Bass Brothers
Producer duo who shaped Eminem's early sound.
The Bass Brothers are an American production duo made up of brothers Mark and Jeff Bass. They helped Eminem create his album *Infinite*, and Jeff Bass is often cited as a key figure in Eminem’s career. While Interscope Records promoted Dr. Dre as Eminem’s main producer, the Bass Brothers actually produced more of his individual songs than Dre did.
Jeff Bass recorded the "Public Service Announcements" that open *The Slim Shady LP* and *The Marshall Mathers LP*. He later voiced the "Another Public Service Announcement" on D12’s *Devil’s Night*, where the character Rondell Beene punches him and takes over as announcer. Most of Eminem’s hit singles were produced either by Dre ("My Name Is," "The Real Slim Shady," "Just Lose It") or by Jeff Bass ("Without Me," "Beautiful," "Lose Yourself"). Both brothers have won Grammys for their work with Eminem, and Jeff Bass won an Oscar for Best Original Song in 2003 for co-writing "Lose Yourself" from *8 Mile*.
The Bass Brothers also run a record label called WEB Entertainment, which has signed rock and hip hop acts. Before working with Eminem, they produced a hip hop project called Tycie & Woody for Elektra Records under the name Funky Bass Brothers (later F.B.T., or Funky Bass Team, after adding Mike Wilder). They met George Clinton and began producing for him and his label Westbound Records, though most of those tracks were never released. Mark Bass said that until they heard a white rapper named M&M freestyle on local radio in 1992, they had mostly worked with Black artists.
The song "Touchdown" from T.I.’s 2007 album *T.I. vs. T.I.P.*, featuring Eminem, was produced by Eminem and Jeff Bass. Mark Bass produced George Clinton’s 2008 album *George Clinton and His Gangsters of Love*. In 2009, Jeff co-produced "Beautiful," the fifth single from Eminem’s *Relapse*. Though the brothers no longer produce much for Eminem, the rapper has said they remain close.
In September 2017, the Bass Brothers and manager Joel Martin announced plans to sell 15% or 25% of their sound recording royalties—including their interest in Eminem’s catalog from 1999 to 2013—to a company called Royalty Flow, a subsidiary of Royalty Exchange. The sale was to be funded through an equity crowdfunding campaign under SEC Regulation A+.
- Field
- Record production, songwriting
- Nationality
- American
- Known for
- Producing and co-writing for Eminem, including the Oscar-winning song 'Lose Yourself'
Lore & Background
The Bass Brothers began their career producing a hip-hop project called Tycie & Woody for Elektra Records in 1990, operating as the 'Funky Bass Brothers' (later F.B.T.). They met George Clinton and started working as a production team for him and his label Westbound Records, though most of those acts were never released. Mark Bass heard a white rapper named M&M freestyle on a local radio show in 1992 and invited him to the studio for free time, leading to their work with Eminem.
Jeff Bass performed the 'Public Service Announcements' that introduce both The Slim Shady LP and The Marshall Mathers LP, and later performed 'Another Public Service Announcement' from D12's album Devil's Night. Most of Eminem's hit singles have been either produced by Dr. Dre or Jeff Bass, with Jeff co-writing 'Lose Yourself' (which won an Oscar) and producing 'Without Me' and 'Beautiful'. The brothers also own a record label called WEB Entertainment.
Reader's Guide
The Bass Brothers' significance lies in their foundational role in Eminem's career, producing more individual tracks for him than Dr. Dre despite Dre's higher public profile. Their work spans from Eminem's debut Infinite through major hits like 'Lose Yourself', which earned Jeff Bass an Academy Award. They also produced for George Clinton and the P-Funk All Stars, and their catalog includes tracks from the 1999–2013 Eminem period. In 2017, they announced a plan to sell a portion of their sound recording royalties through a company called Royalty Flow. Their legacy is tied to both the commercial success of Eminem and the broader hip-hop production landscape, though they no longer do significant production for the rapper.
Did You Know?
- Jeff Bass won a Best Original Song Oscar in 2003 for co-writing 'Lose Yourself' from the film 8 Mile.
- The Bass Brothers produced more individual tracks for Eminem than Dr. Dre did.
- In September 2017, the Bass Brothers announced a plan to sell 15% or 25% of their sound recording royalties, including their interest in the 1999–2013 Eminem catalog.
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