“Baby, I’m releasing an album on Christmas day,” House Shoes laughed and gently rubbed his fiancee’s pregnant belly. “No stores are open on Christmas, baby. How genius is that?”

This will be the first Christmas Shoes celebrates with his new family. A certain tranquility has set in on Detroit’s favorite DJ since the day he heard he’d be a father. His son will be named James DeShaun when he arrives in March — James, as in James “J Dilla” Yancey, and DeShaun, as in DeShaun “Proof” Holton. There was never a name seriously considered were Shoes to have a girl other than to take from his fiancee’s name (Leo) or, perhaps, just Buttercup… because “why not,” he joked. Buttercup Buchanan.

Shoes’ downy calm when around his fiancee or when discussing his son is most feverishly juxtaposed with the Newport-smoking, hail-storm-cussing, grizzly exterior of a man brow-beaten by time and circumstance. Once inside Shoes’ ring of trust he’s a gentle giant, but it takes years of loyalty to be viewed in his eyes as a genuine article worth a damn. Before you enter that circle, it’s in his music — not the music he spins, but rather the music he creates — you can hear House Shoes for who he really is. Sometimes thoughtful, sometimes cold and calloused, always with a profound understanding for the pull of humor and struggle on life.

Here are a few choice picks from House Shoes — a man who can spend endless hours digging for the records that move him in the dance between joy and pain.

Kaos and Mystro — Outcast Vol. 1

“Some Detroit shit — like ’89, ’90 — that was the first Detroit shit I heard that was on something serious. I was a freshman [in high school,] and I remember we had gym first hour and we would go in the locker room at like 7:30, and I’d have my radio. I’d have my radio on the bus — I got kicked off the bus in sixth grade for playing 2 Live Crew Read the rest of this entry »

The official video for “Dope Boys” and not the other one. Read the rest of this entry »

“Ayo…we don’t wanna’ hear that ‘best white rapper.’ When you talking about best rapper, forget all that. Period.” – Big Proof

Photo Credit – MTV

Today marks the two year anniversary of DeShaun “Proof” Holton’s death.

He was the linchpin of Detroit’s Hip-Hop scene since the mid 1990s and continued to be a regular around the way, despite his celebrity. Unfortunately, the same accessibility that made him so popular also sometimes found him in compromising situations – such as on the night he was shot and killed outside of a nightclub in the city.

His absence has been felt immeasurably.

R.I.P. Big Proof 1973-2006

Proof – Gurlz Wit Da Boom (Video)

Detroit Rapper Proof Remembered on Anniversary of Death [RGF]