Hailing from Detroit's brutal Eastside, producer, lyricist, and storyteller, Esham rose to legendary status at the young age of 15 when his debut album "Boomin Words From Hell" sold over 100K copies solely by word-of-mouth. The infamous and highly coveted "red tape" details the perils of being young and black in a city ravaged by drugs and violence – and Esham's wavering faith.

 "I'm not an atheist. 

But what has God done for me?

Oh, he let me grow up in the motherfuckin' ghetto."

Esham blended those religious undertones with the dark personas of Kiss and Ozzy, along with the raw and unfiltered style of NWA, the Geto Boys, and Too Short. This new sound was unlike anything anyone had ever heard. And it scared the hell out of them.

This recipe became the foundation for an entire genre. The Wicket Shit, Underground, Horrorcore, or Acidrap – call it whatever you want. Esham's music broke all the rules. Scathing with spiritual, sexual, and political commentary, he blurred the lines between right and wrong and good and evil. He blended samples from every genre with live instruments and often produced it all himself. And he released his music on his own label – Reel Life Productions (RLP). Founded by Esham and brother James at ages 15 and 18 (respectively), RLP was the biggest selling indie hip-hop label of the 1990s.

Esham's entrepreneurial spirit, vision, and creativity have inspired countless artists in his hometown and around the world. With 50+ releases and counting, Esham continues to blaze his own trails and reinvent his sound – giving fans and critics – something to talk about.