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.

Mr. Porter
Mr. Porter in 2018
Mr. Porter in 2018
Background information
Also known as
  • Mr. Porter
  • Denaun
Born (1978-12-07) December 7, 1978 (age 45)
North Carolina, U.S.
OriginDetroit, Michigan, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Rapper
  • record producer
  • singer
  • songwriter
Years active1996–present
Labels
  • My Own Planet
  • Bad Half (current)
Formerly ofD12

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

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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

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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".[2] 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[when?] most notably seen as a hype man in Eminem's live shows, replacing fellow D12 member Proof who died in 2006.[citation needed]

Porter was a co-executive producer, with Eminem and Royce da 5'9", for Bad Meets Evil's debut EP Hell: The Sequel. 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

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Instrumental albums

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  • Porter Chops Glasper (stylized as pOrTeR cHoPs gLaSpEr) (2013)
  • The Great Depression A.P. (2018)
  • Letter 2 Sydney (2019)
  • Stuff in My Backpack (stylized as sTuFf In My BaCkPaCk) (2015)
  • Connect (2016)
  • While You Wait (2019)[10]

Collaboration albums

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Mixtapes

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  • The Devil's Night Mixtape (with D12) (2015)

Guest appearances

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Year Song Performer Album
1996 "Maxine" Eminem Infinite
"Backstabber"
1997 "What, What" Bizarre, Kuniva Attack of the Weirdos
2000 "Under The Influence" Eminem, D12 The Marshall Mathers LP
2001 "The Do Do" DJ Butter Shit Happens
"Skull Therapy 2002" Paradime Vices
2002 "When the Music Stops" Eminem, D12 The Eminem Show
"911" Gorillaz, D12, Terry Hall Bad Company
"She Devil" Tech N9NE, D12 Absolute Power
"Rap Game" D12, 50 Cent 8 Mile
2003 "Spread Yo Shit" Obie Trice Cheers
"Doe Rae Me (Hailie's Revenge)" D12, Obie Trice Straight from the Lab
"Bend a Corner" Ras Kass Re-Up: The Compilation
2004 "Census Bureau" DJ Kay Slay The Streetsweeper, Vol. 2: The Pain From The Game
"Look at Me Now" Young Buck Straight Outta Cashville
"We Some Dogs" Method Man Tical 0: The Prequel
"Crooked Letter I"
"Lies & Rumors" D12 Shark Tale
"One Shot 2 Shot" Encore
2005 "Throw It Up" Crime Life: Gang Wars
"My Ballz" The Longest Yard
"Porno Bitches" Bizarre Hannicap Circus
"Nuthin' at All"
"She's a Pro" Black Rob The Black Rob Report
"Slum Elementz" Proof Searching for Jerry Garcia
"Big Mistake" Trick-Trick The People vs.
"Let's Roll"
2006 "They're Out to Get Me" Busta Rhymes The Big Bang
"Keep It Live" Black Milk Broken Wax
"Whatever You Want" Swifty McVay Eminem Presents: The Re-Up
2007 "When the Gun Draws" Pharoahe Monch Desire
"Trilogy"
"Beneath the Diamonds" DJ Drama Gangsta Grillz: The Album
2008 "Getting Bitches" Guilty Simpson Ode to the Ghetto
"Kinda Live"
"Send a Ni*ga Home" Bishop Lamont The Confessional
"Get 'Em" Salam Wreck Trouble Soon
2009 "Mine in Thiz" Royce Da 5'9" Street Hop
2010 "Money" Freeway and Jake One The Stimulus Package
"Closed Chapter" Black Milk Album of the Year
2011 "I Just Want to Fuck" The Game Purp & Patron
"My Own Way" Snoop Dogg Doggumentary
"Haile Selassie Karate" Pharoahe Monch W.A.R. (We Are Renegades)
"I'm on Everything" Bad Meets Evil Hell: The Sequel
"My Own Planet" Royce Da 5'9" Success Is Certain
"Hit Me With Your Best Shot" D12 Straight from the Lab Part 2
2012 "Got To Go" Marv Won Heavy Is the Head...
"Goose Down"
"Make It Snow" Tony Yayo, Bun B, Slim Thug Sex, Drugs, & Hip-Hop
2013 "Sexual Healing" Tony Yayo Godfather of the Ghetto
2014 "Losing My Mind" Pharoahe Monch PTSD
"Bane" D12 Shady XV
2015 "This Corner" Southpaw: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
"Slow Stir" Ro Spit, Marv Won, Young ROC IV Life...
2016 "Quiet" Royce Da 5'9", Tiara Layers
"Trouble on My Mind" Kuniva A History of Violence Vol. 2
2017 "Pimps & Hoes" Swifty McVay Grey Blood
"Remind Me" Eminem Revival
2018 "Made Man" Royce Da 5'9", DJ Premier, Big K.R.I.T. PRhyme 2
2019 "Petty" Bizarre Rufus
2020 "Yah Yah" Eminem, Royce da 5'9", Black Thought, Q-Tip Music to Be Murdered By
2020 "Friends" Meidai Rashad

Awards and nominations

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Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2002 The Eminem Show Grammy Award for Album of the Year Nominated [11]
2010 Recovery Grammy Award for Album of the Year Nominated [12]

References

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  1. ^ "FORWARD". ASCAP. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Emcees Kon Artis and Kuniva welcome fans to 'D12 World'". NewsTimes. July 23, 2004. Retrieved September 29, 2018.
  3. ^ "ACE Repertory: PORTER DENAUN M". ASCAP. Retrieved December 25, 2017.
  4. ^ "The dirty half-dozen". Archived from the original on April 26, 2016. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
  5. ^ "AllMusic | Record Reviews, Streaming Songs, Genres & Bands". AllMusic. Retrieved September 29, 2018.
  6. ^ Anon. (January 31, 2013). "Bilal 'A Love Surreal' CD Release, Tuesday, February 12 at Highline Ballroom" (Press release). Carolyn McClair Public Relations. Retrieved July 20, 2020 – via All About Jazz.
  7. ^ "Mr. Porter Leaves D12, Shifts Focus To Solo Debut". BallerStatus.com. March 26, 2012. Archived from the original on December 4, 2014. Retrieved March 26, 2012.
  8. ^ "D12 – The Devil's Night: Mixtape | Download & Listen [New Mixtape]". HotNewHipHop. October 30, 2015. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
  9. ^ "Mr. Porter Focus dem Jointz | Eminem.Pro - the biggest and most trusted source of Eminem". September 29, 2022.
  10. ^ "Denaun Issues "While You Wait" EP". HotNewHipHop. September 30, 2019. Retrieved April 27, 2020.[dead link]
  11. ^ "Denaun Porter". GRAMMY.com. February 15, 2019.
  12. ^ "Mr. Porter". GRAMMY.com. February 15, 2019.
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