Bugz

Karnail Paul Pitts (January 5, 1977 – May 21, 1999), better known by his stage name Bugz, was an American underground rapper from Detroit, Michigan and a member of the group D12 from 1996 to 1999. He became one of the first to join the burgeoning D12 crew He was also a solo hip hop artist. Bugz was also known by his alter-ego "Robert Beck." He released his first EP in 1999 called These Streets EP. Bugz also appeared on DJ Carl's 1999 album The Art of Invisibility in which he rapped on the "Detroit Detroit" interlude. Most of Bugz's solo work was in 1999, but several recordings from 1999 of him performing with other raps such as 5150 and M.O.B. were released on various album. Bugz's first solo album called Mr. Obnoxious was released in February 2000 posthumously, with appearances from Eminem, 5150, Proof, Swifty McVay, and Bizarre. In 2004, DJ Butter hosted a posthumous mixtape called DJ Butter Presents: Bugz, One Man Mob.^[1]

Early life

Born Karnail Paul Pitts on January 5, 1977 in Detroit, Michigan, Bugz grew up without a father, his father having abandoned him and the rest of the family while Bugz was young. Bugz rapped about this with Bizarre and 5150 in the song "Deadbeat Dads".

Death

Bugz was expected to perform at a show in Grand Rapids, Michigan as part of the Eminem tour, on May 21, 1999, but he never made it. The day of the show, Bugz, a friend, and his friend's cousin were spending the afternoon at Detroit's Belle Isle Park. An altercation arose when a man sprayed Bugz' friend's cousin with a high-powered water gun and she took offense. A heated argument ensued which escalated into a fistfight, and Bugz intervened on his friend's behalf. At this point, a friend of the man with the water gun went into a Ford Expedition, drew a rifle, and fired at Bugz, who was looking away at the time. He was hit three times at close range, once in the neck, and once in the chest. The men then ran Bugz over in the Expedition. An ambulance was called, but due to traffic on the bridge to Belle Isle, it took them thirty minutes to get onto the island. Bugz was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he could not be saved. In memory of Bugz's death, a posthumous mixtape was made and hosted by DJ Butter. Recordings of Bugz rapping with Eminem and Proof from 1997 were on the skit "Bugz '97" on D12's second studio album, D12 World. Bugz's songs such as "These Streets" have appeared on posthumous albums and mixtapes hosted by different DJs throughout the years. Eminem's song "Like Toy Soldiers" is dedicated to Bugz which depicts Proof dying at the hospital in the video which was filmed a year before Proof's passing.

Release of Mr. Obnoxious

Mr. Obnoxious was Bugz's first album, due for release in February, 2000. The release was delayed after Bugz death, but was still released underground in memory of him with original tracks, including "Black Power"

Discography

Solo

• These Streets EP (1999)
• Mr. Obnoxious (LP, 2000; posthumous)

Mixtapes

• DJ Butter Presents: Bugz, One Man Mob (2004; posthumous)

Collaborations

• The Underground EP with D12 (1996)
• Quiet As Kept Entertainment Presents...Detroit’s Best Kept Secret (1999)

References