The Dirty Dozen are six emcees from Detroit (Michigan). Their names are: Eminem, Bizarre, Proof, Swift, Kon Artis and Kuniva. Each member has his alter ego, so that makes a dozen. Proof, Eminem’s best friend had the idea of making a rap group in which each member had an alter ego.
The members Deshaun Holton (a.k.a Proof a.k.a Dirty Harry); Rufus Johnson (a.k.a Bizarre a.k.a Peter S.Bizarre); O. Moore (a.k.a Swifty Mc Vay); Von Carlisle (a.k.a Hannz G. a.k.a Kuniva); and Slim Shady a.k.a Eminem a.k.a Marshall Mathers are all known separately for their talent. The group was founded by Bizarre and Proof in 1990, but it only became a complete group when Proof brought a white M.C called Eminem into the group, and Swifty.
Bugz (who died in 1999) belonged to the D12 group.
The first time Proof introduced Eminem to Kon, Artis was very surprised: “Hmm, what’s the f’? White boy at my door!”
But within two months they were all rhyming together. Eminem was writing the rhymes and Kon Artis made the beats. Bizarre says that Marshall’s race wasn’t really a novelty on the 7 Mile Eastside. In fact there were many other whites living in the black neighbourhood .The D-12 members never saw Eminem just as a white boy. “That nigga ain’t white”, Kon Artis says about his friend.” He got white in him, but he ain’t white. “
To the D-12 crew the word ‘nigga’ isn’t negative.”
Eminem showed his loyalty to the group when he went famous: the first to become famous was supposed to come back to the others, and he was the first to go to the top. He says: “Aside from everything, aside from all the bullshit ,I know I’ve got a good heart, I know where my loyalty is. Pretty much all the guys in the group have told me that they never doubted me (coming back for them) because that was our pact from way back, from when we first started the group 5 years ago.”
“The D-12 crew was including the M.C Bugz (whose real name was Karnail Paul Pitts), who was shot on May the 21st in 1999 at Detroit’s Belle Island amusement park (*).
Eminem talks about the circumstances of his death: ‘He got shot in the face twice, then run over by a car It was over some stupid shit. He wetted this girl with a water gun and these dudes came over and got their revenge.’ (*)
(*)www.eminem4ever.de.
Each D12- member has a tattoo on his forearm to remember him. He was respected in the hip hop scene and was familiar with Swift, whom he brought into the group.
Swift remembers:” Me and Bugz rapped together, laughed and got drunk together; He’s still with us, tough. Before we go on stage, we pray and he’s right there, over us.”
“He had a big influence on us. Bugz had a lot of energy and a lot of respect in the hip hop scene. He was cool to everybody.” Bizarre says.
Bugz was only 21 years old when he died. Before he died, he wanted Swift to be a member of the group and the D-12 members respected his wish and brought Swifty into the group. Bugz was supposed to perform on Friday, May the 28th, for a show in Grand Rapids (Michigan) on an Eminem tour, but he never appeared on the show. On Saturday, the sad news reached the D-12 members. The tragic death of Bugz increased the group’s determination to make an LP.
Even if Eminem produces the D-12 group, each member has his creativity and creates his own lyrics and songs. They first think about a concept, and then they try to make the beat and submit it to each other .If everybody agrees with the beat, they start to find the vocals, which word rhymes with which, other. They trust each other’s criticism.
Rufus Johnson has an interesting musical profile. He’s a member of the Dirty Dozen and of the New Jersey Outsidaz. His seven tracks EP “Attack of theWeirdos” has been successful.
Bizarre music is funny and amazing, and sometimes he makes his fans feel confused about his character. “I’m the type of guy that talks to bums. I don’t avoid to greet them. I ask them for money, before they can ask me.” ,Bizarre says.
Bizarre also has many affiliations :Outsidaz Young Zee, Pace Won, Rah Digga, Eminem, etc’.He has also done concerts with Redman, Alkaholics ,and Wu- Thang Clan Method Man. Bizarre style is unorthodox and ill .Bizarre probably writes craziest rhymes of the group, and he sometimes dyes his hair green or red. He’s really amazing. His rhymes sound crazy and disturbing: “I ain’t got food in my house/My job I been cheated/ My girl had a miscarriage / I had to eat it(.”Amityville”)
Kon Artis
Kon Artis used to be a member of a group called Da Brigade (with Kuniva).
Proof
Proof, Eminem’s best friend, took place in a freestyle battle in January 2002 and was first in Source Magazine freestyle competition in New York.
Kuniva
Kuniva, who also belonged to the group Da Brigade along with Kon Artis, had an unreleased
EP, but unfortunately the label had broken up, before it was released.
Eminem
Eminem is the producer of the D-12 crew’Before being famous, he belonged to the D-12 group.