I would like to point out that Proof has marked the history of hip hop. I still miss the absence of him in the game.
NB: the list of tracks and songs mentioned in this article is not exhaustive… forgive me for the ones I might have left out.
Deshaun Holton was deeply embedded in the Detroit scene. The overwhelming success of Eminem and D12 proves that his always busy schedule never changed the man that he was. Down to earth, sincere, true to his roots, Proof always kept active his underground work with local artists and worked hard to put Detroit hip hop on the map.
Deshaun Holton was the type of person who didn’t let fame affect his behavior towards other people. He wasn’t too proud to talk to an old friend or admirer who crossed his path in Detroit or anywhere else.
In a decade and despite all his detractors may object, Big Proof has done more than many artists during their entire career.
nineteen ninety six:
Big Proof might not be as notorious as Tupac, his underground work is like the underside of an iceberg – there’s more to discover than you really think. In fact, Proof’s musical work dates back to 1996.
Working together with DJ Head (former D12 DJ), the talented artist released a mixtape called WEGO mixtape. 5ELA’s Yester Years EP is also the fruit of a collaboration with Thyme and Mudd, who formed 5 ELA with Proof.
Deshaun Holton also had a special connection to the notorious Trick Trick and his group Goon Sqwad. The same year another CD entitled From Death was released, the product of a common collaboration.
In 1996, Proof also released a song produced by Jay Dee called Da Science.
1997
Proof concentrated on working with his D12 mates on the D12 Underground EP, a remarkable piece of work characterized by a combination of sly, crazy, dirty rhymes and frequent use of obscure instruments such as bass.
1998
By 1998, Proof and his D12 mates were actively working with Slim Shady on the Slim Shady EP.
Into his already busy schedule, Deshaun Holton added some quality work with dedicated hip hop artists from 5 ELA, Thyme and Mudd (Proof was also a member of the aforementioned group). The trio gave birth to various underground gems such as The Album That Time Forgot and 5E Pt 3.
Proof and Bugz also joined their lyrical efforts on late artist Bugz’s underground classic, These Streets EP. The EP These Streets is, by the way, very popular in the city of Detroit.
1999 to 2000
The years that followed kept Proof very busy. Eminem’s overwhelming fame, constant touring, kept Proof very active on the scene, as Eminem’s promoter.
2001
As for D12, you could hardly think of 2001 without thinking of the Devil’s Night album. A great success followed with the release of the album.
During the same period, Detroit’s Dirty Dozen released Detroit What! mixtape. Glory, fame and acclaim did not change Proof, who never neglected the local hip hop scene from him.
In 2001, Proof also combined some intense musical endeavors with his old friend Kevin Bailey, aka Dogmatic.
Promatic originated from the combination of the names of both artists: Proof plus Dogmatic equals Promatic. Both artists released the Promatic LP the same year.
2002
If you were already a fan or listener of Proof in 2002, parts of his projects were available and downloadable on his previous website, Big Proof Dot Com. One of those projects was the Electric Coolaid Acid EP.
2004
Sometimes it feels so lonely at the top. Fame can alter the taste of simple pleasure and force you to do things that you like less, but that are demanded by the music industry.
Deshaun sometimes felt that his entry into the main sphere had left a sour taste in his mind. On I Miss The Hip Hop Shop, a brilliant mixtape that includes many collaborations and local Detroit productions, Big Proof expressed how much he regretted the golden age of hip hop that he experienced at Maurice Malone’s Hip Hop Shop.
2005
Maturity comes with age and experience. From there, you can look back at your mistakes and try to improve. On Grown Man Shit Proof he began feuding with his long-time rival, acid rapper Esham. But Proof didn’t limit his attempted reconciliation to words on tape: his and Esham’s reconciliation actually happened at his last birthday party on October 2, 2006.
On Grown Man Shit, Proof also puts some puny local haters in their place and slyly ridicules them in a well-written, humorous song.
2006
In 2006, Proof released his Searching For Jerry Garcia LP, a CD he had been working on for at least three years prior to its release. In Searching For Jerry Garcia, Proof reveals his relentless search for true art, showing how difficult it is to be a true artist, in every sense of the term.
The same year, Proof’s Hand 2 Hand mixtape was also released, a beautiful compilation of numerous Detroit talents.
Before his tragic death, in March 2006, Proof released one last album, Within 24 Hours, entitled Time A Tell. The album, which includes some collaborations with underground emcee Intrinzik, has yet to be released.
Throughout his career, Proof has been collaborating with numerous local Detroit talent. Among them the notorious Trick Trick and his Goon Sqwad, Jay Dilla, Hash, Purple Gang, Woof Pac, 5 ELA, Dogmatic, Royce Da 5.9, Slum Village, Malaki The Most Hi, Twiztid from Psychopathic Records and many more.
On a national scale, Proof has also worked with numerous influential artists including Cypress Hill’s B Real, 50 Cent, Nate Dogg and Method Man.
Deshaun Holton’s short life is testament to his true love for hip hop. A love that no one can erase from the face of the earth.