RAPOBIT: Proof

Proof, rapper and protege of Eminem, has been shot dead in a club on Eight Mile Road, Detroit.

Born DeShaun Holton on October 2nd 1975, Proof had achieved a level of success before he had the Eminem bounce: he'd done well in the 1998 Blaze Battle and won the following year's The Source Unsigned Hype award.

But it was the 2001 boost to his D12 project that cemented his position in, if not quite the centre of all things rap, then at least well within the gravity. D12 - kind-of short for the Dirty Dozen - had been formed by Proof in the early 90s; one member, who took the alias Slim Shady, went on to have considerable solo success outside the band and used his new financial and creative muscle to bring his former friends along to his vanity label Shady Records. Eminem would sometimes still work with the band, which helped debut album Devil's Night debut at number one on both sides of the Atlantic.

The next year, Proof hooked up with Dogmatic and toured with Eminem; his Shady links also won him a part in 8 Mile, the movie - his Lil' Tic character was the only one in the film to feature genuine, rather then scripted, rap freestyling.

In 2005, Proof's perhaps surprising obsession with Jerry Garcia was demonstrated not only in the title of his solo album Searching For Jerry Garcia, but in his choice of August 9th for its release - the tenth anniversary of Garcia's death. Proof explained his passion for the man:

"Despite his genius, Jerry Garcia died from drugs, stress, and poor diet. At one time or another we all struggle through one of those things, so in a way, we all have a little Jerry Garcia in us."

Proof and an as yet unnamed 35 year-old man were taken to hopsital with gunshot wounds to the head following the incident at the CCC Club; the second shooting victim has apparently survived but is in critical condition.

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