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.
It Ain't Nothin' But Music
D12 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who just might see how fucked up this sick life is
Whoops I did it again, didn't I?
My shit's harder to figure out than what Britney's tit size is
I probably pissed you off again, didn't I bitch? (So what)
Christina Gaguilera, kiss my grits
You know how many shits I give? I wish I did
So I could quit giving these twisted little kids ideas
She just fucked Ben, got tit fucked and dick sucked him
If Affleck can get his ass licked how come I can't, shit
God damn bitch, I'm rich, I can't understand this
Are those pictures I made of us together on the internet
As close as I'm ever gonna get to hitting her from the back
Shit, when it comes to that, I hit harder from the back
Than Everlast when he's plugging Lethal in his fucking ass
Just gimme one more chance, Britney hit me one more time
Let me know what's on your mind, Whitney give me one more line
To sniff, you fuckers know what time it is
Fuck your jewelry, my records almost diamond, bitch
What's going on in the world today? People fighting, feuding, looting, it's okay
Let it go, let it flow, let the good times roll, tell 'em Dre
(It ain't nuttin' but music)
What's going on in the world today? People fighting, feuding, looting, it's okay
Let it go, let it flow, let the good times roll, tell 'em Dre
(It ain't nuttin' but music)
Eminem doesn't like N'Sync, well I do
So fuck him and the Backstreet Boys too (yeah, I said it)
Whatever happened to the cast of Diff'rent Strokes?
Gary's broke, Todd snort coke, and Dana overdosed
I got two little boys with me
Michael Jackson sent two helicopters to get me
I'm up early with my hair curly
Me and Mr. Furley, fucking Lavern and Shirley
A lot of rappers are living in la la land
That's why I lets my dogs out on the Baha Men (bark)
As bad as the life I had, I'm not mad
I don't need to be a jackass to beat up my dad
My whole family's country, my grandmother's old fashioned
And she keeps asking me why I rap with a honky
But granny, I'm a flunky, I could be a junkie
I could be hanging with the hoochies outta the club scene
For all the independent women in the house (house)
Show us your tits and shut your motherfuckin' mouths
Robert Downey, Bobby Brownie, Whitney Houston the shit she's using
Jesse Jackson, reverend scandal, got George Michaels, Tevin Campbell
Pee Wee Herman's, peep show places, public restrooms, beat those cases
What's going on in the world today? People fighting, feuding, looting, it's okay
Let it go, let it flow, let the good times roll, tell 'em Dre
(It ain't nuttin' but music)
What's going on in the world today? People fighting, feuding, looting, it's okay
Let it go, let it flow, let the good times roll, tell 'em Dre
(It ain't nuttin' but music)
Your mom and dad probably mad at us (for what?)
We done turned their kids into little body snatchers
They like where I'm from (uh huh), we don't bite our tongue (yeah)
Are you sure you want niggas 21 to carry guns? (Blah blah blah)
It's sad but I'm glad that I'm made to rhyme
When you work, you ain't getting paid for that overtime (damn)
It's only music, media know it, but they blind (that's right)
I ain't in your life so stay the hell up outta mine (nigga)
And you're the reason why princess Diana ended up dying
You people get offended, I don't care (stop crying)
Trying to get us to leave 'cause what we say just ain't clean
But holding back on what I say just ain't me
Now what's these parents so mad for?
(Your music is bad) for teenage kids who drink more than Ted Danson in cheers
Carson drink beers, we all fart and piss and cuss out our bitch (shut up)
(Broke or rich) I still do the same old shit
I don't jump in front of a camera and say no shit
So when they ask me about my sarcastic-ness
I just slap 'em, turn around and ask them this
What's going on in the world today? People fighting, feuding, looting, it's okay
Let it go, let it flow, let the good times roll, tell 'em Dre
(It ain't nuttin' but music)
What's going on in the world today? People fighting, feuding, looting, it's okay
Let it go, let it flow, let the good times roll, tell 'em Dre
(It ain't nuttin' but music)
La-la, la
La la la la, la
La-la, la, la
La la la la, la
Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh
Look out for the D12 R&B album coming soon
Straight R&B, straight R&B, straight R&B
Jodeci, we got you
Dru Hill, look out
Our vocals are immaculate
The lyrics to D12’s song “It Ain’t Nothin’ But Music” can be seen as a commentary on the state of popular culture, particularly music, and how it affects young people. Eminem, the lead rapper of D12, seems to be making a statement about the way popular music and celebrities can warp the minds of young people, presenting unrealistic expectations and setting bad examples. The first verse aims to critique the lack of cultural awareness in rich white kids, who consume media without a critical lens. He also insults female pop stars, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, suggesting that they are being controlled by their record labels to produce sexualized music. The second verse is more focused on the absurdity of celebrity culture in general, with Eminem taking swipes at everyone from his fellow musicians N’Sync and the Backstreet Boys to Hollywood actors like Robert Downey Jr. and Pee Wee Herman.
In the third verse, Eminem seems to address critics who accuse him of contributing to the decline of society with his own music, and he argues that parents should not be afraid to let their kids listen to explicit music. He raps about how he doesn't care if he offends some people with his music since it’s only meant for those who want to listen to it. Ultimately, the song’s title, “It Ain’t Nothin’ But Music,” suggest that despite all the controversy and hysteria surrounding music, it’s just another form of entertainment and art, and people should not be afraid to indulge in it.
Line by Line Meaning
It's shit like this I kick to these rich white kids
I'm expressing my frustration and anger to these privileged, wealthy white kids by sharing this kind of music.
Who just might see how fucked up this sick life is
I hope that these kids will understand and recognize the messed up reality of this world.
Whoops I did it again, didn't I?
Oops, I've done it again, haven't I? I've provoked and angered people once more.
My shit's harder to figure out than what Britney's tit size is
My music is more complex and difficult to understand than speculating about the size of Britney Spears' breasts.
I probably pissed you off again, didn't I bitch? (So what)
I've most likely angered you once again, haven't I, and I don't care.
Christina Gaguilera, kiss my grits
Christina Aguilera, you can kiss my ass.
You know how many shits I give? I wish I did
I genuinely don't care, but I wish I could find some level of concern or apathy.
So I could quit giving these twisted little kids ideas
If I cared, I would stop influencing these disturbed young children with my music.
This just in, Britney just dissed Justin
Breaking news, Britney Spears has insulted Justin Timberlake.
She just fucked Ben, got tit fucked and dick sucked him
She slept with Ben and engaged in sexual acts with him.
If Affleck can get his ass licked how come I can't, shit
If Ben Affleck can receive oral sex, why can't the same happen to me?
God damn bitch, I'm rich, I can't understand this
Damn it, I'm wealthy, but I still can't comprehend this situation.
Are those pictures I made of us together on the internet
Did I imagine or create images of us being together on the internet?
As close as I'm ever gonna get to hitting her from the back
Those pictures are as close as I'll ever be to having a sexual encounter with her from behind.
Shit, when it comes to that, I hit harder from the back
When it comes to sex, I excel and perform aggressively from behind.
Than Everlast when he's plugging Lethal in his fucking ass
I excel at sex more than Everlast does when he's engaging in anal intercourse.
Just gimme one more chance, Britney hit me one more time
Please give me another opportunity, Britney, to be with me like you did in the past.
Let me know what's on your mind, Whitney give me one more line
Whitney Houston, tell me what you're thinking, and also share another cocaine line with me.
To sniff, you fuckers know what time it is
To use drugs, you all know what situation we're in.
Fuck your jewelry, my records almost diamond, bitch
I couldn't care less about your expensive jewelry because my albums are close to achieving diamond status.
What's going on in the world today? People fighting, feuding, looting, it's okay
What's the state of the world right now? People engaging in conflicts, disputes, and looting, but it seems to be acceptable.
Let it go, let it flow, let the good times roll, tell 'em Dre
Just let it happen, let things take their course, and enjoy the good times, as Dr. Dre would say.
(It ain't nuttin' but music)
(It's just music, nothing more)
Eminem doesn't like N'Sync, well I do
Eminem may not appreciate N'Sync, but I do enjoy their music.
So fuck him and the Backstreet Boys too (yeah, I said it)
So, I dislike Eminem and the Backstreet Boys as well. Yes, I said it.
Whatever happened to the cast of Diff'rent Strokes?
What has become of the actors from the television show Diff'rent Strokes?
Gary's broke, Todd snort coke, and Dana overdosed
Gary is financially unstable, Todd abuses cocaine, and Dana died from an overdose.
I got two little boys with me
I have my two young sons accompanying me.
Michael Jackson sent two helicopters to get me
Michael Jackson arranged for two helicopters to pick me up.
I'm up early with my hair curly
I wake up early in the morning with curly hair.
Me and Mr. Furley, fucking Lavern and Shirley
I'm engaging in sexual activities with Mr. Furley while also being involved with Lavern and Shirley.
A lot of rappers are living in la la land
Many rappers are disconnected from reality or living in a fantasy world.
That's why I lets my dogs out on the Baha Men (bark)
That's why I release my 'dogs' or my skilled rap verses, just like the Baha Men releasing their energetic music.
As bad as the life I had, I'm not mad
Despite the difficult life I've experienced, I'm not angry or bitter.
I don't need to be a jackass to beat up my dad
I don't have to resort to being foolish or violent to overcome the issues with my father.
My whole family's country, my grandmother's old-fashioned
My entire family has a rural background, and my grandmother adheres to traditional values.
And she keeps asking me why I rap with a honky
She continuously questions why I collaborate with a Caucasian person.
But granny, I'm a flunky, I could be a junkie
But grandma, I am a failure and could potentially become a drug addict.
I could be hanging with the hoochies outta the club scene
I could be spending my time with promiscuous women from the club scene.
For all the independent women in the house (house)
I'm acknowledging and addressing all the strong, self-sufficient women present
Show us your tits and shut your motherfuckin' mouths
Expose your breasts and remain silent, you unruly individuals.
Robert Downey, Bobby Brownie, Whitney Houston the shit she's using
Robert Downey Jr., Bobby Brown, and Whitney Houston are all involved in substance abuse.
Jesse Jackson, reverend scandal, got George Michaels, Tevin Campbell
Jesse Jackson's involvement in a controversial situation, George Michael's scandal, and Tevin Campbell's troubles.
Pee Wee Herman's, peep show places, public restrooms, beat those cases
Pee Wee Herman's encounters at adult theaters, public restrooms, and his legal battles.
Your mom and dad probably mad at us (for what?)
Your parents are most likely angry with us, but why?
We done turned their kids into little body snatchers
We have influenced their children to become like little devils or troublemakers.
They like where I'm from (uh huh), we don't bite our tongue (yeah)
They appreciate our origins because we speak freely and don't hold back.
Are you sure you want niggas 21 to carry guns? (Blah blah blah)
Are you certain that you want young individuals to have firearms? (The following is just empty talk)
It's sad but I'm glad that I'm made to rhyme
It's unfortunate, but I am grateful that my talent lies in rapping.
When you work, you ain't getting paid for that overtime (damn)
When you're working, you're not receiving compensation for the extra time and effort (that's frustrating).
It's only music, media know it, but they blind (that's right)
It's simply music, and the media is aware, but they still fail to see the truth (that's correct).
I ain't in your life so stay the hell up outta mine (nigga)
I'm not involved in your life, so mind your own business and stay out of mine.
And you're the reason why princess Diana ended up dying
And it's because of individuals like you that Princess Diana met her tragic fate.
You people get offended, I don't care (stop crying)
You all easily get upset, but I couldn't care less (stop whining).
Trying to get us to leave 'cause what we say just ain't clean
You're attempting to make us depart because our explicit content isn't suitable or 'clean.'
But holding back on what I say just ain't me
However, suppressing or censoring my lyrics goes against my nature and identity.
Now what's these parents so mad for? (Your music is bad) for teenage kids who drink more than Ted Danson in cheers
Now what are these parents so upset about? They claim my music is harmful for teenagers, even though these same teenagers drink excessively like Ted Danson's character in Cheers.
Carson drink beers, we all fart and piss and cuss out our bitch (shut up)
Even Carson, our friend, consumes alcohol, and we all engage in crude behaviors like farting, urinating, and swearing at our significant others (be quiet).
(Broke or rich) I still do the same old shit
(Whether broke or wealthy), I still engage in the same predictable actions and behaviors.
I don't jump in front of a camera and say no shit
I don't eagerly seek attention from the camera and make irrelevant remarks.
So when they ask me about my sarcastic-ness
So, when they inquire about my sarcastic nature...
I just slap 'em, turn around and ask them this
I simply smack them and respond by asking the following...
Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh
Vocalization expressing excitement or approval.
La-la, la
La la la la, la
La-la, la, la
La la la la, la
Syllabic vocalization used for rhythmic effect.
Look out for the D12 R&B album coming soon
Be on the lookout for the upcoming R&B album by D12.
Straight R&B, straight R&B, straight R&B
Pure R&B music, repeated for emphasis.
Jodeci, we got you
Jodeci, we've got you covered.
Dru Hill, look out
Attention, Dru Hill, pay attention or be prepared.
Our vocals are immaculate
Our singing voices are flawless and perfect.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Andre Romell Young, Denaun M. Porter, Mike Elizondo, Scott Spencer Storch, DeShaun Dupree Holton, Rufus Johnson, Von M. Carlisle, Ondre C. Moore, Michael Elizondo, Marshall B. III Mathers
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind