Eminem remembers his childhood friend and first fan, Proof, on the 20th anniversary of his death.
On Saturday, April 11, the rap legend took to Instagram to write a heartbreaking tribute to the person who helped launch his career.
“Doody, I can’t believe it’s been 20 years since you’ve been gone! Not a day goes by that I don’t think about you in some way,” wrote Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Bruce Mathers III. “You were and still are truly one of the best friends I have ever had in my entire life and I thank God every day for putting us in each other’s lives… I feel like that happened for a reason.”
He rap god The hitmaker reflected on the day he met Proof in Osborne, and the pair instantly hit it off after rapping for each other.
Born DeShaun Dupree Holton, Proof had already made a name for himself in the Detroit hip-hop scene. In 1996, he founded the supergroup D12, also known as The Dirty Dozen, with Eminem, Bizarre, Mr. Porter and Eye-Kyu. He also had a small role in the Eminem project, 8 miles.
“My life would never have taken the trajectory it did if I hadn’t met you,” Eminem continued in his tribute, thanking his late friend for always believing in him. “We had an amazing journey together and I will never forget you and what you did for me and my self-esteem and confidence every time you signed for me at every club and open mic we went to! Your credibility was enough to open people’s minds to not judge me until they heard me and you were one of the first to get people to listen before they passed any judgment!”
Concluding the tribute, Eminem wrote: “I love you doody, you will always be my best friend no matter how much time passes and I will never forget you as long as I live! Until we meet again my friend, I love you doody!!! Love, doody.”
Proof tragically passed away on April 11, 2006, at the age of 33, after being shot at a Detroit nightclub on Eight Mile following an altercation.
