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'{{For|the boxer|Esham Pickering}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2013}} {{Infobox musical artist |name = Esham |image = |background = solo_singer |birth_name = Esham A. Smith |alias = <!--This section is for official stage names only.--> |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1973|09|20}} |birth_place = [[Long Island, New York|Long Island]], [[New York (state)|New York]], U.S. |origin = [[Detroit, Michigan|Detroit]], [[Michigan]], U.S. |genre = [[Hip hop music|Hip hop]], [[horrorcore]] |occupation = [[Rapping|Rapper]], [[record producer]], [[Music Executive]] |years_active = 1988–present |label = [[Reel Life Productions|Reel Life]], [[Psychopathic Records]] |associated_acts = [[Natas (group)|Natas]], [[Mastamind]], TnT, [[Soopa Villainz]], [[Insane Clown Posse]] |website = {{URL|http://www.acidrap.com|www.AcidRap.com}} }} '''Esham Attica Smith''' (born September 20, 1973), best known by his stage name '''Esham''', is an American [[rapping|rapper]] from [[Detroit|Detroit, Michigan]] known for his [[hallucinogen]]ic style of [[hip hop music|hip hop]] which he refers to as "acid rap". That style of music fuses [[rock music|rock]]-based beats and lyrics involving subjects such as [[death]], [[drug abuse|drug use]], [[evil]], [[paranoia]] and [[sexual intercourse|sex]]. Esham released his first studio album, ''[[Boomin' Words from Hell]]'' (1989), at the age of 16. Since then, he has released 15 more albums. He and his brother James Smith founded the biggest-selling independent hip hop label in Detroit, [[Reel Life Productions]], and the label ran until 2001. Esham's influence eventually fueled the careers of Detroit hip hop artists such as [[Kid Rock]], [[Eminem]], and [[Insane Clown Posse]]. ==Biography== ===Early career=== Born Esham Attica Smith on September 20, 1973 in [[Long Island, New York]],<ref name=allmusic>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/esham-mn0000174100/biography|title=Esham - Biography & History - AllMusic|website=AllMusic|accessdate=October 18, 2017}}</ref><ref name="AMGHipHop">{{cite book|title=All Music Guide to Hip-Hop: The Definitive Guide to Rap & Hip-hop |year=2003 |isbn=0-87930-759-5 |publisher=Backbeat Books |chapter=Esham |pages=160–163 }}</ref><ref name="Ketchum">{{cite news |first=William E. |last=Ketchum III|title=Mayor Esham? What? |url=http://www.metrotimes.com/music/story.asp?id=13341 |publisher=''[[Metro Times]]'' |location=[[Detroit|Detroit, Michigan]] |date=October 15, 2008 |accessdate=October 16, 2008}}</ref> Esham grew up splitting time between the Seven Mile neighborhood on the East side of [[Detroit]],<ref name="McLeod">{{cite news |first=Rodd |last=McLeod |title=The Wicket World of Natas |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5923056/the_wicket_world_of_natas |publisher=''[[Rolling Stone]]'' |date=March 2, 2000 |accessdate=July 19, 2008 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080708011214/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5923056/the_wicket_world_of_natas |archivedate = July 8, 2008|deadurl=yes}}</ref> where he lived with his mother. He attended [[Osborn High School]],<ref name="Birchmeier">{{cite web |url=http://www.allrovi.com/name/natas-mn0000375162 |title=music biography |accessdate=July 19, 2008 |last=Birchmeier |first=Jason |publisher=Allrovi |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/6IIhOhAXC?url=http://www.allrovi.com/name/natas-mn0000375162 |archivedate=July 22, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> and lived with his grandmother in New York during summers.<ref name="Ketchum"/> He studied piano, guitar, and trombone in high school, and listened to artists such as [[Sugar Hill Gang]], [[Run-DMC]], [[Ozzy Osbourne]] and [[Kiss (band)|Kiss]].<ref name="Ketchum"/><ref name="McLeod"/> Esham began to write original lyrics, and was encouraged by his older brother, James H. Smith, to seriously pursue a career in hip hop. According to Esham, "He felt like I had a dope flow, and he thought I could bring something new to the game, just coming from the city of [[Detroit]]. Back then, it wasn't really a [rap] music scene in Detroit. Everybody was just imitating what everybody else was doing."<ref name="Ketchum"/> In the second grade, Esham met [[Champtown]], who was also an aspiring rapper. The two performed together at [[open mic]] events Seafood Bay.<ref name=briansmith/> In one occurrence, Champtown and Esham were forced to rap for a drug dealer at gunpoint.<ref name=briansmith>Smith, Brian. (December 15, 2004) [http://www2.metrotimes.com/editorial/story.asp?id=7099 Rap maestro and the link to Esham, Kid and Em']. metrotimes.com</ref> At the age of 16,<ref name=allmusic/> Smith released his debut album, ''[[Boomin' Words from Hell]]'', in 1989.<ref name="AMGHipHop"/><ref name="Discography">{{cite web |url=http://www.acidrap.com/eshamcatalog.html |title=Discography |accessdate=August 18, 2008 |last=Smith |first=Esham A |publisher=[[Reel Life Productions]] |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080922032350/http://www.acidrap.com/eshamcatalog.html |archivedate=September 22, 2008 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Of the album, Smith stated, "It was the crack era, [...] and that's where all that really came from. It was all an expression about ['70s-'80s drug cartel] [[Young Boys Inc.|Young Boys Incorporated]], Mayor [[Coleman Young]], the city we lived in and just the turmoil that our city was going through at the time. We referred to the streets of Detroit as 'Hell' on that record. So that's where my ideas came from."<ref name="Ketchum"/> In 1990, Esham and James H. Smith founded the independent record label [[Reel Life Productions]],<ref name="AMGHipHop"/><ref name="McLeod"/> which reissued his debut album with an alternate track listing and artwork.<ref name="Discography"/> Esham found it difficult to develop a fanbase, because many wrote off the dark content of his lyrics and imagery as [[shock value]], while hip hop fans did not connect to Esham's albums because of his [[heavy metal music|heavy metal]] influences.<ref name="Ketchum"/> In 1991, Esham met [[Violent J|Joseph Bruce]], a member of the group [[Insane Clown Posse|Inner City Posse]], who praised Esham and [[Reel Life Productions]], and gave Esham a copy of the group's EP ''[[Dog Beats]]'', beginning the two rappers' friendship and professional relationship.<ref name="BehindthePaint164">{{cite book |last=Bruce |first=Joseph |authorlink=Violent J |author2=Hobey Echlin |editor=Nathan Fostey |title=ICP: Behind the Paint|year=2003 |edition=second |publisher=Psychopathic Records |location=Royal Oak, Michigan |isbn=0-9741846-0-8 |pages=164–167 |chapter=Paying Dues }}</ref> After releasing two EPs, ''[[Erotic Poetry]]'' and ''[[Homey Don't Play]]'', Esham completed the [[double album]] ''[[Judgement Day (album)|Judgement Day]]'', and its two volumes, ''Day'' and ''Night'' were released separately on April 9, 1992.<ref name="AMGHipHop"/> In ''All Music Guide to Hip-Hop'', Jason Birchmeier wrote that ''Judgement Day, Vol. 1'' "may not be his most well-crafted work, but it certainly stands as his most inspired work of the '90s", while ''Vol. 2'' "isn't quite as strong as the first volume, suffering mostly from a number of weak tracks [...] the first volume doesn't rely quite so much on cheap shock, instead focusing on evocative horror motifs, making ''Judgement Day, Vol. 2'' the less important of the two."<ref name="AMGHipHop"/> ===''KKKill the Fetus'', ''Closed Casket'' and ''Dead Flowerz''=== As a student at Osborn High School, Esham met [[Mastamind]], who gave him a three-song demo tape of his music, leading the two to form the group [[Natas (group)|Natas]] with Esham's longtime friend, TNT.<ref name="Birchmeier"/> In 1992, Esham appeared on ''[[Carnival of Carnage]]'', the debut album of [[Insane Clown Posse]], released on October 18. He produced three tracks and rapped on the album's final track.<ref name="BehindthePaint174">{{cite book |last=Bruce |first=Joseph |authorlink=Violent J|author2=Hobey Echlin |editor=Nathan Fostey |title=ICP: Behind the Paint |year=2003 |edition=second |publisher=Psychopathic Records |location=Royal Oak, Michigan |isbn=0-9741846-0-8 |pages=174–185 |chapter=The Dark Carnival }}</ref> In November, Natas released their debut album, ''[[Life After Death (Natas album)|Life After Death]]''.<ref name="AMGHipHop"/> Following the release of this album, Esham, Natas and Reel Life Productions were the subject of much controversy when a 17-year-old fan killed himself while smoking [[cannabis (drug)|cannabis]] and playing [[Russian roulette]] while listening to ''Life After Death''.<ref name=deathofanindielabel/> In 1993, Esham released his third solo album, ''[[KKKill the Fetus]]''. Jason Birchmeier wrote that "At this point in his career, his rapping has already reached near-peak levels, and his production shows a continued path towards an inventiveness. [...] Never again would Esham be so gritty."<ref name="AMGHipHop"/> On November 22, 1994, Esham released his fourth studio album, ''[[Closed Casket]]''. Jason Birchmeier wrote that "most fans taking a chronological approach to his catalog should be fairly numb to Esham's exploitative shock attempts. Yet if this is one of your first experiences with Esham the Unholy, this album should pack a punch with its dark nature."<ref name="AMGHipHop"/> In May 1996, Esham released his fifth studio album, ''[[Dead Flowerz]]''. It peaked at number 38 on the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums [[Billboard charts|chart]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.billboard.com/album/esham/dead-flowerz/185743#/album/esham/dead-flowerz/185743 |title=Charts & Awards for ''Dead Flowerz'' |accessdate=July 19, 2008 |publisher=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]}}</ref> ===Gothom Records (1997–2001)=== In June 1997, Esham rebranded Reel Life Productions as Gothom Records, and released the album ''[[Bruce Wayne: Gothom City 1987]]'', which charted at number 57 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.<ref>{{cite web |url={{Allmusic|class=album|id=r377892|pure_url=yes}} |title=Charts & Awards for ''Bruce Wayne: Gothom City 1987'' |accessdate=July 19, 2008 |publisher=[[Allmusic]]}}</ref> Esham later signed a distribution deal with Overcore, a subsidiary of Overture Music, which later became distributed by [[TVT Records]].<ref name="AMGHipHop"/><ref name="Bruce"/> In June 2001, Gothom released [[Kool Keith]]'s ''[[Spankmaster]]'' album, which featured several contributions by Esham, as well as Smith's eighth album, ''[[Tongues (Esham album)|Tongues]]'', which peaked at number seven on the Top Independent Albums chart, number 46 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and number 195 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.billboard.com/album/esham/tongues/480225 |title=Charts & Awards for ''Tongues'' |accessdate=July 19, 2008 |publisher=''Billboard''}}</ref> In August 2001, Esham and [[D12]] were kicked off the [[Warped Tour]] after members of the group allegedly physically attacked Smith over the lyrics of his song "Chemical Imbalance," which contained a reference to the daughter of D12 member [[Eminem]], who was not present during the tour.<ref>{{cite news |first=Chris |last=Moriates |title=Rappers Esham, D12 kicked off Warped Tour after alleged attack |url=http://dailybruin.com/archives/id/15893/ |publisher=''The Daily Bruin'' |date=August 13, 2001 |accessdate=July 19, 2008 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Hasted |first=Nick |title=The Dark Story of Eminem |year=2005 |publisher=Omnibus Press |isbn=1-84449-726-7 |chapter=The Waiting Room |page=151 }}</ref> ===Psychopathic Records (2002–2005)=== In 2002, Esham signed to [[Psychopathic Records]], releasing the compilation ''[[Acid Rain (album)|Acid Rain]]''. It was announced that Esham would be moving away from the horror themes of his previous efforts.<ref name="Bruce">{{cite web |url=http://www.insaneclownposse.com/page.php?page_id=icp_wf_20020903 |title=Weekly Freekly: 2 |accessdate=August 17, 2008 |last=Bruce |first=Joseph|date=June 25, 2004|publisher=[[Psychopathic Records]] |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040820162159/http://www.insaneclownposse.com/page.php?page_id=icp_wf_20020903 |archivedate=August 20, 2004}}</ref> On November 18, 2003, Esham released his ninth studio album, ''[[Repentance (Esham album)|Repentance]]''. It peaked at #9 on the Top Heatseekers chart, #10 on the Top Independent Albums chart, and #71 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.billboard.com/album/esham/repentance/603071 |title=Charts & Awards for ''Repentance'' |accessdate=July 19, 2008 |publisher=''Billboard''}}</ref> Jason Birchmeier wrote that "''Repentance'' is a small step forward for Esham. He seems very confident here, comfortable with himself as an artist [...] when he pulls everything together [...] he makes some of the best music of his long, fruitful, yet largely unacknowledged career."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.allrovi.com/music/album/repentance-mw0000693884 |title=Review of ''Repentance'' |accessdate=August 17, 2008 |last=Birchmeier |first=Jason |publisher=Allrovi |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://archive.is/20120718033738/http://www.allrovi.com/music/album/repentance-mw0000693884 |archivedate=July 18, 2012 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> In 2005 Esham joined forces with Insane Clown Posse and Lavel to release the Soopa Villainz album, Furious. His follow-up album on Psychopathic ''[[A-1 Yola (Esham album)|A-1 Yola]]'', saw Esham achieving his highest consecutive level of [[Billboard charts|charting]] success, as it peaked at 176 on the ''Billboard'' 200, his highest selling album on that chart to date, as well as peaking at #6 on Top Heatseekers, #12 on the Independent Albums chart, #23 on the Top Rap Albums chart, and #48 on the Top R&B chart.<ref name=Allrovi/> Allrovi wrote, "During the course of ''A-1 YOLA'', Esham takes the form of street hustler, kingpin, vampire, and all sorts of underworld characters, injecting his undiluted personality into each three-to-four-minute sketch. His sonic backdrop remains raw but fresh, drawing an impressive amount of energy out of sparse beats."<ref name=Allrovi>{{cite web |url=http://www.allrovi.com/music/album/a1-yola-mw0000453103 |title=Esham – ''A-1 Yola'' |publisher=Allrovi |accessdate=June 30, 2011 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://archive.is/20130116230804/http://www.allrovi.com/music/album/a1-yola-mw0000453103 |archivedate=January 16, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Following this release, Esham left Psychopathic in 2005 to relaunch Reel Life/Gothom.<ref name="AMGHipHop"/> ===Post-Psychopathic=== In June, 2010, Esham recorded "Walk Toward The Light", a collaboration with international pro-wrestling superstar & global underground artist One Man Kru (of the horrorcore group Keepaz of the Krypt). The original mix was produced by One Man Kru and hosted by Young Wicked of AMB for the UGH34 mixtape. The remix was produced by D-Rodge and released on One Man Kru's "I Will Never Quit" LP without the 3rd verse due to a miscommunication between the producer and the audio engineer. Smith released his twelfth studio album, ''[[Suspended Animation (Esham album)|Suspended Animation]]'' on August 3, 2010, followed by the album ''[[DMT Sessions]]'', and a documentary directed by Smith, ''[[Death of an Indie Label]]'' in 2011, which was originally announced as a bonus feature on a deluxe edition of ''DMT Sessions'', but was instead uploaded onto Gothom Inc.'s YouTube channel.<ref name=deathofanindielabel>{{cite video|title=deathofanindielabel 1 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4O8STbLqnc&feature=youtu.be |publisher=Gothom Inc.}}</ref><ref name=PRWeb>{{cite web |url=http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/6/prweb8588346.htm |title=Controversial Detroit Artist Releases Shocking New Album |date=June 21, 2011 |publisher=PR Web |accessdate=June 27, 2011}}</ref> The Documentary was released with a soundtrack entitled the same, the LP would feature Seven the General as well as Poe Whosaine. Smith was interviewed for the documentary ''The Untold Story of Detroit Hip-Hop'', which is being produced by Detroit rapper [[Champtown]].<ref name=PRWeb/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://allmusic.com/album/dmt-sessions-r2184367 |title=DMT Sessions |publisher=Allmusic |accessdate=June 27, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://allhiphop.com/stories/features/archive/2011/07/04/22831145.aspx |title=Esham: Evolution, Victory, Independence, Leading Pt. 1 |author=Champtown |publisher=[[AllHipHop]] |accessdate=July 7, 2011 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706052811/http://allhiphop.com/stories/features/archive/2011/07/04/22831145.aspx |archivedate=July 6, 2011 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> He also attempted a run for mayor of Detroit.<ref name=metrotimes>{{cite web|url=https://www.metrotimes.com/detroit/mayor-esham-what/Content?oid=2193328|title=Mayor Esham? What?|website=Detroit Metro Times|accessdate=October 18, 2017}}</ref> In 2012, [[MTV]] published a story detailing Esham's feud with [[Eminem]] and [[Insane Clown Posse]].<ref name=mtv>{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/2696689/esham-insane-clown-posse-eminem/|title=Esham Inspired ICP and Eminem, But He Can't Get Along With Them|publisher=|accessdate=October 18, 2017}}</ref> In 2015 Esham and Insane Clown Posse reconciled their differences and Esham performed at the 2016 Juggalo Day "Ringmaster" Show.<ref>{{cite web|title=Juggalo Day Weekend 2016 Tix On Sale NOW!!|url=http://www.insaneclownposse.com/8-news/99-juggalo-day-weekend-2016-tix-on-sale-now|website=insaneclownposse.com|accessdate=December 29, 2017|date=November 6, 2015}}</ref> ==Style== Esham's lyrical style, which author Sara Cohen says "utilize[s] shocking (and blatantly over the top) narratives to give an over-exaggerated, almost cartoon-like version of urban deprivation in Detroit",<ref name=Cohen>{{cite book |last=Cohen |first=Sara |title=Decline, Renewal and the City in Popular Music Culture: Beyond The Beatles |year=2007 |publisher=Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. |isbn=0-7546-3243-1 |page=52 }}</ref> was derived from the style of the [[Geto Boys]].<ref name="BehindthePaint174"/> Smith's lyrics have focused on themes such as death, drug use, evil, paranoia and sex, and have included references to [[Satan]]. Smith refers to his performance style as "acid rap," comparing the lyrics to hallucinations induced by [[lysergic acid diethylamide|LSD]].<ref name="McLeod"/> Esham's style has also been described as [[horrorcore]] hip hop.<ref name=Cohen/> <blockquote>People were literally scared of my records. There have been so many rumors about me and my records. People got the first album, and they would just make up stories. They'd get into an accident and be like, 'I got into an accident because I was playing that tape.' It wasn't like we helped ourselves when we described what was in people's heads. It wasn't to shock people, though, but to get people involved in what we were doing. We had to get peoples' attention. [...] We said a lot of things that people wanted to say but didn't say. We talked about a lot of political and social [issues] that people didn't want to talk about.<ref name="Ketchum"/></blockquote> Following accusations of [[Satanism]], Smith decided that ''[[Closed Casket]]'' would be the last album to feature such themes, and that he would no longer rap about the [[Devil]].<ref name="Bruce"/> According to Smith, "I've been able to entertain people for 20 years. I just try to uplift people now. The latest things I do, I'm trying to get a message out to people, while I'm entertaining them at the same time."<ref name="Ketchum"/> Esham's music style has been described as a fusion of hip hop beats and [[death metal]] lyrics.<ref name="McLeod"/> Esham defined his style as analogous to "modern day [[blues]] [or] heavy metal".<ref name="Keyes">{{cite book |last=Keyes |first=Cheryl Lynette |title=Rap Music and Street Consciousness |year=2002 |publisher=University of Illinois Press |isbn=0-252-07201-4 |chapter=Blending and Shaping Styles: Rap and Other Musical Voices |page=108 }}</ref> Rappers influenced by Esham include [[Insane Clown Posse]],<ref name=mtv/><ref name="BehindthePaint174"/><ref name="Hess">{{cite book |last1=Hess |first1=Mickey |title=Hip Hop in America: A Regional Guide: Volume 1: East Coast and West Coast |year=2009 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=0-313-34323-3 |pages=411–413 |chapter=Esham }}</ref> [[Eminem]]<ref name=mtv/><ref name="Hess"/> and [[Kid Rock]].<ref name="Hess"/> ==Discography== {{Main|Esham discography}} ;Studio albums *''[[Boomin' Words from Hell]]'' (1989) *''[[Judgement Day (album)|Judgement Day]]'' (1992) *''[[KKKill The Fetus]]'' (1993) *''[[Closed Casket]]'' (1994) *''[[Dead Flowerz]]'' (1996) *''[[Bruce Wayne: Gothom City 1987]]'' (1997) *''[[Mail Dominance]]'' (1999) *''[[Tongues (Esham album)|Tongues]]'' (2001) *''[[Repentance (Esham album)|Repentance]]'' (2003) *''[[A-1 Yola (Esham album)|A-1 Yola]]'' (2005) *''[[Sacrificial Lambz]]'' (2008) *''[[Suspended Animation (Esham album)|Suspended Animation]]'' (2010) *''[[DMT Sessions]]'' (2011) *''[[Venus Fly Trap LP]]'' (2012) *''[[Dichotomy (Esham album)|Dichotomy]]'' (2015) *''[[Scribble (album)|Scribble]]'' (2017) *''[[Dead of Winter (album)|Dead of Winter]]'' (2018) ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== * {{Official website|http://www.acidrap.com}} {{Esham}} {{good article}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Esham}} [[Category:1973 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Midwest hip hop musicians]] [[Category:African-American rappers]] [[Category:African-American record producers]] [[Category:American record producers]] [[Category:American hip hop record producers]] [[Category:Psychopathic Records artists]] [[Category:Horrorcore artists]] [[Category:Rappers from Detroit]] [[Category:Underground rappers]] [[Category:Reel Life Productions artists]]'