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PAGE UPDATED 22nd September 2001

EMINEM + D12

DEVIL'S NIGHT SOUND FILES NOW ONLINE

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Dressed all in grey, from baggy track pants to beanie hat, the guy on this anonymous New York sidewalk could be any skater dude, chilling with his crew. Unless, of course, you take a closer look at the tattoos on his arms and - when he does an admirable handstand - the one encircling his stomach, which reads, "Kim: Rot in Pieces."

That can only mean one thing - it's Eminem, larking around on a photo shoot, back with old buddies, D12. He may now be a massive star in his own right, but Marshall Mathers III hasn't forgotten his old collective - he's even got their name tattooed on his arms! Although there are only six of them (Proof, Kon Artis, Swift, Kuniva, Bizarre and Eminem himself), D12 stands for 'Dirty Dozen", as the guys all have aliases, just like Eminem's Slim Shady.

Proof and Bizarre founded D12 about 10 years ago in Detroit, their hometown, and asked a skinny white kid called Marshall to join, as he was an old friend of Proof's. "We grew up down the street from each other, but we went to different school." explains Eminem. But they never saw him as just a white boy. "That guy ain't white!" says Kon Artis "He got white in him, but he ain't white!"

When Em went solo, he pledged to help the others after becoming successful. "We always said we would come back and help one another after we got put on [signed]." he explains. "I was first, so I put them on my label."

As Eminem recovers from once again flipping himself over on his hands, he explains why the guys have got together today. "This is the year of D12," he says, keen to ensure they do well. And with their album, 'Devils Night,' just a few months from release, it's just possible Eminem won't be the only star among them for much longer.

Star - Shelley Moulden/Peter Hart Photo - Jonathan Mannion 14/21 March 2001

D-12 Info….

*Did you know that the idea of forming D12 was Proof's idea? He came up with the concept in the car on the way home from New York. All the band's alter ego's were inspired by Eminem's Slim Shady character and the tattoo on his arm.

The band member's:
Eminem - 28 years-old a.k.a Slim Shady, real name Marshall Bruce Mathers III
Proof - 25 years- old, real name DeShaun Holton
Kon Artis - 22 years-old real name Denaun Porter
Bizarre - 24 years-old real name Rufus Johnson
Swift - 24 years-old real name Ondre Moore
Kuniva - 24 years-old real name Von Carlisle

*Band member Swift replaced original band member Bugz who was shot dead two years ago. All band members have his name tattooed on their arms.

*Eminem and Proof have known each other since the age of 13, despite living on the same street, they attended different schools. Em would cut classes; turn up at Proof's school to earn money competing with other MC's.

*Bizarre is also known as Bizarre Kid, Idiotic Bizarre and the fabulous Bizarrney Rubble. He also collects tyre irons and shower caps.

*D12's debut album 'Devils Night' is name after a Detroit tradition where the city's kids set fire to the derelict buildings on the night before Hallowe'en. 151 fires were started last year.

*Kon Artis was a keen basketball player, but his dreams of success were cut short after he was shot in the leg.

*D12 - FALL TOUR DETAILS* New

D12 are heading out with fellow misbehaving rhyme-slingers Kottonmouth Kings for a fall tour.

The two groups, along with openers Bionic Jive, will kick off the outing on October 15 in New Haven, Connecticut. After spending the night before Halloween (or Devils Night, the title of D12's debut album) in New Orleans, the tour will wrap up November 20 in Detroit.
Kottonmouth Kings will be promoting their third album, Hidden Stash II: The Kream of the Krop, due October 9. Produced by Kingpin Brad Daddy X and newcomer Kumagai, the LP includes a cover of the Geto Boys' "Mind Playing Tricks on Me."

D12/Kottonmouth Kings tour dates, according to Interscope:

10/15 - New Haven, CT -Toad's Place
10/16 - Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of Living Arts
10/17 - New York, NY - Roseland Ballroom
10/18 - Boston, MA - Avalon
10/19 - Providence, RI - Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel
10/20 - Norfolk, VA - The NorVa
10/23 - Charlotte, NC - Ovens Auditorium
10/25 - Myrtle Beach, SC - House of Blues
10/26 - Miami, FL - James L. Knight Center
10/28 - Orlando, FL - University of Central Florida
10/30 - New Orleans, LA - House of Blues
11/1 - Houston, TX - Numbers
11/2 - Dallas, TX - Gypsy Tea Room
11/3 - Austin, TX - La Zona Rosa
11/6 - Columbia, MO - The Blue Note
11/8 - Washington, DC - Nation
11/9 - Pittsburgh, PA - M
11/10 - Kitchener, ON - Lyric Theatre
11/11 - Toronto, ON - Docks Concert Hall
11/13 - Cleveland, OH - Agora Theatre
11/14 - Columbus, OH - Newport Music Hall
11/15 - Cincinnati, OH - Bogart's
11/16 - Milwaukee, WI - The Rave
11/17 - Minneapolis, MN - Quest Club
11/19 - Chicago, IL - House of Blues
11/20 - Detroit, MI - State Theatre

NEW D-12 T-SHIRTS NOW AVAILABLE

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THE SINGLES - SOUND FILES

Page Updated 22nd September 01

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