Music
Marv Won
born 1981 · rapper, battle rapper, producer
Detroit battle-rap veteran from the Lush Lounge open mics who battled Eminem on screen in 8 Mile and co-founded the Fat Killahz.
- Born
Detroit, Michigan
age 45- Birth name
- Marvin Eugene O'Neal
- Detroit years
- 1981–present
- Field
- Music
01 / The Detroit story
The Detroit story
Marvin O'Neal came up around 2000 at the Wednesday open-mic nights at Lush Lounge on Joseph Campau in Hamtramck, the post-Hip Hop Shop training ground where he learned alongside Proof, Obie Trice, D12 and Slum Village. In 2001 he co-founded the Fat Killahz with Fatt Father, Shim-E-Bango and King Gordy; the group played Detroit venues from Lush and the Blind Pig to Motor, Saint Andrew's Hall, the Shelter and the State Theatre, opened D12's 2004 US tour and released Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? in 2005. He was one of the Detroit rappers cast as extras in 8 Mile, trading bars with Eminem in a battle scene. As a solo artist he released Way of the Won (2009) and Wayne Fontes Music (2010), named after the Detroit Lions coach, and Heavy Is the Head (2012) on Denaun Porter's imprint. He later became a prominent figure on the national battle-rap circuit and was nominated at the 2021 Detroit Music Awards.
Highlights
- Co-founded the Fat Killahz in 2001.
- Battled Eminem in a scene of 8 Mile (2002).
- Solo releases Way of the Won (2009) and Wayne Fontes Music (2010).
- Detroit Music Award nomination for Outstanding Rap MC (2021).
02 / Their Detroit places
Their Detroit places 2
Where they lived, worked, performed and liked to hang out. Closed and demolished places stay here too, because they are part of the city's history.
Performed here · late 1990s–mid-2000s
Lush Lounge (site)
Closed
Hip-hop bar whose Wednesday open mics succeeded the Hip Hop Shop; it closed in the mid-2000s and the storefront later stood vacant.
Performed here · 2000s
Saint Andrew’s Hall
One of the Detroit stages where the Fat Killahz performed.