Fox 2 Detroit released a short programme dedicated to the 20th anniversary of Proof’s passing. Titled The Life & Lessons of Proof: 20 Years Later, it looks at Proof’s path and the impact he has left.
Combining interviews, archive footage, and off-screen commentary, the 25-minute documentary paints a portrait of a remarkable man who shaped the Detroit hip hop scene and, through it, the world.
History lesson
It’s not only a trip down memory lane. It’s a journey through Detroit. Those who have never been to the city can take a look at legendary locations such as St. Andrew’s Club or The Hip-Hop Shop. You can even see the Osbourne school, where Proof organised rap battles for Eminem.
Among the speakers interviewed for the documentary are Proof’s children, all grown up now, his father, his bodyguard, Mr. Porter, Slum Village, Trick Trick, Andre “Drunken Master” Harris from Death Row Records, Proof’s former manager Mark Hicks, and many more Detroit artists and producers.
Renaissance man
People who rubbed shoulders with Proof when he was just a young and coming artist share amazing stories. For instance, the one about beat contests, when Slum Village, J Dilla and Proof would see who could make the illest beat in 5 minutes.
Many speakers would mention that Proof was a human equivalent of cultural glue, bringing together people from different pockets of the scene to create a new, rich tapestry of music. But he himself contained multitudes. Proof was part of the most cerebral, lyrical, spiritual hip hop trio, 5-ELA. And at the same time, he was in the Goon Squad with Trick Trick. “As Detroit street as it gets”, music manager Mikey Eckstein characterises the group “So, he brought these two worlds together in such a way that nobody else could have done”.
The dark end
The documentary pays close attention to the tragic day when the club shooting incident cut short Proof’s life. The channel included the news coverage from the days after the shooting, showing Eminem and other Proof’s friends arriving at the hospital. There is also footage from the funeral rolling, while Proof’s son, Nasaan, remembers sitting on the front pew in the church, with Dr. Dre, 50 Cent, and Eminem present.
Proof’s older son works on the documentary, trying to uncover the truth. The case is closed, but some details do not add up, and he still cannot get a response to his information request from the authorities.
The treasured memory
Proof’s widow, Sharonda Holton, shares an optimistic outlook that helped her to go through grief while bringing up children. She encourages viewers to look at Proof’s life, which is short but full. He made his dream come true, he had seen the world, he loved and was loved, and he had children. His children still feel the loss of their father, and this emptiness will not be filled by music alone. His friends felt his absence keenly, as Eminem showed when he shared his letter to Proof recently.
For us, his fans, there will always be a thought of how far he would push his pen, how high he would go in fulfilling his dream. But we have his music, grainy footage of his performances, and now – this documentary.