Proof (rapper)

Holton was born to Sharallene "Pepper" Holton, a single mother.[2] His father, McKinley Jackson, was a music producer who left to pursue his career prior to Holton's birth. DeShaun was close friends with Eminem from a young age.[3]

1999 Munich/Germany Juice Jam

Proof performing with Eminem in 2000

Originally known as Maximum, under the moniker "Proof", Holton first rose to national prominence when he formed D12 "The Dirty Dozen" in 1996 with his friends Eminem, Bizarre, Mr. Porter, and a high school friend Eye-Kyu. Shortly after that, Proof recruited two friends, B-Flat & Dirty Ratt, to the group. This created the first lineup of Proof's supergroup D12. Eventually this first incarnation of the group back in early 1996 because the original members of D12, Eye-Kyu, B-Flat, and Dirty Ratt, were more focused on recording music with their other groups. Bizarre, Denaun, and Eminem, could not make it to the studio sessions because they were also working with their other groups. Proof decided to break up this version of the group in 1996. Proof later reformed the group in mid-1996. This time Proof called Bizarre and Eminem, since they were available. He also asked Denaun, who said he would not return to the group unless they recruit an affiliate and friend of the group, Kuniva. Proof allowed Denaun to put Kuniva in the group since all the members at the time were already friends with Kuniva . Then Bizarre decided one of Proof's friends, who was a rapper (from 6th Mile, Detroit) named MC Bugz, should be in the group. Bugz was also a childhood friend of B-Flat and Dirty Ratt, who had previously parted ways with D12. Early individual accomplishments included being featured in The Source's "Unsigned Hype" column in 1999 and nearly winning the 1998 Blaze Battle. His first television appearance was in the video for Aaliyah's "Age Ain't Nothing But a Number".

In 2000, Proof toured with Eminem, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, and Snoop Dogg in the Up In Smoke Tour, performing as a hype man for Eminem. He gained further exposure in 2001 with the release of Devil's Night, D12's debut album on Interscope Records. The following year, Proof collaborated with Dogmatic on "Promatic" and joined Eminem's "Anger Management" tour in support of the release.[4] He appeared in the film 8 Mile along with Eminem and Xzibit. Proof appeared as Lil' Tic, a freestyle rapper who rap battles the lead character, B-Rabbit, played by Eminem.[5] To capitalize on the publicity from the film, Proof released a six-song EP called Electric CoolAid Acid Testing.[6] Proof also starred in a cameo role, alongside the rest of D12 (except for Eminem), in The Longest Yard, appearing as "Basketball Convicts" during the credits.

On April 11, 2006, Proof was shot three times by Mario Etheridge, once in the head and twice in the chest, after a dispute broke out during a game of billiards at the CCC Club on 8 Mile Road in Detroit. A pool game between Proof and Keith Bender turned into a heated argument and then escalated into a physical altercation. Etheridge, who was Bender's cousin, fired a warning shot into the air. There have been many conflicting reports about Proof and Keith Bender's roles in the shooting, but it was reported that Proof then shot Bender in the head during the altercation.[12] Bender was not immediately killed by the gunshot but died a week later from his injuries.[13] In response to Proof shooting Bender, Etheridge then shot Proof three times, once in the head and twice in the chest, killing him at the scene. At the time of his death, Proof's blood alcohol content was 0.32. Proof's lawyer, David Gorosh, accused the police and the media of being "reckless" for suggesting that his client fired the first shots without having any hard evidence. A few weeks after both men's death, Bender's family began a wrongful death suit against Proof's estate.[14][15] Authorities determined that Etheridge was acting lawfully in defense of another; however, he was found guilty of carrying a concealed weapon and discharging a firearm inside of a building.[16]

On April 19, 2006, a service for Proof was held in the Fellowship Chapel in Detroit to a full house of 2,660 people, including his friends Eminem, Royce Da 5'9, 50 Cent, and thousands more mourning outside.[17] He was then buried in Woodlawn Cemetery.[18]

• Anywhere EP (1996)
• Electric Coolaid Acid Testing EP (2002)
• I Miss the Hip Hop Shop (2004)
• Searching for Jerry Garcia (2005)

With D12

• The Underground EP (1997)
• Devil's Night (2001)
• D12 World (2004)

With Funky Cowboys

• Livin' Proof: Funky Cowboys Vol 1 (2017) (Recorded in 1996)
• Livin' Proof: Funky Cowboys Vol 2 (2018) (Recorded in 1996/1997)

• "Age Ain't Nothing But a Number" (1995), extra
• "The Real Slim Shady" (2000), extra
• "Shit on You" (2000)
• "Purple Hills" (2001)
• "Fight Music" (2001)
• "Rap Name" – Obie Trice (2002), extra
• "Superman" – Eminem (2002) extra
• "In Da Club" – 50 Cent (2003) extra
• "Git Up" (2004)
• "My Band" (2004)
• "40 Oz" (2004)
• "How Come" (2004)
• "U R the One" (2004)
• "Like Toy Soldiers" (2005) – acting as Bugz
• "Mockingbird" (2005) – Archive footage
• "Punk'd" Season 4, Episode 8 (2005)
• "Ass Like That" – Eminem (2005)
• "Rockstar" – Bizarre (2005)
• "Welcome 2 Detroit" (2005), extra
• "Gurls Wit Da Boom" (2005)
• "Walk on Water" (2017) - Archive footage

• List of murdered hip hop musicians
• List of homicides in Michigan

• Anthony Bozza (May 20, 2006). "The true story behind the killing of Eminem's friend Proof". The Observer. Retrieved October 7, 2012.
• XXL (October 2, 2006). "The Death of Proof: Bare Witness". Retrieved October 7, 2012.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Proof (musician).

• Proof at IMDb