Those in the rap industry know that for a guaranteed legit rapper, look to Motor City. It is the streets of Detroit that birthed the career of Obie Trice. Unlike other rappers, Trice uses his real name as his artistic moniker, already setting him apart from the crowd. He started rapping when he was just 11 years old. He got his start from karaoke machine his mother bought him, which let him practice along with top artists like Run D.M.C. and Big Daddy Kane. He dropped out of high school before finishing, not yet knowing where his life was going to take him.

He started releasing singles underground, which led to him drawing the attention of another Detroit native, Eminem. Eminem knew after hearing Trice and seeing his ambition that Trice was ripe to be the next big thing. He quickly added Trice to his Shady Records and began working on his debut album. Before his initial album, Trice was first heard on D12's album Devil's Night as well as Eminem's single "Without Me." He released his first album, Cheers, in 2003, and the album was a smash success. It reached number three on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and number five on the Billboard 200 and also went platinum.

He started working on a new album soon after, but before it could be released tragedy struck. While he was driving on in the early morning hours of New Years Day 2006, he was shot through the back window of his car. Luckily, Trice was able to pull over and get medical attention. Doctors did not remove the bullets because of their precarious location. That summer, he released his sophomore album, Second Round's on Me, which reached number eight on the Billboard 200. In 2008, he left Shady Records to start his own record company called Worldwide Hustle.