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.
Bane
D12 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Uh, I've got my mask on
Uh, I'm numb to the world
The devil out to get me, moving pretty fast
Head on collision, I'm tryna avoid the crash (pain)
I'm running from my past (Bane)
That's why I wear the mask
You don't get the picture, it could be gone in a flash (pain)
I'm running from my past (Bane)
That's why I wear the mask
Hope you bought a package of Kleenex (yeah)
Package the rejects (yeah)
Actually it's a fact that we shack in the p-jects
Naturally a rat pack will attack cheese (huh)
That's why I'm in yellow and green
May I tap, trap all these (uh)
No I don't trust these hoes, nigga (uh)
Say they love you for you then turn into a gold digger (Bane)
What the fuck you ask me for a dollar for?
Shooting the gym? I ain't ballin' ho
What I look like, Iguodala you know? (Bane)
Yup, shots fired, callin' it kettle
Black shit turned the pot higher, eyes tired
Keep trying to sell me a smile, but I'm a hard buyer
Keep shit movin' like a car tire
What you want, a necklace?
I'll make you a chain out some barbed wire
The devil out to get me, moving pretty fast
Head on collision, I'm tryna avoid the crash (pain)
I'm running from my past (Bane)
That's why I wear the mask
These blood sucking leeches, all they want is the cash
You don't get the picture, it could be gone in a flash (pain)
I'm running from my past (Bane)
That's why I wear the mask
I got his Earth on my shoulders, real life for rappin'
If you threw the planet at me I'd headbutt it and crack it
On another tax bracket and I been cleanin' my house
But my old habits are in the attic, I'll pull 'em out
And keep reminding y'all you ain't got it all
Devil keep pulling me by the drawers
Not at all amazed at these haters, you've seen my catalog
Speaking and we keep flying over 'em like a cannonball
Think I'm this comical, swag follower just rhyming over beats
While these leakers suckin' all of us off (hell no)
Still got your mama covered in vomit in my cellphone
Y'all really got me fucked up
What you mixin' up in that cup?
What the hell you sprinkle in that blunt?
.44, make him sober up
I got an addiction to all these prescriptions
Need an intervention, someone to listen
Catholic or Christian, fuck your suspicions
(Bitch! Gimme my molly and stop bitchin'!)
Turn it up (turn it down)
I be blowing on half a pound
Pass it around and pass it around
Merry go-round, merry go-round
She say she love me, but this bitch is ugly
(Shit, you ain't even know it)
I'mma still let her fuck me
The devil out to get me, moving pretty fast
Head on collision, I'm tryna avoid the crash (pain)
I'm running from my past (Bane)
That's why I wear the mask
These blood sucking leeches, all they want is the cash
You don't get the picture, it could be gone in a flash (pain)
I'm running from my past (Bane)
That's why I wear the mask
They say the devil is a liar
Nigga don't worry 'bout that loud mouth
Bumping his gums and babbling
Watch for them quiet niggas
On the real, you should come ride with us
Crew full of riders Optimus
My bad cause it seems like you got your facts all crossed up, no Swastikas
Fadin' in and out of my consciousness
Tryna fight this feeling I'm conjurin'
That's why I wear a hat so low with a mask
Really feelin' like the Loch Ness
No bullshit, these bitches are more grimy
Doing a nigga real slimey
Had my little homie stretched out, death untimely
Need not remind me, hold up
Yo, don't get doped up
Heard rumors that niggas wanna clap at me
Well actually, I was just over there
Niggas ain't really do jack to me
That's why I keep this mask on, straight face
Only thing that's missing is my sherlon, get my Runyon Ave on
The devil out to get me, moving pretty fast
Head on collision, I'm tryna avoid the crash (pain)
I'm running from my past (Bane)
That's why I wear the mask
These blood sucking leeches, all they want is the cash
You don't get the picture, it could be gone in a flash (pain)
I'm running from my past (Bane)
That's why I wear the mask
The lyrics to D12’s song “Bane” describe a feeling of numbness to the world and the need to wear a mask to protect oneself from the devil and the past. The singer is running from his past, which could be painful, and the need to wear a mask is a way to hide from the leeches that only want cash from him. The singer cannot trust anyone because they can easily turn into gold diggers. The lyrics also mention the addiction to prescription drugs and the need for intervention, but the singer seems to be in denial about it. There is a sense of paranoia and danger throughout the song, with references to head-on collisions and rumors of people wanting to harm the singer.
The chorus repeats the need for the mask as a means of running from the past, and the possibility of losing everything in a flash if one is not careful. The lyrics are full of metaphors and wordplay, with references to Batman villain Bane, Kleenex, the planet, tax brackets, and the Loch Ness monster. The song paints a picture of a dangerous and paranoid world, where the only way to survive is to wear a mask and be constantly on guard.
Line by Line Meaning
Uh, I feel no pain
The singer feels no emotional or physical pain, indicating that he has become desensitized
Uh, I've got my mask on
The singer is wearing a mask, either for protection or to hide his true identity
Uh, I'm numb to the world
The singer has become emotionally detached and is no longer experiencing emotions towards the world
The devil out to get me, moving pretty fast
The singer feels as though he is being targeted by negative influences and must move quickly to avoid them
Head on collision, I'm tryna avoid the crash (pain)
The singer is attempting to avoid a negative event that could cause him pain or discomfort
I'm running from my past (Bane)
The singer is attempting to distance himself from his past and persona, Bane
That's why I wear the mask
The singer is wearing a mask to avoid being associated with his past persona
These blood sucking leeches, all they want is the cash
The singer feels as though he is being taken advantage of by people who are only interested in his money
You don't get the picture, it could be gone in a flash (pain)
The singer is warning someone that they could lose something valuable quickly and painfully if they don't understand the situation
Hope you bought a package of Kleenex (yeah)
The singer is sarcastically suggesting that someone may need tissues to wipe their tears if they fail to heed his warning
Package the rejects (yeah)
The singer is suggesting that the people he is interacting with are not worthy of his time or attention
Actually it's a fact that we shack in the p-jects
The singer is stating that he is currently living in poverty
Naturally a rat pack will attack cheese (huh)
The singer is suggesting that people will fight over resources, using rats and cheese as a metaphor
That's why I'm in yellow and green
The singer is referring to his clothing, which he chose to wear to avoid being associated with his past persona
May I tap, trap all these (uh)
The singer may be suggesting that he has the ability to overcome or trap those who are trying to take advantage of him
No I don't trust these hoes, nigga (uh)
The singer does not trust the people he is interacting with, referring to them as 'hoes'
Say they love you for you then turn into a gold digger (Bane)
The singer is warning that people may act as though they care for someone, but they may only be interested in money and riches
What the fuck you ask me for a dollar for?
The singer is frustrated that someone is asking him for money
Shooting the gym? I ain't ballin' ho
The singer is suggesting that he is not interested in sports or working out
What I look like, Iguodala you know? (Bane)
The singer is referring to his past persona as Bane, jokingly suggesting that he is not a basketball player like Iguodala
Yup, shots fired, callin' it kettle
The singer has insulted someone and expects a response
Black shit turned the pot higher, eyes tired
The singer has smoked marijuana and is feeling drowsy
Keep trying to sell me a smile, but I'm a hard buyer
The singer is suggesting that he is not easily impressed by insincere gestures
Keep shit movin' like a car tire
The singer is suggesting that he maintains a fast pace and does not slow down
What you want, a necklace?
The singer is annoyed that someone is making demands of him
I'll make you a chain out some barbed wire
The singer is suggesting that he will not waste his money on expensive gifts for someone who is being demanding
I got his Earth on my shoulders, real life for rappin'
The singer feels as though the world is a heavy burden and is using music to express his feelings
If you threw the planet at me I'd headbutt it and crack it
The singer is suggesting that he is strong enough to handle the challenges of the world
On another tax bracket and I been cleanin' my house
The singer has moved up in socioeconomic status and is maintaining his personal living space
But my old habits are in the attic, I'll pull 'em out
The singer has left behind bad habits but may be tempted to return to them
And keep reminding y'all you ain't got it all
The singer is suggesting that others may have flaws or shortcomings despite their attempts to appear perfect
Devil keep pulling me by the drawers
The singer is struggling with temptation and negative influence
Not at all amazed at these haters, you've seen my catalog
The singer is suggesting that he has experienced criticism before and is unphased by it
Speaking and we keep flying over 'em like a cannonball
The singer is suggesting that he is able to rise above criticism and negative opinion
Think I'm this comical, swag follower just rhyming over beats
The singer is suggesting that he is more than just a comical rapper who simply rhymes over instrumentals
While these leakers suckin' all of us off (hell no)
The singer is critical of those who gossip or leak information about others
Still got your mama covered in vomit in my cellphone
The singer has a disgusting or embarrassing picture of someone's mother on his phone
Y'all really got me fucked up
The singer is frustrated or confused by someone's actions
What you mixin' up in that cup?
The singer is asking someone what they are drinking
What the hell you sprinkle in that blunt?
The singer is questioning what someone added to their marijuana
.44, make him sober up
The singer is suggesting that he has a firearm that would sober someone up quickly
I got an addiction to all these prescriptions
The singer is addicted to prescription medication
Need an intervention, someone to listen
The singer is acknowledging that he needs help with addiction
Catholic or Christian, fuck your suspicions
The singer is suggesting that he does not care what others think or believe about his faith
(Bitch! Gimme my molly and stop bitchin'!)
The singer is demanding that someone give him their ecstasy and stop complaining
Turn it up (turn it down)
The singer is making contradictory statements about the volume of the music
I be blowing on half a pound
The singer is smoking a large amount of marijuana
Pass it around and pass it around
The singer is sharing his marijuana with others
Merry go-round, merry go-round
The singer is suggesting that he is caught in a cycle or pattern
She say she love me, but this bitch is ugly
The singer is questioning the sincerity of someone's love for him
(Shit, you ain't even know it)
The singer is suggesting that someone is unaware of something
I'mma still let her fuck me
The singer is suggesting that he may continue a sexual relationship despite his doubts or concerns
They say the devil is a liar
The singer is referencing a common belief about the devil's deceitfulness
Nigga don't worry 'bout that loud mouth
The singer is suggesting that someone should not be concerned with a person who talks too much
Bumping his gums and babbling
The singer is suggesting that someone is talking too much and not making sense
Watch for them quiet niggas
The singer is warning someone to be cautious and aware of those who are quiet or unassuming
On the real, you should come ride with us
The singer is inviting someone to join him
Crew full of riders Optimus
The singer has a group of skilled and dedicated individuals who are ready to take on any challenge
My bad cause it seems like you got your facts all crossed up, no Swastikas
The singer is acknowledging his own mistake and clarifying that he does not support Nazi ideologies
Fadin' in and out of my consciousness
The singer is experiencing lapses in his awareness or consciousness
Tryna fight this feeling I'm conjurin'
The singer is attempting to overcome a negative emotion that he has created or conjured up within himself
That's why I wear a hat so low with a mask
The singer is attempting to conceal his identity using clothing and accessories
Really feelin' like the Loch Ness
The singer is referencing the mythical creature, suggesting that he feels like an elusive and mysterious presence
No bullshit, these bitches are more grimy
The singer is suggesting that the women he is interacting with are deceitful or untrustworthy
Doing a nigga real slimey
The singer has been wronged by someone's deceitful or underhanded actions
Had my little homie stretched out, death untimely
The singer is referencing the death of a friend who was killed before their time
Need not remind me, hold up
The singer is acknowledging something he is fully aware of
Yo, don't get doped up
The singer is warning someone not to get too high or intoxicated
Heard rumors that niggas wanna clap at me
The singer has heard rumors that others may want to harm or kill him
Well actually, I was just over there
The singer is suggesting that he was not where people thought he was and therefore was not in danger
Niggas ain't really do jack to me
The singer is suggesting that he was not harmed or threatened by anyone
That's why I keep this mask on, straight face
The singer is wearing a mask to appear emotionless or unaffected by his situation
Only thing that's missing is my sherlon, get my Runyon Ave on
The singer is referencing a cigar and suggesting that he will relax and enjoy himself once it is available
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Marshall Mathers
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind