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source: http://www.andpop.com/article/3072
Where's the Beef? D12 Become Vegetarians on New Album
3/8/04 - 9:46 PM ET
By Adam Gonshor Print Article
Email Article
(andPOP) - D12 has become most famous for two things over the past few years: being Eminem's rap group and having a lot of beefs. When the Detroit-bred sextet releases its sophomore album, "D12 World," in April, one of those two elements will be missing, and it's not Slim Shady.
"We are all newly turned vegetarians," Proof explains to andPOP, referring to their decision to leave their feuds off the album. There will be no harsh words towards Ja Rule, Royce Da 5'9", Benzino, or anyone else from the long list of artists that they've battled with in the past. "We don’t even mess with that kind of stuff."
Instead, D12 chose to focus less on the trivial matters and its members "stepped the game up," as Bizarre says.
"We took it to a more mature level. We basically did the same thing as the first album so you'll see a little growth there."
There is a track called "Good Die Young," dedicated to one of the original members of the group, Bugz, who died before the group recorded their first album.
But that doesn't mean the whole album will be serious.
Their first single off the album is "My Band," a cut produced by Eminem which pokes fun at how people perceive D12.
"It's talking about the lead singer with a humungous ego and we trying to get in the limelight with him," says Proof.
"Marshall had the idea," adds Bizarre. "He thought we should just make light out of it. Everybody thinks of us as his band. They don’t know our names, and get us all mixed up."
Having Eminem, a rapper who has sold 50 million albums, in the group means the other five members (Proof, Bizzarre, Kon Artis, Swift, and Kuniva) won't get their fair share at the spotlight, but they expect that.
"He's the biggest artist in the world," says Proof, "so what else they gonna do?"
They took that attitude into the studio with them, where they worked with such producers as Dr. Dre, Trackboyz, and today's hottest go-to guy, Kanye West. Proof says they didn’t enlist West to get an instant hit, like some other artists might do. "His album wasn't even out when we got the track from him." D12's record label arranged a recording session with West. "I don’t know what makes him special." They chose him because they liked his beats.
The members of D12 also spent more time in the studio this time around.
"We were like 70 per cent more involved than the last one," says Bizarre. "We got more involved in the production side. You'll hear a lot more choruses."
D12 plans to play on the Shady Records tour in the summer and the guys are also speaking with Linkin Park about hooking up on a tour.
It’s been a few years since their "Devil's Night" album, which sold four million copies, introduced Em's clan to the mainstream market but they're ready to do it again, with "D12 World" due out April 27.
"We've been going for two years," says Bizarre. "This shit was well overdue."
Where's the Beef? D12 Become Vegetarians on New Album
3/8/04 - 9:46 PM ET
By Adam Gonshor Print Article
Email Article
(andPOP) - D12 has become most famous for two things over the past few years: being Eminem's rap group and having a lot of beefs. When the Detroit-bred sextet releases its sophomore album, "D12 World," in April, one of those two elements will be missing, and it's not Slim Shady.
"We are all newly turned vegetarians," Proof explains to andPOP, referring to their decision to leave their feuds off the album. There will be no harsh words towards Ja Rule, Royce Da 5'9", Benzino, or anyone else from the long list of artists that they've battled with in the past. "We don’t even mess with that kind of stuff."
Instead, D12 chose to focus less on the trivial matters and its members "stepped the game up," as Bizarre says.
"We took it to a more mature level. We basically did the same thing as the first album so you'll see a little growth there."
There is a track called "Good Die Young," dedicated to one of the original members of the group, Bugz, who died before the group recorded their first album.
But that doesn't mean the whole album will be serious.
Their first single off the album is "My Band," a cut produced by Eminem which pokes fun at how people perceive D12.
"It's talking about the lead singer with a humungous ego and we trying to get in the limelight with him," says Proof.
"Marshall had the idea," adds Bizarre. "He thought we should just make light out of it. Everybody thinks of us as his band. They don’t know our names, and get us all mixed up."
Having Eminem, a rapper who has sold 50 million albums, in the group means the other five members (Proof, Bizzarre, Kon Artis, Swift, and Kuniva) won't get their fair share at the spotlight, but they expect that.
"He's the biggest artist in the world," says Proof, "so what else they gonna do?"
They took that attitude into the studio with them, where they worked with such producers as Dr. Dre, Trackboyz, and today's hottest go-to guy, Kanye West. Proof says they didn’t enlist West to get an instant hit, like some other artists might do. "His album wasn't even out when we got the track from him." D12's record label arranged a recording session with West. "I don’t know what makes him special." They chose him because they liked his beats.
The members of D12 also spent more time in the studio this time around.
"We were like 70 per cent more involved than the last one," says Bizarre. "We got more involved in the production side. You'll hear a lot more choruses."
D12 plans to play on the Shady Records tour in the summer and the guys are also speaking with Linkin Park about hooking up on a tour.
It’s been a few years since their "Devil's Night" album, which sold four million copies, introduced Em's clan to the mainstream market but they're ready to do it again, with "D12 World" due out April 27.
"We've been going for two years," says Bizarre. "This shit was well overdue."
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