Bizarre (rapper)
Encyclopedia
Rufus Arthur Johnson better known as Bizarre is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 recording artist best known for his work with Detroit hip-hop group D12
D12
D12, an acronym for The Dirty Dozen, is an American hip hop group from Detroit, Michigan. D12 has had chart-topping albums in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia...

. His songs are often about subjects which create shock value
Shock value
Shock value is the potential of an action , image, text, or other form of communication to provoke a reaction of disgust, shock, anger, fear, or similar negative emotions.-Shock value as humor:...

 such as rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...

 and drugs
DRUGS
Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows are an American post-hardcore band formed in 2010. They released their debut self-titled album on February 22, 2011.- Formation :...

.

Early life

Bizarre was born as Rufus Arthur Johnson on July 5, 1976 in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...

. Bizarre grew up living with his single mother. In 1995 he joined the rap group D12
D12
D12, an acronym for The Dirty Dozen, is an American hip hop group from Detroit, Michigan. D12 has had chart-topping albums in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia...

 with neighborhood friends DeShaun "Proof
Proof (rapper)
DeShaun Dupree Holton better known as Proof his stage name, was an American rapper from Detroit, Michigan. During his career, he was a member of the groups Goon Squad, 5 Elementz, Promatic, and most notably D12...

" Holton, Carnail "Bugz" Pitts, and Von "Kuniva" Carlisle. He also met Eminem
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...

 through Proof, and the two are currently associates in Shady Records as well as bandmates. Bizarre used to attend a club on Friday nights called St. Andrews
Friday Night at St. Andrews
Reviews for the album have been mainly negative. HipHopDX gave the album 1 and a half out of 5 stars and wrote that "While Bizarre is a grizzled veteran and strange has a market to sell, it has to be done in a convincing manner. Bizarre is unable to do this on Friday Night at St...

 where rap battles would be the main subject.

Music career

Bizarre made his first EP titled Attack of the Weirdos in 1997. For a while, he did not practice his solo career, rather performing more often with his rap group, D12. Bizarre was present for D12's first EP in 1996 titled The Underground EP as well for their first studio album in 2001 titled Devil's Night
Devil's Night
Devil's Night or Hell Night ' is a name associated with October 30th, the night before Halloween. It is related to the "Mischief night" practiced in other parts of the United States and the world, but is chiefly associated with the serious vandalism and arson seen in Detroit, Michigan from the...

. Bizarre continued to perform alongside D12 without practicing his solo career, not until after the release of D12's second album D12 World
D12 World
Notes* The skit titled "Bugz" is from the song "Desperados" by Eminem Featuring Proof, Bugz & The Almighty Dreadknaughts.* The song "Just Like U" doesn't appear on the clean version of the album....

in 2004. Bizarre then released his first official studio album in 2005 titled Hannicap Circus
Hannicap Circus
Note: On the edited Version, all skits were cut and it left only 17 tracks. Also all profanity was blanked on the edited version with the exception of "Fuck Your Life", which allegedly contained backmasking....

.

In 2007, Bizarre released his second studio album called Blue Cheese & Coney Island
Blue Cheese & Coney Island
Blue Cheese & Coney Island is the second studio album by rapper Bizarre, distributed by Koch Records and Shady Records and released on October 23, 2007. The album has been received as average, primarily. The songs featured in the most positive light were "Livin' This Life" and "Money Don't Make Me"...

.
In 2008 Bizarre was with D12 to record their first official mixtape titled Return of the Dozen, and returned to do a sequel in 2011 called Return of the Dozen Vol. 2.

In 2010, Bizarre released his third studio album titled Friday Night at St. Andrews
Friday Night at St. Andrews
Reviews for the album have been mainly negative. HipHopDX gave the album 1 and a half out of 5 stars and wrote that "While Bizarre is a grizzled veteran and strange has a market to sell, it has to be done in a convincing manner. Bizarre is unable to do this on Friday Night at St...

. The album is more reality-based on actual situations throughout Bizarre's early life and career, thus the album is more conscious than his previous releases.

Bizarre along with King Gordy have formed a hip hop duo called "the Davidians." The Davidians were featured on Esham
Esham
Rashaam Attica Smith, better known by his stage name Esham , is an American rapper from Detroit, Michigan known for his hallucinogenic style of hip hop which he refers to as "acid rap", which fuses rock-based beats and lyrics involving subjects such as death, drug use, evil, paranoia and...

's mixtape The Butcher Shop. The duo is currently seeking a record label.

Discography

Studio albums
  • Hannicap Circus
    Hannicap Circus
    Note: On the edited Version, all skits were cut and it left only 17 tracks. Also all profanity was blanked on the edited version with the exception of "Fuck Your Life", which allegedly contained backmasking....

    (2005)
  • Blue Cheese & Coney Island
    Blue Cheese & Coney Island
    Blue Cheese & Coney Island is the second studio album by rapper Bizarre, distributed by Koch Records and Shady Records and released on October 23, 2007. The album has been received as average, primarily. The songs featured in the most positive light were "Livin' This Life" and "Money Don't Make Me"...

    (2007)
  • Friday Night at St. Andrews
    Friday Night at St. Andrews
    Reviews for the album have been mainly negative. HipHopDX gave the album 1 and a half out of 5 stars and wrote that "While Bizarre is a grizzled veteran and strange has a market to sell, it has to be done in a convincing manner. Bizarre is unable to do this on Friday Night at St...

    (2010)
  • Life As A Backup Dancer For Hammer (2011)

Extended plays
Mixtapes
  • Hate Music (2007)
  • Liquor, Weed & Food Stamps (2008)
  • A Pre-Coney Island Mixtape (2009)

Discography with D12
  • The Underground EP
    The Underground EP
    The Underground EP is the debut EP by D12, released in 1997. The album was recorded and produced from late 1996 to mid 1997, with help from the Bass Brothers. The Underground EP is the only release by D12 that deceased member Bugz was featured in...

    (1996)
  • Devil's Night
    Devil's Night
    Devil's Night or Hell Night ' is a name associated with October 30th, the night before Halloween. It is related to the "Mischief night" practiced in other parts of the United States and the world, but is chiefly associated with the serious vandalism and arson seen in Detroit, Michigan from the...

    (2001)
  • D12 World
    D12 World
    Notes* The skit titled "Bugz" is from the song "Desperados" by Eminem Featuring Proof, Bugz & The Almighty Dreadknaughts.* The song "Just Like U" doesn't appear on the clean version of the album....

    (2004)
  • Return of the Dozen Vol. 1 (2008)
  • Return of the Dozen Vol. 2 (2011)


Further reading


External links

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