OBIE TRICE - real name, no gimmicks. One sentence, But it really says it all. Rapping under his government name, Obie Trice, is the real deal, no frills, no filler. Just skills and personality.

Obie, whose career jumped off in the same Detroit neighborhoods and underground scene that had birthed Eminem, was quick to keep his attention once they met. "I'm basically a real laid back type of dude," says Trice of his first meeting with Em, "But I'm really about my music, so we got along great from the jump." Em was so impressed with Obie's work ethic, and felt so strongly that he fit the Shady roster, that he rushed production on a Obie freestyle skit which was added to D-12's double platinum '01 Debut 'Devil's Night.'

Working with legendary producers like Timbaland and Dr. Dre, and the Shady one himself, Obie quickly knocked out a slew of tracks. Obie's offbeat but respectable rhyme style was a perfect fit for Em's curious, but nonetheless g'd up beat selection. "Once me and Em really got into the studio together," says Trice, "It just became clear that we should do most of the record together."

Obie Trice's 'Cheers' promises exactly the same thing as his name: No gimmicks! Recognize.