D12 continue the rollout of their first studio album in more than 20 years with a video for one of its most emotional songs.
World of possibilities
“What If” asks how much of our lives is shaped by chance. “What if your grandmother didn’t live around the corner?” raps Swifty McVay, and the answer is that he might never have met Proof or become friends with him later in life, which would have changed the dynamic of their relationship. “What if you never went clubbing that night?”, asks Kuniva, suggesting that the smallest twist of fate might have changed everything, letting Proof walk away that night, when a bullet took his life.
An aching void
However, reality has no “what ifs”, and this song is just a tribute to a lost friend from mates who still feel his absence every day. It is evident in their lyrics, in a fragile, mournful hook from Michigan vocalist Melanie Rutherford, in the whole atmosphere of the song.
Glimpse into Proof’s life
Eerily similar to the premise of Eminem’s “Mockingbird”, the music video alternates between artists reminiscing about the past in a dimly lit room and archival footage. There are scenes that Proof missed – his child’s wedding, his grown-up children getting together, his sons performing together with D12. Yet even more moving are rare pictures of Proof being gentle with his kids, goofy with his friends, or focused, rapping on stage.
In the context of the whole album, this song felt like a powerful tonal shift from the tightly wound, aggressive, and sarcastic music the duo released on D12 Forever to a very personal, intimate portrayal of friendship and loss. Now, with the music video adding a powerful visual dimension to the story, the emotion it conveys hits even harder.