Soul Intent

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Eminem chronology
Soul Intent

Studio album by Eminem, Proof
Released	1995
Recorded	1995
Genre	Hip hop
Label	Mashin' Duck Records
Producer(s)	Eminem
	Soul Intent (1995)	Infinite (1996)

Soul Intent was a Detroit rap group in the early to mid 1990s, important to the development of the career of Eminem. The group consisted of rapper M&M (now Eminem), the late MC Proof, and DJ Butterfingers.

There is little known about the group's releases, although there is one single called Fucking Backstabber, with a song called Biterphobia on the b-side. This was released in 1995 on Mashin' Duck Records. The group did not have a lot of money to spend on production, so the two tracks are built primarily on samples of other recordings, particularly Fucking Backstabber.

The single's title track is a "diss" aimed at an African-American rapper called Champtown, who was also from Detroit. Eminem had collaborated with the rapper, and even featured in one of his music videos, but had suspicion that Champtown was actually trying to get with his girlfriend Kim, behind his back which caused him to make this track. It features samples from The Pharcyde's On The D.L., amongst a variety of samples from instruments, including pianos and saxophones, and is set to a typical rock drum-beat. Biterphobia is quite different. Some people believe this is one of Eminem's best songs. The track is quite upbeat. There is some scratching, and the whole track is built around a guitar sample from Heaven On Their Minds, taken from the motion picture Jesus Christ Superstar.

The original tape was pressed in very small numbers, and has been auctioned on eBay, selling for around $700, because it is so rare. Since the mid '90s, the group has split up and Eminem and Proof no longer work with DJ Butterfingers.

In 1997, Eminem made a demo tape with The Funky Bass Team (F.B.T.), called The Slim Shady EP. This tape eventually ended up in the hands of gangster-rap producer Dr. Dre. Dre was so impressed by Eminem's lyrical talent that he tracked him down and had Eminem flown to California.

Eminem and Proof later worked together in the popular hip-hop group D12 until Proof's death on 11 April 2006.