20 years have passed since Eminem lost his closest friend and creative partner, and the pain hasn’t dulled one bit.
On April 11, 2026, Em took to social media to share an emotional tribute to Proof, the D12 founding member who was gunned down two decades earlier at the CCC Club on Eight Mile Road in Detroit. Eminem’s message wasn’t just nostalgia. It was a raw acknowledgment of how deeply Proof shaped his entire life and career.
Proof was a key figure in Detroit rap and a core member of D12 alongside Eminem, Bizarre, Kon Artis, Swifty McVay and Kuniva. Beyond the group, he built a reputation through collectives like 5 Elementz and Promatic. According to reports, his life was cut short on April 11, 2006, after an altercation at the C.C.C. nightclub on Detroit’s east side. The situation allegedly escalated from a dispute during a game of pool into gunfire, leaving Proof dead at 32. The loss shook the Hip Hop community. Nearly 2,000 people reportedly attended his funeral days later, including 50 Cent and Dr. Dre.
Two decades later, that impact is still being felt. Eminem’s longtime manager, Paul Rosenberg, also shared a message on Instagram, calling this time of year “definitely not my favorite” and noting how “difficult” it remains. D12 is continuing to keep Proof’s voice alive as well. The group recently confirmed that their upcoming project, D12 Forever, will include previously unheard material from the late rapper. In a post, they wrote, “Proof’s spirit, his words, and his impact will remain eternal.”
