Watch rare footage of Big Daddy Kane, Eminem, Biz Markie and Proof on stage

Eminem is one of the best-selling rappers of all time, and to this day, his 2002 album, The Eminem Show, holds the record for most highest-selling hip-hop album ever. As well as being a highly successful solo artist, Eminem (real name Marshall Mathers) was also part of D12, his collective comprised of Eminem, Proof, Bizarre, Mr Porter and others. 

As part of D12, Eminem released two projects, Devil’s Night and D12 World, both of which were executively produced by him. The late D12 member, Proof, was a Detroit rapper like Eminem and would often appear as a hype man at Eminem’s early underground concerts. The two went to the same high school, and with a shared interest in rapping, they quickly developed a bond. 

Before banding together with other Detroit-based acts to form D12, Proof was establishing himself as a solo artist. While Eminem was working with the Underground record label Web Entertainment, Proof was releasing music, and in 1996, when Eminem released his debut album Infinite, Proof released an EP entitled, Anywhere! Released independently and distributed by Detroit’s epic battle rap venue The Hip-Hop Shop, the EP included four tracks: ‘Anywhere!’, ‘Lois Lane’, ‘Vibe Sessions’, and ‘Why?’

‘Vibe Sessions’ was even produced by Jay Dee, more familiarly known as the J Dilla. This was pretty early in Dilla’s career. When Eminem found success and was afforded his own record label, Proof signed with Shady Records in 2000, shortly after the release of the Slim Shady LP. After signing with Dr Dre in 1998 ahead of the release of his Slim Shady LP release, for his 26th birthday, Proof held a party for Mathers at Saint Andrew’s Concert Hall in Detroit.

Here they would both perform alongside Juice Crew rappers Big Daddy Kane and Biz Markie. You can see rare footage of the party in the video below.