Denaun Porter Explained

Mr. Porter
Birth Date:December 7, 1978
Birth Place:North Carolina, U.S.
Origin:Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Years Active:1996–present
Past Member Of:D12

Denaun Montez Porter[1] (born December 7, 1978), also known by the stage names Mr. Porter, Kon Artis, or Denaun, is an American rapper and record producer. He was a member of Detroit hip hop group D12.

He has a close association with rapper Eminem, often appearing on his tours and has produced for a multitude of other notable artists such as 50 Cent, Royce da 5'9", The Game, Method Man, Snoop Dogg, Jadakiss and more.

Early life

Born in North Carolina,[2] Porter[3] moved with his family to Mississippi and later to Detroit when he was 10 years old. His father, Charles, is a gospel singer and former member of The Blind Boys of Alabama and The Christianaires; his mother is a writer.[4]

Career

Porter started his career with D12 in the mid-1990s. He was inspired to rap and produce after hearing A Tribe Called Quest's song, "Bonita Applebum". Mr. Porter was introduced to Eminem by fellow D12 member Eye-Kyu in 1995. Throughout his solo career, he has both produced and performed vocally as a rapper and singer, producing songs for many notable artists such as Eminem, Busta Rhymes, Snoop Dogg, Royce da 5'9" and 50 Cent (producing the 2003 song "P.I.M.P.").[5] Around this time, Porter worked on the singer Bilal's second album, Love for Sale.[6]

He is also officially signed to Eminem's label Shady Records as a producer and has worked with Shady artists Slaughterhouse, Bad Meets Evil, 50 Cent and D12. Mr. Porter is now most notably seen as a hype man in Eminem's live shows, replacing fellow D12 member Proof who died in 2006.

Porter was a co-executive producer, with Eminem and Royce da 5'9", for Bad Meets Evil's debut EP . He also has a cameo appearance in their music video "Fast Lane", as well as "Forever" by Drake featuring Kanye West, Lil Wayne and Eminem, and Eminem's single "No Love" featuring Lil Wayne and then in 2013 he featured in Eminem's "Rap God" video alongside other members of Slaughterhouse. In 2020, he featured in the music video of Eminem's single "Godzilla".

On April 2, 2012, Porter formally announced that he had left D12. He stated that he wanted to focus on being a solo artist and producer, but clarified that he holds no animosity toward other members of the group.[7] Two years later in late 2014, he rejoined D12 and contributed a verse to the song "Bane" on the Shady Records compilation album, Shady XV, released on November 24, 2014. In January 2015, he appeared on D12's The Devil's Night Mixtape.[8]

In 2022, he created a supergroup with fellow producers and Aftermath’s alums, Dem Jointz and Focus....[9]

Discography

Instrumental albums

EPs

Collaboration albums

See main article: D12 discography.

Mixtapes

Guest appearances

YearSongPerformerAlbum
1996"Maxine"EminemInfinite
"Backstabber"
1997"What, What"Bizarre, KunivaAttack of the Weirdos
2000"Under The Influence"Eminem, D12The Marshall Mathers LP
2001"The Do Do"DJ ButterShit Happens
"Skull Therapy 2002"ParadimeVices
2002"When the Music Stops"Eminem, D12The Eminem Show
"911"Gorillaz, D12, Terry HallBad Company
"She Devil"Tech N9NE, D12Absolute Power
"Rap Game"D12, 50 Cent8 Mile
2003"Spread Yo Shit"Obie TriceCheers
"Doe Rae Me (Hailie's Revenge)"D12, Obie TriceStraight from the Lab
"Bend a Corner"Ras KassRe-Up: The Compilation
2004"Census Bureau"DJ Kay SlayThe Streetsweeper, Vol. 2

The Pain From The Game

"Look at Me Now"Young BuckStraight Outta Cashville
"We Some Dogs"Method Man
"Crooked Letter I"
"Lies & Rumors"D12Shark Tale
"One Shot 2 Shot"Encore
2005"Throw It Up"
"My Ballz"The Longest Yard
"Porno Bitches"BizarreHannicap Circus
"Nuthin' at All"
"She's a Pro"Black RobThe Black Rob Report
"Slum Elementz"ProofSearching for Jerry Garcia
"Big Mistake"Trick-TrickThe People vs.
"Let's Roll"
2006"They're Out to Get Me"Busta RhymesThe Big Bang
"Keep It Live"Black MilkBroken Wax
"Whatever You Want"Swifty McVay
2007"When the Gun Draws"Pharoahe MonchDesire
"Trilogy"
"Beneath the Diamonds"DJ Drama
2008"Getting Bitches"Guilty SimpsonOde to the Ghetto
"Kinda Live"
"Send a Ni*ga Home"Bishop LamontThe Confessional
"Get 'Em"Salam WreckTrouble Soon
2009"Mine in Thiz"Royce Da 5'9"Street Hop
2010"Money"Freeway and Jake OneThe Stimulus Package
"Closed Chapter"Black MilkAlbum of the Year
2011"I Just Want to Fuck"The GamePurp & Patron
"My Own Way"Snoop DoggDoggumentary
"Haile Selassie Karate"Pharoahe MonchW.A.R. (We Are Renegades)
"I'm on Everything"Bad Meets Evil
"My Own Planet"Royce Da 5'9"Success Is Certain
"Hit Me With Your Best Shot"D12Straight from the Lab Part 2
2012"Got To Go"Marv WonHeavy Is the Head...
"Goose Down"
"Make It Snow"Tony Yayo, Bun B, Slim ThugSex, Drugs, & Hip-Hop
2013"Sexual Healing"Tony YayoGodfather of the Ghetto
2014"Losing My Mind"Pharoahe MonchPTSD
"Bane"D12Shady XV
2015"This Corner"Southpaw: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
"Slow Stir"Ro Spit, Marv Won, Young ROCIV Life...
2016"Quiet"Royce Da 5'9", TiaraLayers
"Trouble on My Mind"KunivaA History of Violence Vol. 2
2017"Pimps & Hoes"Swifty McVayGrey Blood
"Remind Me"EminemRevival
2018"Made Man"Royce Da 5'9", DJ Premier, Big K.R.I.T.PRhyme 2
2019"Petty"BizarreRufus
2020"Yah Yah"Eminem, Royce da 5'9", Black Thought, Q-TipMusic to Be Murdered By
2020"Friends"MeidaiRashad

Awards and nominations

!|-|align=center|2002|The Eminem Show|Grammy Award for Album of the Year||[11] |-|align=center|2010|Recovery|Grammy Award for Album of the Year||[12] |-

Notes and References

  1. Web site: FORWARD . ASCAP . American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers . May 3, 2023.
  2. News: Emcees Kon Artis and Kuniva welcome fans to 'D12 World'. July 23, 2004. NewsTimes. September 29, 2018.
  3. Web site: ACE Repertory: PORTER DENAUN M. ASCAP. December 25, 2017.
  4. Web site: The dirty half-dozen . April 12, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160426060001/http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/uniontrib/20040624/news_lz1w24d12.html . April 26, 2016 . dead .
  5. Web site: AllMusic Record Reviews, Streaming Songs, Genres & Bands. AllMusic. September 29, 2018.
  6. Anon.. January 31, 2013. Bilal 'A Love Surreal' CD Release, Tuesday, February 12 at Highline Ballroom. July 20, 2020. Carolyn McClair Public Relations. All About Jazz.
  7. Web site: Mr. Porter Leaves D12, Shifts Focus To Solo Debut . BallerStatus.com . March 26, 2012 . March 26, 2012 . December 4, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141204224831/http://www.ballerstatus.com/2012/03/26/mr-porter-leaves-d12-shifts-focus-to-solo-debut/ . dead .
  8. Web site: D12 – The Devil's Night: Mixtape Download & Listen [New Mixtape]]. HotNewHipHop. October 30, 2015. January 23, 2016.
  9. Web site: Mr. Porter Focus dem Jointz | Eminem.Pro - the biggest and most trusted source of Eminem . September 29, 2022 .
  10. Web site: September 30, 2019 . Denaun Issues "While You Wait" EP . dead . April 27, 2020 . HotNewHipHop.
  11. Web site: Denaun Porter. February 15, 2019. GRAMMY.com.
  12. Web site: Mr. Porter. February 15, 2019. GRAMMY.com.