Esham facts for kids

Esham Attica Smith (born September 20, 1973), known simply as Esham, is an American rapper from Detroit, Michigan. He was one of the first hip-hop artists to become famous from Detroit. Esham released his first album, Boomin' Words from ..., in 1989 when he was only 16 years old.

Esham is known for his work in a style of hip-hop called horrorcore, which uses dark and spooky themes. In 1992, he started the group N...s. He also created his own record label, Reel Life Productions, with his brother James Smith. Esham's music often mixes rock music with hip-hop beats. His lyrics explore serious topics like life in the city, challenges, and paranoia. He calls his unique style "acid rap."

Biography

Early Life and Career

Esham Attica Smith was born in Long Island, New York. He grew up in Detroit, Michigan, living with his mother in the Seven Mile neighborhood. He spent his summers in New York with his grandmother. In high school, he learned to play piano, guitar, and trombone. He was a fan of music groups like The Sugarhill Gang, Run-DMC, Ozzy Osbourne, and Kiss.

Esham started writing his own lyrics, and his older brother, James, encouraged him to become a professional rapper. At the time, Detroit did not have a big rap scene. His brother believed Esham could bring a new and unique sound to music.

When he was 16, Esham released his first album, Boomin' Words from .... He said the album was an expression of what was happening in Detroit at the time. In 1990, Esham and his brother started their own record label, Reel Life Productions. At first, it was hard for Esham to find an audience because his style was so different. His music mixed heavy metal sounds with hip-hop, which was unusual.

In 1991, Esham met Joseph Bruce from the group Insane Clown Posse. Bruce was a big fan of Esham's music, and the two became friends and started working together.

Rise in the Detroit Music Scene

After releasing two EPs, Esham released a double album called Judgement Day in 1992. The album was split into two parts, Day and Night. Music critics have said that this album was some of his most creative work of the 1990s.

While in high school, Esham met another rapper named Mastamind. Together with Esham's friend TNT, they formed the group N...s. In 1992, Esham was featured on the first album by Insane Clown Posse, called Carnival of Carnage. He produced three songs and rapped on the last track. That same year, N...s released their first album, Life After ....

In 1993, Esham released his third solo album, K... the Fetus. By this time, his rapping and music production skills had grown even stronger. He followed this with the album Closed Casket in 1994. In 1996, he released Dead Flowerz, which reached number 38 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.

Musical Career

Gothom Records and New Projects

In 1997, Esham changed the name of his record label from Reel Life Productions to Gothom Records. He released the album Bruce Wayne: Gothom City 1987, which charted at number 57 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. He later signed a deal with TVT Records to help distribute his music.

In 2001, Esham released his eighth album, Tongues. This album was very successful. It reached number 7 on the Top Independent Albums chart and number 195 on the Billboard 200.

Working with Psychopathic Records

In 2002, Esham signed with Psychopathic Records, the label run by Insane Clown Posse. He released a compilation album called Acid Rain. It was said that he would start to move away from the horror themes of his earlier music.

His next album, Repentance, came out in 2003. It performed well on several music charts. One critic said the album was "a small step forward for Esham" and that he seemed very confident as an artist.

In 2005, Esham released A-1 Yola on Psychopathic Records. This became his highest-charting album on the Billboard 200, reaching number 176. After this album, Esham left the label to focus on his own company, Reel Life/Gothom, again.

Recent Work

Esham has continued to release music and work on new projects. In 2010, he released the album Suspended Animation, followed by DMT Sessions in 2011. He also directed a documentary called Death of an Indie Label, which was released on YouTube.

In 2012, MTV wrote a story about Esham's disagreements with other artists. However, by 2015, he had made up with Insane Clown Posse. He performed at their Juggalo Day event in 2016.

Musical Style

Esham's lyrics often tell stories that are shocking and exaggerated, similar to a cartoon version of life in Detroit. His early style was influenced by the rap group Geto Boys. He calls his style "acid rap," comparing his lyrics to the strange visions someone might have. His music is also known as horrorcore hip-hop.

Esham explained that his early music was meant to get people's attention and make them think. He said, "We said a lot of things that people wanted to say but didn't say. We talked about a lot of political and social [issues] that people didn't want to talk about."

After some people criticized his dark themes, Esham decided to change his focus. He said that Closed Casket would be his last album with those kinds of themes. He explained, "I just try to uplift people now. The latest things I do, I'm trying to get a message out to people, while I'm entertaining them at the same time."

Esham's music is often described as a mix of hip-hop beats and death metal lyrics. He has called his style a modern version of blues or heavy metal. His unique sound has been a major influence on many artists, including Insane Clown Posse.

Discography

Studio albums

• Boomin' Words from ... (1989)
• Judgement Day (1992)
• K... the Fetus (1993)
• Closed Casket (1994)
• Dead Flowerz (1996)
• Bruce Wayne: Gothom City 1987 (1997)
• Mail Dominance (1999)
• Tongues (2001)
• Repentance (2003)
• A-1 Yola (2005)
• Sacrificial Lambz (2008)
• Suspended Animation (2010)
• DMT Sessions (2011)
• Venus Flytrap (2012)
• Dichotomy (2015)
• Scribble (2017)
• Dead of Winter (2018)
• She Loves Me (2020)
• She Loves Me Not (2020)
• Psyops (2021)
• Purgatory (2023)