Obie Trice III (born November 14, 1977) is an American rapper. He was signed to fellow

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...

rapper

Eminem Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem (; often stylized as EMINƎM), is an American rapper and record producer. He is credited with popularizing hip hop in middle America and is critically acclai ...

Shady Records Shady Records is an American record label founded by rapper Eminem and his manager Paul Rosenberg, after the highly successful release of Eminem's ''The Slim Shady LP'' (1999). Shady has seen negative times when being part of the unsuccessful i ...

in 2002, where he released the albums ''

Cheers ''Cheers'' is an American sitcom television series that ran on NBC from September 30, 1982, to May 20, 1993, with a total of 275 half-hour episodes across 11 seasons. The show was produced by Charles/Burrows/Charles Productions in association w ...

'' (2003) and ''

Second Round's on Me ''Second Round's on Me'' is the second studio album by rapper Obie Trice and is his final album released under Shady Records. The track "Wanna Know" can be heard on the HBO series ''Entourage'' in the episode "The Sundance Kids" and also in the gam ...

'' (2006). Trice formed his own record label, Black Market Entertainment, upon leaving Shady. He does not use a

rap name Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...

like most rappers, instead using his birth name on stage.

Biography

Obie Trice III was born and raised on the west side of

Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...

, by his mother, along with three brothers. He is of

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

and

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

descent. Trice was given a karaoke machine by his mother when he was eleven and he used it to rhyme over

instrumental An instrumental is a recording normally without any vocals, although it might include some inarticulate vocals, such as shouted backup vocals in a big band setting. Through semantic widening, a broader sense of the word song may refer to instru ...

s from artists such as

N.W.A N.W.A (an abbreviation for Niggaz Wit Attitudes) was an American hip hop group whose members were among the earliest and most significant popularizers and controversial figures of the gangsta rap subgenre, and the group is widely considered ...

. By the age of fourteen, he was attending rap battle gatherings around Detroit, including the Hip Hop Shop, where he and his friends would go on Saturday afternoons. The battles were hosted by

Proof Proof most often refers to: * Proof (truth), argument or sufficient evidence for the truth of a proposition * Alcohol proof, a measure of an alcoholic drink's strength Proof may also refer to: Mathematics and formal logic * Formal proof, a con ...

, from

D12 D12 (an initialism for The Dirty Dozen) was an American hip hop collective from Detroit, Michigan. Formed in 1996, the group achieved mainstream success with its lineup of ''de facto'' leader Eminem, Proof, Bizarre, Mr. Porter, Kuniva and Swift ...

. Positive response from watchers encouraged Trice to get into rap music seriously."Mark Binelli (September 10, 2003)
Hot Rapper: Obie Trice
''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...

''. Accessed January 22, 2008. Trice was calling himself " Obie 1" at that time, but before Proof introduced him at the Hip Hop Shop, he asked him his real name and introduced him as "Obie Trice", which remains his rap name. Trice was introduced to

through D12 member Bizarre. Later, Trice's manager arranged for him to have dinner and go to a

Kid Rock Robert James Ritchie (born January 17, 1971), known professionally as Kid Rock (also known as Bobby Shazam), is an American singer, songwriter and rapper. His style alternates between rock, hip hop, country, and metal. A self-taught musician, ...

party with Eminem.Ruben Diaz (September 18, 2003).
Obie Trice: Real Name, No Gimmicks (Interview)
". BallerStatus.com. Accessed January 22, 2008.

Career

Shady Records (2000–2002)

Trice signed to

in 2000. He created a freestyle skit on the D12 album ''

Devil's Night Devil's Night is a name associated with October 30, the night before Halloween. It is related to the "Mischief Night" practiced in parts of the United States such as Philadelphia but is chiefly associated with the serious vandalism and arson seen ...

'', following up with an intro snippet in Eminem's ''

The Eminem Show ''The Eminem Show'' is the fourth studio album by American rapper Eminem. After it had originally scheduled for release on June 4, 2002, the album was released nine days earlier on May 26, 2002, through Shady Records, Aftermath Entertainment, and ...

'' lead single " Without Me", as well as the song "Drips". Later in 2002, Trice rapped on songs for the ''8 Mile'' soundtrack, and also had a cameo appearance in

the film The Film is a 2005 Indian thriller film directed by Junaid Memon also produced along with Amitabh Bhattacharya. The film stars Mahima Chaudhry, Khalid Siddiqui, Ananya Khare, Chahat Khanna, Ravi Gossain, Vaibhav Jhalani and Vivek Madan in lea ...

as a rapper in a parking lot.

''Cheers'' (2003–2004)

Trice's debut album, ''

'', was released on September 23, 2003, with its first single "

Got Some Teeth "Got Some Teeth" is the first single from American rapper Obie Trice's debut studio album, '' Cheers''. The song was used as the theme song for the character " Compton-Ass Terry" in the TV show ''Viva la Bam'' on MTV. "Got Some Teeth" peaked at ...

" being well received on radio in a number of countries. "Got Some Teeth” peaked at number 54 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, and peaked within the top ten of the charts in Belgium (Flanders), Denmark, Ireland, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. In the latter country, "Got Some Teeth" debuted and peaked at number eight on the

UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

in October 2003. He also released the singles " The Set Up" and " Don't Come Down". The album consists of 17 tracks with production from

Dr. Dre Andre Romelle Young (born February 18, 1965), known professionally as Dr. Dre, is an American rapper and record producer. He is the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, and previously co-founded, co-owned, and ...

Timbaland Timothy Zachery Mosley (born March 10, 1972), known professionally as Timbaland, is an American record producer, rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. He has received widespread acclaim for his innovative production work and distinc ...

Mike Elizondo Mike Elizondo (born October 22, 1972) is an American producer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. A protege of Dr. Dre, Elizondo has worked with 50 Cent, Eminem, Carrie Underwood, Fiona Apple, Mastodon, Ry Cooder, Skylar Grey, Twenty ...

, Emile,

Fredwreck Farid Karam Nassar (born June 23, 1972), better known by his stage name Fredwreck, is a Grammy Award-winning American hip hop recording artist, DJ and record producer. He got his big break when he became a producer for Dr. Dre's newly founded re ...

and Mr. Porter. Artists featured on ''Cheers'' include

Busta Rhymes Trevor George Smith Jr. (born May 20, 1972), known professionally as Busta Rhymes, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the moniker Busta Rhymes, after NFL and CFL wide receiver ...

50 Cent Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), known professionally as 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, and businessman. Born in the South Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, Jackson began pursuing a musical career in 2000, when he produced ...

Lloyd Banks Christopher Charles Lloyd (born April 30, 1982), better known by his stage name Lloyd Banks, is an American rapper. He began his career as a member of East Coast hip hop group G-Unit, alongside childhood friends 50 Cent and Tony Yayo. After the ...

Nate Dogg Nathaniel Dwayne Hale (August 19, 1969 – March 15, 2011), known professionally as Nate Dogg, was an American singer and rapper. He gained recognition for providing guest vocals for a multitude of hit rap songs between 1992 and 2007, earning the ...

Tony Yayo Marvin Bernard (born March 31, 1978), better known by his stage name Tony Yayo, is an American rapper. He is best known as a member of G-Unit, a hip hop group he formed with his childhood friends 50 Cent and Lloyd Banks. Yayo released his deb ...

, and

. The album was eventually certified platinum by the

RIAA The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...

. Trice also featured on the track ''Hennessey'' on

Tupac Shakur Tupac Amaru Shakur ( ; born Lesane Parish Crooks, June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known as 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper. He is widely considered one of the most influential rappers of all time. Shakur is among the Li ...

's posthumous album ''

Loyal To The Game ''Loyal to the Game'' is the ninth studio album and fifth posthumous studio album by American rapper Tupac. The album was produced by Eminem and consists of remixes of previously unreleased music recorded by Tupac before his death in 1996. Release ...

''.

''Second Round's on Me'' and shooting (2005–2007)

In 2005, Trice began work on his second album, entitled ''

''. The album was released on August 15, 2006. Following the release of ''Second Round's on Me'', he released a mixtape called ''Bar Shots'' with

G-Unit G-Unit (short for Guerilla Unit) was an American hip hop group formed by longtime friends and East Coast rappers 50 Cent, Tony Yayo, and Lloyd Banks. After amassing a string of self-released mixtapes in the early 2000s, the group released th ...

DJ Whoo Kid Yves Mondesir (born October 12, 1972), better known by his stage name DJ Whoo Kid, is an American hip hop DJ. He is currently signed to G-Unit Records and its subsidiary label, Shadyville Entertainment. He is the host of ''The Whoolywood Shu ...

. Shortly after his label-mate

was shot to death in a Detroit nightclub, a song emerged on the mixtape circuit called "Ride Wit Me". The song was dedicated to Proof. Trice made a speech at Proof's funeral, addressing the problem of black-on-black violence: In the single "

Cry Now ''Second Round's on Me'' is the second studio album by rapper Obie Trice and is his final album released under Shady Records. The track "Wanna Know" can be heard on the HBO series ''Entourage'' in the episode "The Sundance Kids" and also in the gam ...

" from his second album, Trice addresses his shooting, as well as Eminem's rumored retirement,Christina Fuoco (August 9, 2006).
LiveDaily Interview: Obie Trice
". LiveDaily.com. Accessed January 22, 2008. referenced with the following line, "Rock City is my voice / The white boy has stepped down / So I will accept the crown." Trice also addresses the shooting in the song "Pistol Pistol" from the album Eminem Presents: The Re-Up claiming he's after revenge, "I solemnly swear on my daughters tears/The nigga that got him in the head will feel it before the year ends / Hope you inconspicuous my friend / `Cause once the word get back ya in a world of sin / Bullets will hurtle at him for tryin to murder what been determined as the first solo African " and later "I'm so sincere you seein' a hearse this year / it's not a verse it's curse for burstin' what's on ya person". He has since given insight as to why he feels the shooting occurred, and has labeled it " haterism", as well as a bad mind state by saying, "it's a lot of do-or-die type individuals. They want to get that plug and there's really more to the game than they think it is ..it's competition on a real vicious level."Seth Berkman (July 2, 2007).
Obie Trice: Take a Ride (Interview)
". ''XXL''. Accessed January 25, 2008.

Departure from Shady Records (2008–2009)

In June 2008, Obie Trice departed from Shady Records due to concern that he was not being promoted properly. Contrary to public belief at the time of the announcement, Trice did not have a falling out with

. Both contributed vocals and production to Trice's upcoming album. A misunderstanding was made where it was believed he was attacking the label and

on a single titled "The Giant"; however, this was quickly dismissed.Tai Saint-Louis (June 30, 2008).
Shady Records Issues Statement On Obie's Departure
". AllHipHop.com. Accessed July 1, 2008.

''Special Reserve'' (2009–2010)

On December 15, 2009, a compilation album, ''

Special Reserve The Special Reserve was established on 1 April 1908 with the function of maintaining a reservoir of manpower for the British Army and training replacement drafts in times of war. Its formation was part of the Haldane Reforms, military reforms im ...

'', by Obie Trice and

MoSS Mosses are small, non-vascular flowerless plants in the taxonomic division Bryophyta (, ) '' sensu stricto''. Bryophyta (''sensu lato'', Schimp. 1879) may also refer to the parent group bryophytes, which comprise liverworts, mosses, and hor ...

, the first producer of

DJ Premier Christopher Edward Martin (born March 21, 1966), known professionally as DJ Premier (also known as Preemo), is an American record producer and DJ. He is considered one of the greatest hip hop producers of all time. He was half of the hip hop duo ...

's "Works of Mart" production company, was released. The album is a collection of eleven of Trice's tracks recorded with MoSS from 1997 to 2000. The album served as a preface to his next album, ''Bottoms Up''.

Move to Black Market Entertainment, ''Bottoms Up'', ''The Hangover'' and ''The Fifth'' (2010–present)

On April 22, 2010, "Rap Basement" reported that Obie Trice would launch his own independent music label, Black Market Entertainment, on May 7. The label would be owned by

Universal Universal is the adjective for universe. Universal may also refer to: Companies * NBCUniversal, a media and entertainment company ** Universal Animation Studios, an American Animation studio, and a subsidiary of NBCUniversal ** Universal TV, a t ...

.Jason (April 22, 2010).
Obie Launches New Label
. Rapbasement.com. Accessed March 11, 2011.Jason (May 4, 2010). On May 4, he confirmed that

would be a featured guest artist on his upcoming album, '' Bottoms Up''. On August 24, 2010, he released a new single, "My Time 2011", from ''Bottoms Up'' via myspace; the track is produced by Geno XO. The music video was released on March 22, 2011; footage for the video was filmed at the Black Market Ent. Launch Party. On September 2, 2010, Trice announced that he would be hosting "The Black & White" concert after party, following the Eminem & Jay-Z Show at Comerica Park (held the same night), at the Goodnight Gracie's; the party goes from 9pm to 2am. On April 5, 2011, another street single from Trice was released, called "Learn to Love". Although some of the lyrics were changed, it was just a remixed version of his song titled "Haters" from his "Bar Shots" mixtape. On August 2, 2011, Obie Trice tweeted the release date for the album, October 25. The first official single, "Battle Cry" featuring Adrian Rezza, produced by Lucas Rezza was released on

iTunes iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mul ...

on August 23. On April 3, 2012, ''Bottoms Up'' was released. On May 7, Trice released a new song from his upcoming mixtape ''The Hangover'' titled "Get Rich Die Tryin" featuring

Bilal __NOTOC__ Bilal may refer to: People * Bilal (name) (a list of people with the name) * Bilal ibn Rabah, a companion of Muhammad * Bilal (American singer) * Bilal (Lebanese singer) Places *Bilal Colony, a neighbourhood of Korangi Town in Karachi, ...

. On August 1, 2012, in an interview with HipHopDX, Trice announced that he was working on an album that would also be also titled ''The Hangover'', which features one of three tracks produced by

Warren G Warren Griffin III (born November 10, 1970) is an American rapper and producer known for his role in West Coast rap's 1990s ascent.Steve Huey"Warren G: Biography" ''AllMusic.com'', Netaktion LLC, visited May 8, 2020. Along with Snoop Dogg and N ...

, who suggested that

should be featured on one of those tracks. On June 15, 2015, Obie Trice released the first single "Good Girls" from ''

The Hangover ''The Hangover'' is a 2009 American comedy film directed by Todd Phillips, co-produced with Daniel Goldberg, and written by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore. It is the first installment in ''The Hangover'' trilogy. The film stars Bradley Cooper, Ed ...

'', which was released on August 7. The track was produced by the Grammy award-winning producer

Magnedo7 Michael Crawford, better known as Magnedo7, is an American music producer from North Carolina. He has worked with many artists including Jim Jones, Obie Trice, 50 Cent, Eminem and Ice Cube. Michael's first break in the music industry came with the ...

, who was one of the producers of Eminem's seventh studio album, ''

Recovery Recovery or Recover may refer to: Arts and entertainment Books * ''Recovery'' (novel), a Star Wars e-book * Recovery Version, a translation of the Bible with footnotes published by Living Stream Ministry Film and television * ''Recovery'' (fil ...

''. In a 2016 interview with Mr. Wavvy, Trice announced that he was already crafting his fifth studio album, which he planned to releasing later in the year. Additionally, he revealed plans of a box set that included all four of his previous studio albums, along with previously unreleased tour footage. On August 23, 2019, his fifth album simply named '' The Fifth'' was released. It includes guest appearances from Magnedo7, Directorkasper,

Xzibit Alvin Nathaniel Joiner (born September 18, 1974), better known by his stage name Xzibit (pronounced "exhibit"), is an American rapper, actor, television presenter, and radio personality. Xzibit began his musical career after the release of his ...

and others. On December 10, 2019, Obie Trice released a diss track called "Spanky Hayes" against

Nick Cannon Nicholas Scott Cannon (born October 8, 1980) is an American television host, actor, rapper, and comedian. In television, Cannon began as a teenager on ''All That'' before going on to host ''The Nick Cannon Show'', ''Wild 'n Out'', ''America's G ...

to defend

after Nick Cannon released two diss tracks against Eminem. In the diss track, Trice was rapping over the instrumental of "30 Something" by

Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...

. On December 16, Trice released a second diss track against Cannon called "Spanky Hayes 2" and under original production by Dubmuzik, who has produced for Trice in the past. In the diss track, he also calls out

Suge Knight Marion Hugh "Suge" Knight Jr. (; born April 19, 1965) is a American former music executive, convicted felon, and the co-founder and former CEO of Death Row Records. Knight is considered a central figure in gangsta rap's commercial success in ...

for calling Cannon "the new

2Pac Tupac Amaru Shakur ( ; born Lesane Parish Crooks, June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known as 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper. He is widely considered one of the most influential rappers of all time. Shakur is among the b ...

" on the latter's first diss track against Eminem.

Personal life

Shootings

On December 31, 2005, Trice's car was shot six times and while driving on the Lodge Expressway by Wyoming Avenue in Detroit. One of the bullets hit him in the head. Trice was able to drive off the expressway, where his girlfriend waved down the police. He was taken to Providence Hospital and released later that day. Doctors contemplated whether or not to remove the bullet. As it was too dangerous to operate, the bullet is still lodged in his skull.

TMZ TMZ is a tabloid news website owned by Fox Corporation. It made its debut on November 8, 2005, originally as a collaboration between AOL and Telepictures, a division of Warner Bros., until Time Warner divested AOL in 2009. On September 13, 202 ...

reported on December 6, 2019, that Trice was arrested for shooting his girlfriend's son. On July 8, 2020, Trice was sentenced to 90 days in the Oakland County Jail in Michigan from charges related to the shooting.

Meeting with Michigan State Senator

On April 22, 2011, Trice met with Michigan State Senator Virgil Smith Jr. to discuss providing local artists with entertainment venues.

Michigan arrest

On June 16, 2022, Trice was arrested and jailed after an arraignment in District Court in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan on a charge of using a telephone to harass or threaten someone. Soon after, he posted the $10,000 bond in the case.

Discography

;Studio albums * ''

'' (2003) * ''

'' (2006) * '' Bottoms Up'' (2012) * ''

'' (2015) * ''The Fifth'' (2019) ;Mixtapes * ''The Bar Is Open'' (with

DJ Green Lantern James Christopher D'Agostino (born July 7, 1975), professionally known as DJ Green Lantern, is an American hip hop DJ and producer from Rochester, New York. In 2002, D'Agostino was signed by American rapper Eminem, to become the official DJ for S ...

) (2003) * ''Bar Shots'' (hosted by

) (2006) * ''The Most Under Rated'' (hosted by DJ Whoo Kid) (2007) * ''Watch the Chrome'' (hosted by DJ Whoo Kid) (2012) ;Compilation albums * ''

'' (with

) (2009) ;Collaboration albums * '' Eminem Presents: The Re-Up'' (with

) (2006)

References

External links

Official Obie Trice website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Trice, Obie 1977 births African-American male rappers African-American Christians American people of German descent American shooting survivors Living people Midwest hip hop musicians Rappers from Detroit 21st-century American rappers 21st-century American male musicians 21st-century African-American musicians 20th-century African-American people