Devil's Night (album)

Devil's Night is the debut studio album by Detroit hip hop group D12. It was released on June 19, 2001 under Shady Records and Interscope Records. It was also the first album to be released on Shady Records, although the label had been active since 1999.

Devil's Night
Studio album by D12
Released	June 19, 2001
Recorded	1999–2001
Genre	Hardcore hip hop horrorcore[1]
Length	75:09
Label	Shady Interscope
Producer	Eminem (also exec.) Denaun Porter DJ Head Dr. Dre Jeff Bass
D12 chronology
The Underground EP (1996) Devil's Night (2001) D12 World (2004)
Singles from Devil's Night
"Shit On You" Released: December 5, 2000 "Purple Pills" Released: June 5, 2001 "Ain't Nuttin' but Music" Released: October 2, 2001 "Fight Music" Released: November 27, 2001

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	(58/100)[2]
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[3]
The A.V. Club	(mixed)[4]
Entertainment Weekly	C[5]
HipHopDX	[6]
NME	7/10[7]
Q	[2]
RapReviews	7.5/10[8]
Robert Christgau	C[9]
Rolling Stone	[10]
The Source	[11]

Background

The album was executive produced by Eminem, who had recently released his hugely successful third studio album, The Marshall Mathers LP, a year earlier. The album's title comes from the Devil's Night tradition, recognized in and around Detroit in which abandoned homes are set ablaze. This practice was so popular in Detroit that it was depicted in the film 8 Mile. The group recorded Devil's Night in memory of Bugz, who was killed in May 1999 just hours prior to a concert.

Singles

The album produced three singles: "Purple Pills", "Ain't Nuttin' But Music", and "Fight Music". The album featured a hidden track by Eminem called "Girls", which is a diss track aimed at Limp Bizkit, DJ Lethal, Dilated Peoples, and Everlast.

Production

In August 2001, while on promotion for the album, D12 and Esham were kicked off the Warped Tour after members of the group allegedly physically attacked Esham over the lyrics of his song "Chemical Imbalance," which contained a reference to Eminem's daughter. Eminem was not present during the tour.

Guest appearances on the album included Dr. Dre, Obie Trice, Truth Hurts, and Dina Rae.

The song "Revelation" parodies "Another Brick in the Wall Pt II", where there are kids screaming and Eminem shouting "Wrong! Do it again!" and "If you don't eat yer meat, you can't have any pudding! You can't have any pudding if you don't eat yer meat!". During the chorus, Eminem also raps: "I don't wanna go to school, I don't need no education".

Censored material

On the censored version of the album, alternate versions of "Purple Pills" and "Fight Music" were included, entitled "Purple Hills" and "Flight Music". "Shit Can Happen", "Pistol Pistol", and "Pimp Like Me", were also edited, removing the offensive content from their titles. The "Dirty Edition" was available in both Europe and the United Kingdom. However, some versions swap the running order, making "Shit On You" track three and "These Drugs" track one. The rare censored version of the album did not remove all expletives, as words like "ass", "asshole", "faggot", "nigga", "pussy", "hoe", "whore", "slut", "tits", "nuts" and "goddamn" were permissible on the album, as well as most sex references. Mostly violence and heavy drug use are removed on the edited version. The physical copies of the clean version mistakenly list "Girls" as the 18th track after "Revelation", even though "Girls" isn't supposed to be listed on the back cover at all.

There were several songs that contained censored parts, even in the explicit version of the album: In the song "Pistol Pistol", Kon Artis' line "some semi-automatic for static's the motto, spitting like Columbine kids from Colorado" was censored, with the phrase "Columbine kids" removed and replaced with the sound of kids screaming. Eminem also had a censored line at the end of the song, where he said "Sorry cops, fucking pigs" with the words "cops" and "pigs" removed. In the song "Shit Can Happen", the word "cops" is censored again in Eminem's verse when he says "when the cops come knocking". In the song "Purple Pills" the word "infant" is removed from Proof's verse when he says "now I gotta strangle an infant". In the song "Instigator", when Proof says "convinced a tenth grader to run up inside his classroom and leave the kids sprayed up" the phrase "sprayed up" is removed. In the song "Devil's Night", Kuniva's line is censored when he says "and when it blast, it'll take off every piece of your niece, from her barrettes to her cheeks to her cute little feet" with the word "niece" removed and replaced with the sound of a girl's scream.

Commercial performance

The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with approximately 371,881 copies sold during the first week of release.[12] It re-entered the number one spot in its third week of release with approximately 173,956 copies sold overtaking Alicia Keys' Songs in A Minor by just 306 copies.[13] Ultimately the album was certified platinum by a two-week stay at number one and twenty-two weeks on the chart overall.[14]

The album debuted at number two on the UK Albums Chart with approximately 57,967 copies sold during the first week of release. Ultimately the album was certified platinum; total sales of the album stand at 436,977 as of December 2017.[15]

Critical reception

Upon its release, Devil's Night received a score of 58 out of 100 from Metacritic due to mixed or average reviews from music critics.[2] Nathan Brackett of Rolling Stone gave the album 3 stars out of 5, saying that "If the Slim Shady and Marshall Mathers albums were slapstick trips into one man's psychosis - like the Marx Brothers starring in 'Taxi Driver' - then Devil's Night is 'Friday the 13th' by the Farrelly brothers....with results varying from silly to just dumb....yet its high points are some of the most accomplished hip-hop we'll hear this year."[10] AllMusic wrote "Besides the remarkable production, Eminem also showcases his songwriting genius on several of the song's hooks, bringing a catchy pop-rap approach to hardcore lyrics." [16]

Q Magazine also awarded it 3 stars out of 5, commenting, "A slightly tweaked re-run of The Marshall Mathers LP, with a couple of stonking singles."[17]

NME gave Devil's Night a 7 out of 10, stating that it is "Eminem's most misogynistic, homophobic, violent and anally fixated trip to date."[7] The Source gave the record 3 and half out of 5 mics. As many of the magazine's editors were feuding with D12 at the time of the review, namely Benzino, the rating is usually considered biased.[11]

Despite mixed reviews, the album gained a strong following after its release. Denaun Porter (a.k.a. Kon Artis) is really pleased with the project: "That album, man, when I think about it, there wasn’t a lot of skippers on that album. It was really well put together."[18]

Awards and nominations

Year	Ceremony	Award	Result
2002	ECHO Awards	Best Hip-Hop/Urban Artist (International)	Won

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Another Public Service Announcement" (skit by Jeff Bass and Rondell Beene)		Dr. Dre Denaun Porter^[b]	0:48
2.	"Shit Can Happen"	Marshall Mathers Denaun Porter Von Carlisle Ondre Moore Jeffrey Bass	Denaun Porter	4:51
3.	"Pistol Pistol"	Mathers Porter Carlisle Moore Rufus Johnson DeShaun Holton	Eminem Porter^[a]	5:22
4.	"Bizarre" (skit by Bizarre)		Eminem Scott Storch	1:11
5.	"Nasty Mind" (featuring Truth Hurts)	Mathers Porter Carlisle Moore Johnson Andre Young Mike Elizondo	Dr. Dre	4:43
6.	"Ain't Nuttin' But Music" (featuring Dr. Dre)	Mathers Porter Carlisle Moore Johnson Holton Young Elizondo Scott Storch	Dr. Dre	5:11
7.	"American Psycho"	Mathers Porter Johnson Bass	Eminem Jeff Bass^[a]	4:36
8.	"That's How" (skit by Kon Artis)		Eminem Dr. Dre^[a]	0:37
9.	"That's How..."	Mathers Porter Carlisle Moore Johnson Holton Bass	Porter Eminem^[b]	4:48
10.	"Purple Pills"	Mathers Porter Carlisle Moore Johnson Holton Bass	Eminem Bass^[a]	5:04
11.	"Fight Music"	Mathers Porter Carlisle Moore Johnson Holton Young Elizondo	Dr. Dre	4:21
12.	"Instigator"	Mathers Porter Carlisle Moore Holton Bass	Eminem Bass^[b]	4:56
13.	"Pimp Like Me" (featuring Dina Rae)	Mathers Porter Carlisle Moore Johnson Holton Bass	Eminem Bass^[a]	5:56
14.	"Blow My Buzz"	Mathers Porter Carlisle Moore Johnson Holton Bass	Eminem Bass^[b]	5:09
15.	"Obie Trice" (skit by Proof and Rondell Beene featuring Obie Trice)		Eminem DJ Head^[a]	1:06
16.	"Devil's Night"	Mathers Porter Carlisle Moore Johnson Bass	Eminem Bass^[b]	4:19
17.	"Steve Berman" (skit by Steve Berman and Eminem)	Paul Rosenberg Dean Geistlinger	Eminem Luis Resto^[a]	0:49
18.	"Revelation"	Mathers Porter Carlisle Moore Johnson Holton Young Elizondo Storch	Dr. Dre	5:48
19.	"Girls" (Limp Bizkit diss) (performed by Eminem) (hidden track)	Mathers Luis Resto	Eminem	5:34
Total length:				75:09

Limited Edition Bonus Disc

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Shit on You" (album version)	Marshall Mathers Denaun Porter Von Carlisle Ondre Moore Rufus Johnson	DJ Head Eminem^[b]	5:14
2.	"Words Are Weapons"	Mathers Moore Johnson Kevin Bell	Eminem DJ Head	4:38
3.	"These Drugs" (explicit)	Mathers Moore Johnson DeShaun Holton Jeffrey Bass Bell	Eminem Jeff Bass DJ Head	4:40
4.	"Shit on You" (music video) (explicit)	Mathers Moore Johnson Holton Bass Bell	Eminem Bass DJ Head	5:31
5.	"Dirty TV International" (video)
6.	"D-12 Picture gallery"
7.	"www.D12online.com Weblink"
Total length:				95:26

Notes

• ^{^[a]} signifies an additional producer.
• ^{^[b]} signifies a co-producer.
• "Shit On You" contains an interpolation of "Make 'Em Say Uhh" by Master P
• "Shit On You" was the commercial debut single of the group, being released in December 2000[19]
• "Words Are Weapons" originally appeared on DJ Funkmaster Flex's mixtape The Mix Tape, Vol. IV
• "These Drugs" originally appeared on the soundtrack of the 2001 horror film Bones

Sample credits

• "Shit Can Happen" contains a sample of "Just Another Case" as performed by Cru
• "Pistol Pistol" contains a sample of "Kick in the Door" as performed by The Notorious B.I.G.
• "Nasty Mind" contains a sample of "Ain't No Fun (If the Homies Can't Have None)" as performed by Snoop Dogg featuring Nate Dogg, Kurupt and Warren G
• "Ain't Nuttin' but Music" contains a sample of "Turn Off the Radio" as performed by Ice Cube
• "That's How..." contains a sample of "(Don't Worry) if There's a Hell Below, We're All Going to Go" as performed by Curtis Mayfield
• "Fight Music" contains a sample of "Kashmir" as performed by Led Zeppelin
• "Instigator" contains a sample of "Under the Influence" as performed by D12
• "Steve Berman" contains a sample of "The Way I Am" as performed by Eminem
• "Revelation" contains a sample of "Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)" and "In the Flesh" as performed by Pink Floyd
• "Girls" contains a sample of "Rollin'" as performed by Limp Bizkit
• "Shit On You" contains samples of "In the Beginning" as performed by Lonnie Smith and "Vivrant Thing" as performed by Q-Tip

Personnel

• Jeff Bass – bass and keyboards on tracks 2, 3, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 16 and 22; bass on track 19; guitars on tracks 3, 7, 9, 13, 14, 16 and 22
• DJ Head – drum programming on tracks 3, 7, 10, 13, 16 and 19
• Mike Elizondo – guitars on tracks 5, 6, 11 and 18; bass on tracks 5, 6 and 11; keyboards on tracks 5 and 11
• Scott Storch – keyboards on tracks 6, 11 and 18
• Camara Kambon – keyboards on track 5
• Ray Gale – harmonica on track 10
• Traci Nelson – backing vocals on track 11
• Dina Rae – vocals on track 13
• Luis Resto – keyboards on track 19

Chart positions

Weekly charts Chart (2001) Peak position Australian Albums (ARIA)[20] 4 Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[21] 12 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[22] 5 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[23] 10 Canadian Albums (Billboard)[24] 1 Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[25] 5 Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[26] 5 Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[27] 2 French Albums (SNEP)[28] 16 German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[29] 5 Irish Albums (IRMA)[30] 4 Italian Albums (FIMI)[31] 39 New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[32] 4 Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[33] 5 Scottish Albums (OCC)[34] 2 Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[35] 9 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[36] 7 UK Albums (OCC)[37] 2 US Billboard 200[38] 1 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[39] 1

Year-end charts Chart (2001) Position Australian Albums (ARIA)[40] 37 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[41] 38 Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[42] 61 French Albums (SNEP)[43] 142 German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[44] 49 UK Albums (OCC)[45] 53 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[46] 26

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[47]	Platinum	70,000^^
Canada (Music Canada)[48]	3× Platinum	300,000^^
France (SNEP)[49]	Gold	100,000^*
Germany (BVMI)[50]	Gold	150,000^^
Japan (RIAJ)[51]	Platinum	200,000^^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[52]	Platinum	15,000^^
United Kingdom (BPI)[53]	Platinum	436,977[15]
United States (RIAA)[54]	2× Platinum	2,000,000^^
^* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

1. "Eminem's Greatest Hits Reconsidered". MTV. June 23, 2010.
2. "Critic Reviews for Devil's Night". Metacritic. Retrieved 2012-06-18.
3. Allmusic review
4. Rabin, Nathan (2002-04-19). "D12: Devil's Night". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 2012-06-18.
5. Browne, David (2001-06-29). "Devils Night Review". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2012-06-18.
6. HipHopDX (21 June 2001). "D12 - Devil's Night". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on 11 January 2012. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
7. Kessler, Ted (2001-07-03). "NME Album Review - D12: Devil's Night". NME. Retrieved 2012-06-18.
8. "RapReviews.com Feature for June 19, 2001 - D12's "Devils Night"". rapreviews.com.
9. Christgau, Robert. "CG: D12". RobertChristgau.com. Retrieved 2012-06-18.
10. Brackett, Nathan (2001-07-19). "Recordings: D12, Devil's Night". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2001-08-02. Retrieved 2012-06-18.
11. Clip from film Beef III. Shot of Source review 04.40 minutes in Retrieved 2012-02-23.
12. "Eminem's D12 put 'Devil's Night' hit number one on the charts". Rolling Stone.
13. "Harrison Ford rescues another stranded hiker". Entertainment Weekly.
14. "D12 Devil's Night Chart History - Billboard". Billboard.
15. Jones, Alan (December 22, 2017). "Charts Analysis: Eminem's Revival debuts at No.1". Music Week. Intent Media. Retrieved October 22, 2018.
16. Birchmeier, Jason. "All Music Overview". Retrieved 5 July 2016.
17. Q Magazine(Summer/01, p.100) Retrieved 2012-02-23.
18. https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/denaun-porter-in-depth-working-with-eminem-and-dr-dre-making-devils-night-and-infinite-news.115275.html%3f_amp
19. "Shit On You".
20. "Australiancharts.com – D12 – Devils Night". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 28, 2018.
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24. "D12 Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
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26. "Dutchcharts.nl – D12 – Devils Night" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
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33. "Norwegiancharts.com – D12 – Devils Night". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
34. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
35. "Swedishcharts.com – D12 – Devils Night". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
36. "Swisscharts.com – D12 – Devils Night". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
37. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
38. "D12 Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
39. "D12 Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
40. "ARIA End of Year Albums Chart 2001". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
41. "Jaaroverzichten 2001". Ultratop. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
42. "Jaaroverzichten – Album 2001". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
43. "Top de l'année Top Albums 2001" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
44. "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
45. "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2001". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
46. "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2001". Billboard. Retrieved August 29, 2020.
47. "ARIA Charts - Accreditations - 2001 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association.
48. "Gold/Platinum - Music Canada". Music Canada.
49. "French album certifications – D12 – Devil's Night" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
50. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (D12; 'Devil's Night')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
51. "Japanese album certifications – D12 – Devil's Night" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan.
52. "NZ Top 40 Albums Chart". Official New Zealand Music Chart.
53. "Award - bpi". British Phonographic Industry.
54. "Gold & Platinum - RIAA". Recording Industry Association of America.

External links

• Devil's Night at Metacritic