Rapper Eminem performs 'Not Afraid' at the 2010 BET Awards in Los Angeles, June 27, 2010. (Photo : Reuters/Mario Anzuoni)
Newly regrouped, the Detroit hip hop group D12 released "Devil's Night Mixtape" in time for Halloween without Eminem. While promoting the new project, one of the current members of the group revealed that Eminem's song "Cleaning Out My Closet" was originally for a D12 album.
The current members of D12 are Eminem, Kuniva, Bizarre, Swifty McVay, Fuzz Scoota and Kon Artis. On June 19, 2001, the group released their debut studio album titled "Devil's Night," which has 19 tracks.
Seven of the 19 tracks in "Devil's Night" are collaboration songs, one which is "Ain't Nuttin' But Music" featuring Dr. Dre. In a recent interview with Hip Hop DX, Kuniva said that "Cleanin' Out My Closet" was originally intended for placement on D12's debut album.
During the interview, McVay said they wanted to represent Detroit as dark and hardcore emcees from the city. He said they wanted to do something to put their city on the map and the first thing they thought about was "Devil's Night" because Devil's Night happens only in Detroit.
"The night before Halloween and our styles and the way we rap and relate to the essence of that day," McVay explained. "So, we just wanted to go ahead and bring that to the forefront to let the world know, 'This is what it is the night before Halloween.'"
Released on Sept. 17, 2002, "Cleanin' Out My Closet" was from Eminem's fourth studio album titled "The Eminem Show." In 2005, it was also included in the Detroit rapper's compilation album titled "Curtain Call: The Hits."
With 13 new records, "Devil's Night Mixtape" was released on Oct. 30. It is available on Datpiff.
