Who killed Eminem’s best friend Proof?
Eminem’s best friend and D12 rapper, Proof, was a household name in Detroit hip-hop. In fact, Proof introduced Em to the concept of performing live. Eminem met Proof in high school, and the two bonded over their love for the New York City emcee LL Cool J.
As high school friends, Proof introduced the Encore creator to the Hip-Hop Shop, a Detroit venue that regularly held rap battles. From the minute he walked in, Eminem was a permanent fixture at the venue. This was where Eminem became a local star and was the beginning of his rise to international stardom.
However, with such a tight bond, the two artists didn’t just want to pursue solo careers; they also wanted to collaborate on a project. As such, they formed D12, a supergroup comprised of Eminem, Proof, Bizarre, Mr Porter, Kuniva, and Swifty McVay. The collective was known for its horrorcore and rock-infused hip-hop.
But their friendship was tragically cut short when, on April 11th, 2006, Proof was murdered in his home city. In fact, he was killed on the iconic Detroit road Eight Mile. Not only did his demise severely affect Eminem but it also profoundly affected the Michigan city’s hip-hop scene.
Still, not many people know who killed the Searching for Jerry Garcia creator. The lyricist was shot at a nightclub called the CCC Club. While playing pool with his friends, the ‘Purple Gang’ rhymer got into a fight with other people in the club. However, the incident escalated so fast that Proof took out a gun in self-defence and shot a man called Keith Bender in the head. But shortly after, due to the extremity of the situation, club bouncer Mario Etheridge pulled out a gun and proceeded to shoot Proof.
According to the multiple reports of the incident, one of Proof’s longtime friends, who had carried Proof to his car, drove him to the hospital. Unfortunately, he was pronounced dead at the scene. Since his death, many have posed the hypothetical question: “What if he had survived?”
Was Proof a murderer?
Well, following his death, the incident that led to the murder of two people was heavily investigated by the Detroit Police Department (DPD), and the authority came to the conclusion that Proof killed Keith Bender, Jr. As such, had Proof survived, he would have been charged with murder and public drunkenness. At Proof’s funeral, Eminem stated, “Proof was no killer. He just had a short fuse.”
That said, the details surrounding Proof’s death haven’t tarnished his image in hip-hop and, akin to 2Pac, following the Detroit emcee’s murder, many pushed back against the narrative and emphasised how much love he had for people, his city and music.
In a 2010 interview, Eminem disclosed, “The best way to describe Proof would be a rock. Somebody to confide in, somebody who always had your back.” Proof’s death had a big impact on Em and actually caused him to relapse. While speaking to Rolling Stone, the ‘Stan’ rapper admitted, “That’s when the wheels were coming off. Every day I had a pocketful of pills, and I would just go into the studio and goof off.”
He added, “I wasn’t the only person grieving – he left a wife and kids. But I was very much in my own grief. I was so high at his funeral. It disgusts me to say it, but I felt like it was about me. I hate myself for even thinking that.”