Editing D12 (section)

==History==
===Early career, ''The Underground EP'' and death of Bugz (1996–2000)===
D12 was initially formed in 1996 by [[Proof (rapper)|Proof]] who invited local Detroit rappers such as [[Bizarre (rapper)|Bizarre]], Da Brigade members [[Kon Artis]] and Kuniva, and Bugz. The name of the band was conceived as, despite having six members, each member had an alter ego they displayed in their music, which meant that there were 12 personalities. In 1997, they released their debut extended play, ''The Underground EP'', which was recorded between 1996 and 1997. [[Eminem]] and Eye-Kyu had guest appearances on it. In 1997 and 1998, its members began establishing reputations locally. Bizarre was named ''Inner City Entertainment'''s "Flava of the Week" and went on to release an EP, ''[[Attack of the Weirdos]]''. Along with Eminem, he became an honorary member of the [[Outsidaz]]. Proof won a [[freestyle music|freestyling]] competition run by ''[[The Source (magazine)|The Source]]''.

In 1999, Bugz released ''These Streets EP'', and made several appearances on other rappers' songs. On May 21, 1999, Bugz was shot and killed. One of his final acts had been a request that Swifty McVay join the group.<ref>{{cite web |title=D12World.com: Swift member page |url=http://www.d12world.com/index.php?s=swift |publisher=D12 World |year=2001 |access-date=July 31, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928013636/http://www.d12world.com/index.php?s=swift |archive-date=September 28, 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Eminem volunteered to replace Bugz; this led to him joining the group.<ref>{{cite web |title=Eminem: Rolling The Dice On D12 |url=http://www.mtv.com/bands/d/d12/news_feature_042304/index2.jhtml |publisher=MTVNews.com |author=Joseph Patel, with reporting by Rahman Bugg |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070519145500/http://www.mtv.com/bands/d/d12/news_feature_042304/index2.jhtml |archive-date=May 19, 2007 |df=mdy}}</ref>

===''Devil's Night'', ''D12 World'' and death of Proof (2001–2006)===
{{See also|Proof (rapper)#Shooting and death}}

Their debut album, ''[[Devil's Night (album)|Devil's Night]]'', referring to the [[Devil's Night|tradition]] of setting unoccupied buildings on fire the night before [[Halloween]], was released in June 2001. It debuted at number one on the U.S. and number two on the UK chart,<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums" /> also reaching the top of the Canadian charts. The album went on to sell four million albums worldwide and two million in the U.S.

''[[D12 World]]'' was released on April 27, 2004, featuring production by Eminem, Mr. Porter, [[Dr. Dre]] and [[Kanye West]], and guest appearances by [[Obie Trice]] on the track "Loyalty" and [[B-Real]] of [[Cypress Hill]] on the track "American Psycho II". It debuted at the top of the U.S., UK,<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums" /> and Australian albums charts, and at number two in Germany—selling over half a million records in its first week of release in the U.S. alone. "My Band", the album's first single, also reached number one in Australia, New Zealand and the U.S. rhythmic top forty, the top five in the UK<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book | first= David| last= Roberts| year= 2006| title= British Hit Singles & Albums| edition= 19th| publisher=Guinness World Records Limited | location= London | isbn= 1-904994-10-5| page= 133}}</ref> and Germany, and the top ten on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]]. In 2005, Bizarre and Proof released their debut studio albums ''[[Hannicap Circus]]'' and ''[[Searching for Jerry Garcia]]''. They debuted at numbers 48 and 65 on the U.S., respectively.

On April 11, 2006, Proof "pistol-whipped an unarmed man and shot him in the head", and was in turn fatally shot to death by the man's cousin.<ref>{{cite news|title=D12, Eminem, 50 Cent and Others Attend Proof's Funeral|date=April 20, 2006|publisher=SixShot.com|url=http://www.sixshot.com/news/6031|access-date=January 13, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071231100604/http://www.sixshot.com/news/6031/|archive-date=December 31, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Jessica|last=Robertson|title=D12 Rapper Proof Fatally Shot|date=April 11, 2006|work=Rolling Stone @ RollingStone.com|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/9747473/d12_rapper_proof_fatally_shot| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20060412192520/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/9747473/d12_rapper_proof_fatally_shot|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 12, 2006}}</ref> This was a turning point for the group, because this marked the departure of Eminem from the group.

Since then, Eminem stopped being an active member of the group, only having guest appearances only on two tracks, "Fame" on ''Return of the Dozen Vol. 2'' (2011) and "Devil's Night Intro" on ''The Devil's Night Mixtape'' (2015). On December 5, 2006, [[Shady Records]] released ''[[Eminem Presents: The Re-Up]]'' which featured performances by Eminem, [[50 Cent]], Obie Trice, [[Stat Quo]], [[Bobby Creekwater]] and [[Cashis]] while affiliated artists such as [[Lloyd Banks]], [[Akon]] and [[Nate Dogg]], made guest appearances. Some tracks were collaborative performances from D12 members, such as "Murder" by Bizarre and Kuniva and "Whatever You Want" by Swifty McVay and Kon Artis. The track "Trapped" by Proof included an intro by Eminem paying his final respects saying, "Big Proof, rest in peace dudey we love you. We just wanna keep making you proud."

===Mixtapes, unreleased third studio album and Eminem's departure (2008–present)===
[[File:D12_at_Kanrocksas_2011.jpg|thumb|D12 performing at Kanrocksas Music Festival]]
On May 21, 2008, D12 released their first mixtape ''Return of the Dozen Vol. 1''.<ref>{{cite web|title=D12 Return of the Dozen (Vol 1) mixtape|url=http://www.rapbasement.com/features/features/d12-return-of-the-dozen.html|publisher=Rapbasement|access-date=2011-04-08|archive-date=2012-03-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324205209/http://www.rapbasement.com/features/features/d12-return-of-the-dozen.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2010, the group recorded "Hit Me with Your Best Shot" for Eminem's scrapped seventh studio album ''[[Recovery (Eminem album)|Relapse 2]]''.<ref>{{cite web |last=Phillips |first=Rashad |url=http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.10875/title.d12s-bizarre-talks-relapse-2-canibus-diss-track |title=D12's Bizarre Talks Relapse 2, Canibus Diss Track &#124; Get The Latest Hip Hop News, Rap News & Hip Hop Album Sales |publisher=HipHop DX |date=March 23, 2010 |access-date=March 30, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120927211459/http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.10875/title.d12s-bizarre-talks-relapse-2-canibus-diss-track |archive-date=September 27, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The mixtape ''Return of the Dozen Vol. 2'' (2011) followed three years later. It featured Fuzz Scoota, a new member of the group.<ref>{{cite web |title=D12 Welcomes New Member Fuzz Scoota |url=http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.14672/title.d12-welcomes-new-member-fuzz-scoota |access-date=October 29, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120412162149/http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.14672/title.d12-welcomes-new-member-fuzz-scoota |archive-date=April 12, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> On August 5, 2011, D12 performed at the Kanrocksas Music Festival.<ref>{{cite web |title=D12 – Artist Lineup – Kanrocksas Music Festival |url=http://kanrocksas.com/lineup/single/d12 |publisher=Kanrocksas Music Festival |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110903000229/http://kanrocksas.com/lineup/single/d12 |archive-date=September 3, 2011 |df=mdy}}</ref> In 2012, Bizarre and Kon Artis left the group.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.thisis50.com/profiles/blogs/denaun-aka-kon-artist-leaves-d12|title=Bizarre leaves D12|website=This is 50 Blog|date=2019-03-25|access-date=2019-09-04|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120912224242/http://www.thisis50.com/profiles/blogs/denaun-aka-kon-artist-leaves-d12|archive-date=September 12, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In January 2014, Mark Bass of the [[Bass Brothers]] confirmed that D12 had been recently recording at the F.B.T. studio and he had been mixing their recorded material. He also confirmed that Eminem was featured on at least three songs that had been completed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.xxlmag.com/news/2014/01/eminem-and-d12-are-making-music-again/|title=Eminem And D12 Are Making Music Again - XXL|date=22 January 2014 |access-date=November 24, 2016}}</ref> In February 2014, Bizarre confirmed that he was back in the group and that D12 would be releasing their third studio album during 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.27425/title.bizarre-says-eminem-inspired-him-to-get-sober|title=Bizarre Says Eminem Inspired Him To Get Sober|work=HipHopDX|access-date=November 24, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150526121242/http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.27425/title.bizarre-says-eminem-inspired-him-to-get-sober|archive-date=May 26, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> On August 25, 2014, a press release on Eminem's official website also revealed D12 to be featured on the label's upcoming two-disc compilation album, titled ''[[Shady XV]]''. The album, released on November 24, 2014, featured one [[greatest hits]] disc and one disc with new material from a variety of Shady Records recording artists, including D12. Their new song was entitled "Bane", which features the return of Mr. Porter and was also produced by him.

[[File:D12_in_Moscow_2015.jpg|thumb|D12 performing in [[Moscow]] in 2015]]

On August 18, 2015, D12 confirmed on [[Tim Westwood]] TV that they had already recorded a large number of songs for the album and will release it "when the time is right."<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NL5jn4qpYY|title = D12 Tim Westwood Interview 2015|website = [[YouTube]]| date=18 August 2015 }}</ref> On October 1, 2015, it was announced that D12 would be releasing a new mixtape, ''The Devil's Night Mixtape''. It was released on October 30, 2015 and featured [[Royce da 5'9"]], [[Crooked I]] and [[Young Buck]]. The mixtape was hosted by [[DJ Whoo Kid]].<ref>{{cite web|first1=Rose|last1=Lilah|title=D12 – The Devil's Night: Mixtape|url=http://www.hotnewhiphop.com/d12-devils-night-the-mixtape-new-mixtape.116097.html|website=Hot New Hip Hop|access-date=April 30, 2016|date=October 30, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first1=Zach|last1=Gase|title=D12 releases 'Devil's Night' mixtape|url=http://national.suntimes.com/national-entertainment/7/72/2033839/d12-releases-devils-night-mixtape|website=[[Sun Times]]|access-date=April 30, 2016|date=October 30, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160417073609/http://national.suntimes.com/national-entertainment/7/72/2033839/d12-releases-devils-night-mixtape|archive-date=April 17, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

On August 31, 2018, Eminem released his tenth studio album ''[[Kamikaze (Eminem album)|Kamikaze]]'', containing a song titled "[[Stepping Stone (Eminem song)|Stepping Stone]]", on which he declared that 'D12 is over,'<ref name="2Ls9v" />  indicating his formal retirement from the group after many years of inactive membership. Bizarre, Kuniva and Swifty have continued to tour and record as D12.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://allthingsd12.com/pages/tickets | title=Tickets }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZKEaWbY0kI | title=Rage Quit (Feat. D12) | website=[[YouTube]] | date=June 28, 2024 }}</ref>

In 2021, ''[[Devil's Night (album)|Devil's Night]]'' was re-released digitally as an expanded edition to celebrate the 20th anniversary of its release which featured three bonus tracks, an unreleased freestyle, and the instrumentals.

In 2023, Swifty McVay and Kuniva opened for several shows on [[Snoop Dogg]]'s I Wanna Thank Me Tour, in which they performed D12 songs. Later that year, they played shows in the UK and the Netherlands in celebration of ''[[D12 World]]''{{'}}s 20th anniversary.<ref>{{cite web |title=D12 |url=https://www.bandsintown.com/a/2337-d12 |website=bandsintown |access-date=21 January 2023}}</ref>