Esham, born Rashaam Attica Smith, lived grew up in the Seven-Mile neighborhood of East Detroit, spending his summers with his grandmother in New York.  He studied music in high school, learning to play the piano, guitar, and guitar, and his primary musical influences included Ozzy Osbourne and Kiss,

Esham

After I do something then it becomes accepted by the mainstream. The mainstream always looks to the underground for their ideas and for new ways of doing things and I feel like we've been the nucleus of the underground for so long that this is another gift to the industry.

The Streets of Detroit

Esham, born Rashaam Attica Smith, lived grew up in the Seven-Mile neighborhood of East Detroit, spending his summers with his grandmother in New York.  He studied music in high school, learning to play the piano, guitar, and guitar, and his primary musical influences included Ozzy Osbourne and Kiss, as well as the Sugar Hill Gang and Run-DMC.

Esham's first album, Bloomin' Woods from Hell, debuted in 1989.  His music was not well received because hip hop fans did not know what to do with the obvious heavy metal influences which were obvious in his music, and his lyrics were written off as an attempt at shock value.  However, he states that shock value was not his goal.  His words were about growing up on the streets of Detroit in the 1980's and the drug cartels that were such a part of the streets then.

Building A Name for Himself

Ushering in the 1990's, Esham began collaborating with others as well as continuing to produce solo work.  In 1992, Esham formed a group called Natas with Mastamind and TNT.  The trio released an album called Life After Death which contained extremely angry, callous, and decadent lyrics and themes, that it turned away the majority of listeners.  Not discouraged, Esham and the group named their brand of rap/heavy metal music “acid rap.”

Esham signed with Psychopathic Records in 2002 and toned down his lyrics for a  few years.  While still gritty, he removed some of the darkest of the imagery.  His albums enjoyed moderate success, and his singles on line started pulling a fan base as well as his disc recordings.  Mp3 downloads became popular, and Esham had a new venue through which to sell his work.

Still Rapping

Esham continues to be productive, creating original solo work and collaborating with other rap and R&B artists.  His lyrics tend to center around topics, such as death, evil, paranoia, drug use, and sex.  He has worked to keep his lyrics oriented toward life on the streets, and to rap about what he chooses, not what others may want from him.  However, when accusations arose that was a Satanist, he made it a point to take evil and the devil off of his topics of choice.

Esham's self-dubbed acid rap is a strong mix of rap and heavy metal undertones.  He has been an influence on later bands, such as Korn, Kid Rock, Limp Bizkit, and Everlast.  In one of his songs, Eminem refers to himself as “a cross between Manson, Esham, and Ozzy.”   Esham continues to record and perform, with a much larger fan base than in the past.

Did you know . . .

1. The name, Esham, is an acronym for “East Side Hoes and Money.”

2. Esham was only 15 years old when he released his first album.

3. In 2008, Esham started a petition to run for mayor of Detroit.

• Unlimited Music Access
• Music File Sharing
• Country Based Radio Channels
• Easy, Fast and Safe!
• 100% Free!