Music industry veteran Damion “Damizza” Young has a story to tell, one that connects Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Jimmy Iovine, and a young rapper from Detroit called Eminem.
Appearing on the ALL THE SMOKE Unplugged podcast, Damizza shared his version of events that helped bring Eminem into the spotlight. His account weaves through a pivotal moment in hip hop history, when decisions made behind closed doors would shape careers and reshape the genre.
The Call from Jimmy Iovine
In the late ’90s, Damizza was working on the project of love, pushing for Dr. Dre x Snoop Dogg collaboration. He planned a big move, their joint concert in Hawaii. That triggered a call from Interscope’s Jimmy Iovine, not happy about seeing old Death Row names resurface.
“Wait a minute”, Iovine told Damizza, “a rapper I haven’t seen since Death Row and a producer who owes me $30 million?” But always a businessman, Iovine decided to use this as an opportunity to return some losses. He offered to bankroll the promo for $250,000, but only if it led to an album.
“And he says”, Damizza recalls, “‘I got this kid Eminem… Let’s put him with Dre and at least I’ll get my money back’”.
Dre, Eminem, and a Plan
Soon after, Dre called Damizza over. In the studio, Eminem was already in the booth cutting early “Hi, My Name Is” lines. That’s when Dre asked, “How do I break the white boy?” Damizza could not believe that Dre had already signed an unknown rapper from Michigan, but suggested a trade: “You give me the full story of N.W.A., and I’ll break the white boy for you”.
After hours of stories, Damizza was ready, even if Eminem knew nothing about who was not on his case. “About 6:00 in the morning, Em comes out”, Damizza recalls. “He goes, ‘I’m going back to the hotel. I’m going home’. I said, ‘No, you’re going to Power 106. You’re going to announce you’re doing the Friday Nite Flavas’ 10-year anniversary. Give me the fucking record’. And that’s how it came to be”.
Hawaii, Then the World
The show in Hawaii went ahead, with Eminem added to the lineup. The timing was perfect, just as “Hi, My Name Is” was taking off. That momentum soon turned into the Up in Smoke Tour, one of the most iconic hip hop tours of all time.
A Village Behind a Star
Many people have claimed credit for discovering Eminem. And many of them are telling the truth. From Wendy Day’s Rap Olympics to Evan “Kidd” Bogart sneaking the demo into Iovine’s satchel, it truly took a village.
But what kept Eminem in the spotlight wasn’t luck or connections, it was talent that demanded attention, then and now.
