and make people feel uncomfortable given the violent overtone, they don't support violent behavior. Instead, the lyrics are a reflection of the attitudes and manner of the Hip-Hop artists that the song represents.
In conclusion, "6 in the Morning" deftly showcases D12's skills as a rap group with their aggressive tone, thumping beat, and the lyrics that address issues faced by Hip-Hop artists. The song is quite intense and not for the faint-hearted as it features heavy use of explicit language and violent overtones.
Line by Line Meaning
Good morning
Wake up and start your day
Haha, wake your mother fucking asses up
Get out of bed, it's time to start the day with enthusiasm
Yo what is the what?
What's going on? What's happening?
Well come on then, you know what time it is
Let's get going, it's time to take action
Stop sleeping on my roof bitch!
Stop underestimating or disrespecting me
For whatever it's worth it's worth me having my ass whipped
I'm willing to endure the consequences for what I believe in
'Cause I'ma have the last lift that ever gets ass squished
I won't let anyone defeat me, I'll come out on top
I just can't get past these little peasants
I can't ignore these insignificant people who try to bring me down
That wanna be rauny bad asses so bad
They desperately want to portray themselves as tough and rebellious
And they so mad they can't stand it
They are extremely angry and can't handle it
Cause we can and they can't spit (Hawk)
We have the ability to rap skillfully, unlike them
And they can't handle it like a man
They can't handle it maturely or with dignity
And that's when it just happens
That's when things escalate or become confrontational
And I snap and it's a wrap, and it's a scrap an then it isn't crap is it?
I lose control and the situation becomes chaotic, and it's not something insignificant anymore
Hip-Hop isn't a sport anymore when you got to go and resort back into that shit
The state of Hip-Hop loses its artistic value when it turns violent
Maybe I'm old fashioned but my passion
I may have traditional values, but I'm still passionate about my craft
Is to smash anyone rapping without having a slapping
I aim to outperform and defeat anyone who raps without substance
Believe me I'd much rather pick up a pencil than a pistol but I'm pissed now
I prefer expressing myself through writing, but I'm angry at the moment
But it all depends on just how far it get's took on the mic
The extent of my anger and actions depends on how much provocation I receive
'Cause I'm telling you right now your not gonna like it
You won't be happy with the outcome of my response
'Cause if I get pushed over the edge then I'm pulling you with me
If I lose control, I will make sure you face the consequences as well
You poke a stick at a big boy you get bit
When you provoke someone who's powerful, there will be consequences
These words stick to you like crazy glue
My words have a lasting impact on you
When you diss me cause they just bounce off me like bullets do fifty!
When you try to insult me, it has no effect on me, just like bullets bouncing off a strong surface
I'm the beautiful-est thing and your gonna miss me when I'm gone
I'm incredibly talented and people will regret not appreciating me when I'm no longer around
Like Kieth Murry when he threw a stool and hit a girl accidentally
Similar to an incident where Kieth Murray unintentionally harmed someone
I do this for Swifty, Kon and Kuniva, Bizzy & Proof are you with me?
I do this for my fellow members of the group, D12, and I want them to support me
Come on an everybody come on an
Everyone, join in and participate
Kick your shoes off mother fuckers come on an
Relax and let loose, get ready to enjoy
Cause we get it on an till the break of dawn an
We party and have a good time until early morning
Wake your ass up motherfuckers quit yawning
Stop being lazy and start being active
Cause we ain't leaving till 6 in the morning
We're going to party all night until 6AM
So have sing along with the words to the song an
Sing along and enjoy the lyrics of this song
If you don't know the words an you can't sing along an
If you don't know the lyrics, just pretend and join in anyway
Fake like you know 'em motherfucking join in
Pretend like you know the lyrics and participate anyway
Its in the media pitted me of a beef starter
The media portrays me as someone who instigates conflicts
In a party with heat it's hard to keep me without one
In a situation with tension, it's difficult for me to be unarmed
Fuck slugs I'm walkin' gloves with a shotgun
I'm well-prepared and armed with a shotgun
Constantly popping slugs they hot son, better not run
I keep firing bullets aggressively, so you better not try to escape
The bosses of all bosses a Holocaust to whoever ain't conscious
I am the most powerful figure and I will bring destruction to those who are ignorant
In a house full of dog shit
In a place where there are many unpleasant things
I'ma gothic death project, you stop breathing
I represent darkness and death, and I will cause you to stop living
You die quicker than mach speed without bleeding
You will die swiftly, almost instantly without any visible wounds
It ain't about what you reading
It's not about what information you consume
When you meet me better speak like a season's greetings
When you encounter me, you better communicate respectfully and politely
Either that or we'll be beefing free when
Otherwise, we will engage in a conflict without hesitation
You niggas need a 'E' just to speak shit!
You need to be under the influence of drugs to talk nonsense
Your leader is a boutique bitch
The person leading you is weak and insignificant
Keep the heater where you can reach quick
Have your gun readily accessible
I snipe you with it and we won't even keep it a secret
I will shoot you from a distance and won't hide the fact that it was me
Nigga I did it from a mind of a mental patient
I committed the act with the mentality of someone who is mentally unstable
When glocks wave you can save that conversation for Satan
When guns are involved, there's no point in talking, just prepare for the worst
You brave?
Are you courageous enough to face the consequences?
Yo yo I heard you niggas don't like us
I've heard rumors that you guys dislike us
But so what this beef is like
But it doesn't matter, this conflict is similar to
'What the fuck did he say in his rap Em?'
'What the hell is he trying to convey in his rap, Eminem?'
I can see that he's just a punk
I can clearly see that he's weak and insignificant
I mean these niggas squeeze on me
These guys try to intimidate or attack me
Please I'm seeing guts
Please, I'm not affected at all
I don't need no enemies, as my family a couple trucks
I don't need any additional enemies, I have a loyal group supporting me
Am I empty seeing them white I empty out them white to fight you
Am I lacking motivation? No, I will go to great lengths to confront you
In front of every reporter that I don't like
I will face you in front of the media, even if I don't like them
No need for metaphors I get yours across when I write
I don't need to use figurative language, I make my message clear through my writing
So emotions enough to say 'fuck you bitch, and I don't like you, WHAT!'
My emotions are strong enough for me to express my dislike and disgust towards you
I might as well give this up like heavy sales
I might as well quit, like giving up on a difficult task
And just fuck an leave D12 and this blunt
I might as well leave the group D12 and abandon this marijuana joint
We can't self destruct
We can't destroy ourselves
I've never felt it this much
I've never experienced this level of emotion or intensity
Come on fellas, get up
Come on, guys, get up and join me
We got to fight like Bugs last night of his life
We have to fight as if it's our last night alive, just like Bugs Bunny in a desperate situation
I walk with a limp, pistol hanging off-a the hip
I walk with a noticeable limp, with a pistol hanging from my side
I'm awkward and quick enough an sick when sparking a fifth
I'm clumsy yet skilled and vicious when using a firearm
Your carcass is split even the beef is partially thick
I will cause severe damage to your body, even if the conflict between us is partially serious
We can't take you serious, you a comedy skit
We can't consider you a serious threat, you're like a joke
You probably wish that you could be out shooting them G's
You probably envy those who engage in criminal activities
But the only thing you shoot is the breeze
But the only thing you're capable of shooting is empty conversations
I can't believe you speaking on moving key's
I can't believe you're talking about trafficking drugs
But every time we hear you kick it
But every time we listen to your rap
The only thing you selling is wolf tickets
The only thing you're promoting is false confidence or bravado
I look wicked cause niggas will test your nut sack
I appear intimidating because people will try to challenge your courage
So when they bust you better bust back
So when they attack you, you better retaliate
And get your guts clapped outa your stomach
And get shot in the abdomen, causing severe damage to your organs
And when they want it (yeah)
And when they're ready for a confrontation
I bring a hundred niggas from runave
I will gather a large group of people from my neighborhood
So get your gun and if you coming
So be prepared with your weapon if you plan on challenging us
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: DENAUN M PORTER, LUIS RESTO, MARSHALL B III MATHERS, ONDRE C MOORE, VON M CARLISLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind