DeShaun Holton (October 2, 1973 – April 11, 2006) better known by his stage name Proof, was an American rapper from Detroit, Michigan. During his career, he was a member of the groups Goon Squad, 5 Elementz, Promatic, and most notably D12. He was a close childhood friend of Eminem since they were 12, and lived on the same block, although they attended different schools. In 2006, Proof was shot and killed during an altercation at a nightclub.
Early career
Proof first rose to national prominence as a part of the rap group D12, which he was instrumental in forming, although he had achieved a degree of success prior. He was featured in The Source’s “Unsigned Hype” column in 1999 and came close to winning the 1998 Blaze Battle. His first television appearance was in the video for Aaliyah’s “Age Ain’t Nothing But a Number”. In 1997 , Proof toured along with Eminem, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg in the Up In Smoke Tour as a hype man rapper for Eminem. He rose to prominence 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. He appeared in the film 8 Mile along with Eminem and Xzibit; although in the film the character based on him, Future, was portrayed by Mekhi Phifer, he played Lil’ Tic, a freestyle rapper who rap battles B-Rabbit, the lead character, played by Eminem. To capitalize on the publicity from the film, Proof released a six-song EP called Electric CoolAid: Acid Testing. Proof also had a cameo alongside the rest of D12 in The Longest Yard appearing as “Basketball Convicts” in the credit.
Solo work
Proof released a solo album featuring collaborations with rappers, 50 Cent, Method Man, Nate Dogg, B-Real of Cypress Hill, T3 of Slum Village, Obie Trice, and D12 on his own Iron Fist Records label in conjunction with Alliance Entertainment’s IDN Distribution. Proof said that he did not produce the record with Shady Records or Aftermath because he wanted to “build his own thing”. Called Searching for Jerry Garcia, the album was released on August 9, 2005 on his own Iron Fist Records label, ten years to the day following Grateful Dead frontman Jerry Garcia’s death. It contained the prophetic song Kurt Kobain in which he wrote of his own death and ‘passing the sign’ to Eminem as his protege once he was gone. This release did not make a significant impact on the charts despite its list of guest appearances.
Originally, every song title on the album was to be named after a celebrity. “Jump Biatch” was originally titled “Eric Clapton Jr,” but Proof changed the title when he realized that Eric Clapton’s son fell to his death from a 53rd-story window.
Proof has said that he considered Garcia to be a “genius” who suffered from common character flaws. Proof has stated his admiration for Garcia’s eclectic style, saying that Garcia “went against the grain”. The album received favorable reviews, which commented on its “eclectic” and “introspective” nature.
Proof stated how he wanted to be remembered in an interview with SOHH.com shortly after his album release: “I want people to say that I was a true artist, that I did it best and stayed true to Hip Hop roots […] I’d want people to understand I did it for the love, not for the charts.”
Proof also recorded a track, “How I Live,” with Twiztid for their album Independence Day shortly before his death.
Death
On April 11, 2006, Proof was killed by a gunshot wound to the head and chest at the CCC Club on 8 Mile Road in Detroit, Michigan after fatally shooting Keith Bender, Jr.
While playing a game of pool, Proof and Bender got into a heated argument. After a physical altercation, club bouncer Mario Etheridge fired his gun into the air to try and stop the situation. Etheridge, who was Bender’s cousin, then shot Proof three times in the head and chest. Proof was killed, and Bender died a week later. Proof’s blood alcohol content at the time of his death was 0.32 percent, four times the level that qualifies someone for a drunken driving conviction; he had no other drugs in his system. Bender’s family began a wrongful death suit against Proof’s estate. Etheridge was held by authorities to have been acting in lawful defense of another man; however, he was found guilty of carrying a concealed weapon and discharging a firearm inside a building.[10][11][12][13][14]
On April 19, 2006, Proof was buried in The Fellowship Chapel, Detroit, to a full house of 2,660 with thousands mourning outside including D12, Eminem, 50 Cent.
