Dirty dozen keep it real

The D-12 are having to strike out on their own with Eminem promoting his new album.

So you think that D12 are a bunch of rude, crude hip-hop dudes? Don't go judging Eminem's crew without understanding them first, says Proof, one sixth of the collective.

"Shocking people was one of our gimmicks," he says, on the line to promote their first New Zealand concert. "We was always allowed to say anything so we'd just say a lot of funny shit and piss people off, you know what I'm sayin'? We wasn't scared to say shit."

Perhaps that explains why they were reportedly read the riot act and lectured on how to behave when they arrived in Perth last weekend. Australian immigration officials are now looking into the incident and Eminem has since accused the government of taking Australia back to the dark ages.

But can you blame them?

Having built a reputation on their funny but filthy rhymes, D12's first big hit was Purple Pills, a humorous account of hallucinogenic drug-taking (you've probably heard the clean radio version Purple Hills), from debut album Devil's Night. Its follow-up, D12 World, is a place where gangsters go get their guns, "bitches" are there for one thing and psychos roam free.

But Proof says D12 are misunderstood. And that's not so hard to believe when you hear a delightful line like this, from American Psycho II: "I'm not a racist, I just hate whites. Fags and dykes, blacks and transvestites."

"People get so worked up about rap lyric shit. You got to be a parent and tell them what's right or wrong and once you've established that they can go from there.

"My kids know not to cuss in front of me. You don't cuss in front of elders."

He says he's happy to let his children listen to his music and cites one of their new songs to back up his point. Just Like U was written about the sad case of a child who looks up to his crack-smoking, prostitute-loving father: "I can't help it, my roots D12, all we do is pop pills and stay in jail."

Critics have argued that not all fans see the irony, but it's impossible to miss it on My Band ("These chicks don't even know the name of my band"), when Eminem simultaneously pokes fun at media perceptions of D12 and boy bands.

It also begs the question, just how hard is it to live in Eminem's shadow?

"Dude, there's not a person alive that raps that is not in Eminem's shadow. He's the biggest rapper in the world. In the galaxy. So who isn't in Eminem's shadow?"

Proof and Eminem met when they were kids growing up in Detroit when "life was bleak". Back then Eminem was Marshall Mathers, a skinny white boy in a T-shirt, jogging pants, Nikes and a hat.

Not much has changed, says Proof.

"We all had hopes and dreams and shit but it was a struggle. Because we had determination, of course we had to see the destination but along the way was a lot of frustration, trials and tribulations. And I ain't tryin' to rhyme."

He claims he shunned a solo deal with Tommy Boy Records so they could start a hip-hop crew in which each member has a distinct alter ego, hence the six of them making the "Dirty Dozen" - Slim Shady, Proof, Kuniva, Kon Artis, Swift and the shower-cap-wearing Bizarre.

Like the Wu Tang Clan they believed it would be easier to sign a group than each pursue record deals.

If one of them made it, they were to come back for the others. Eminem kept his word, returning from stardom in 2000 to sign D12 to Shady Records.

He had no choice, says Proof. "If not I would've whooped his ass."

The group-pack philosophy is already paying off. Proof and Bizarre are working on their solo albums and plan to release them on their own labels. D12 are working on two films - a comedy with Adam Sandler and a semi-autobiographical movie to be released next year.

Now D12 are touring without their biggest star, who is promoting his new album, giving them a chance to establish their own identity, something they're also taking to the studio.

Whereas Eminem was in the driver's seat on Devil's Night, D12 World used a variety of producers outside the family, allowing the rest of them creative control. A third D12 album is expected in January.

"All across the board it was a great endeavour," says Proof. "However the weather, y'know what I'm sayin, it only gets better."

With or without Eminem, he says when they perform they are guaranteed to get an encore.

"We for real with the mic. This shit is not a game. We're coming to rock the show. We ain't 5ive or Justin Timberlake or shit like that. To tell you the truth, though, we do poke fun at that on stage. We might start a little routine, y'know what I'm sayin, we'll get too clean and there's times when we're too mean or we'll ruin your self-esteem so it ain't nothin but a dream all that in between gotta be like the whole theme, man."

Whatever you say, Proof.

Performance

*Who: D12

*Where: St James

*When: Monday night, with support from Dei Hamo