The Dayton Family

Origins

The Dayton Family is a rap group from Flint, Michigan, named after Dayton Street on the city's north side. Ira "Bootleg" Dorsey and Raheen "Shoestring" Peterson met in 1993 through their younger brothers and began writing together; their first song was "Dope Dayton Ave." Matt Hinkle joined as Backstabba, and the trio worked with Flint producer Steve Pitts, building a following by performing in local clubs.

The Relativity Years

The group's debut, What's on My Mind?, came out in 1995 on Po' Broke Records with Relativity Records. It was recorded at Silver Sun Studio in Flint, produced by Steve Pitts and the group, and reached No. 38 on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. After the album, Hinkle was imprisoned and Bootleg's younger brother Erick Dorsey (Ghetto E) took his place. The second album, F.B.I. (1996, Relativity), peaked at No. 45 on the Billboard 200 and No. 7 on the R&B/Hip-Hop albums chart. Bootleg was incarcerated after its release, which slowed the group down. In 1999 both Bootleg and Shoestring released solo albums.

Later Work

In 2001 the group signed to Detroit rapper Esham's Gothom label, and in 2002 released Welcome to the Dopehouse on Koch Records (No. 107 Billboard 200, No. 20 R&B/Hip-Hop). After a hiatus, Bootleg and Shoestring continued as a duo on Family Feud (2005, Fast Life). Return to Dayton Ave (2006) and The Return: The Right to Remain Silent (2009) followed on smaller labels. Once Hinkle was released, the original lineup reunited, and on July 14, 2010, the group signed with Hatchet House, a subsidiary of Insane Clown Posse's Psychopathic Records, which issued the Psycho EP and the album Charges of Indictment in 2011.

AllMusic's Jason Birchmeier described the group's sound as hardcore rap with a grim outlook focused on survival rather than riches. Over the years they appeared on records with Three 6 Mafia, Esham, MC Breed, Twiztid and others. Former member Erick "Ghetto E" Dorsey died on June 10, 2023.