# The Dayton Family

The Dayton Family is an American hip hop group from Flint, Michigan, composed of Ira "Bootleg" Dorsey, Raheen "Shoestring" Peterson and Matt "Backstabba" Hinkle. Its name derives from Dayton Street, one of Flint's most crime-ridden streets.

## Musical career
### 1993–2005: Early history

In 1993, Ira Dorsey and Raheen Peterson met through their younger brothers. The two began writing together, under the names Bootleg and Shoestring, and created their first song, "Dope Dayton Ave". Rapper Matt Hinkle soon joined the duo under the name Backstabba. The group began working with local producer Steve Pitts and formed The Dayton Family, named after Dayton Avenue, one of the most crime-ridden streets in their hometown of Flint, Michigan. In between studio sessions, they performed at local clubs and quickly gain notoriety within Flint.
The Dayton Family recorded a 12-inch single and soon signed with Atlanta independent record label Po' Broke in 1995. That year, the group released their debut album What's on My Mind? and were featured on No Limits Down South Hustlers: Bouncin' and Swingin' compilation album, which got the trio recognition throughout Southern United States. After the album's release, Hinkle was imprisoned and replaced by Bootleg's younger brother Erick, who performed under the name Ghetto-E. Following a year of touring, the group left Po' Broke due to legal problems with the label's producer and signed with Russ Entertainment .
In 1996, they released their second album F.B.I., standing for Fuck Being Indicted, under Russ Entertainment/Relativity Records. The Dayton Family was plagued with various legal problems, including Ira being incarcerated soon after release of F.B.I., which hindered the amount of work the group released. In 1999, both Ira and Peterson released solo albums. Two years later, the group signed with Detroit rapper Esham's Gothom label and released solo albums. The next year, they released Welcome to the Dopehouse under Koch Records.

### 2005–2010: Stabilization

After a three-year hiatus, the group was trimmed down to Ira and Peterson and they released Family Feud through Fast Life Records. The following year, The Dayton Family signed with U Be U Records and released Back on Dayton Ave. The duo added new member Jake the Flake later that same year and released Return to Dayton Ave. in October. Following Hinkle's release from prison, the group returned to their original lineup of Ira, Peterson, and Hinkle. In 2009, they released The Return: The Right to Remain Silent under DDA Records/Paypa Boi Entertainment LLC.

### 2010–2011: Hatchet House

On July 14, 2010, The Dayton Family signed with Insane Clown Posse's subsidiary label Hatchet House. The group released the EP Psycho on February 1, 2011, and a music video was released for the song "Cocaine" on 28 March. Their seventh album, Charges of Indictment, was released on June 28. They most recently featured in the "Psychopathic Psypher" Part 1 & 2 (Bootleg in Part 1 and Shoestring in Part 2). The video for "The Psypher (Part 1 & 2)" was released on June 5, 2011.

### 2023–present: Recent events

On the 10th of June 2023 it was announced that former member Ghetto E had passed away at age 46.

## Style and influences

The Dayton Family is known for their gritty lyrics concerning ghetto survival, struggle and poverty. AllMusic reviewer Jason Birchmeier describes The Dayton Family's musical style as "potent hardcore rap". He says that the group has "an idiosyncratic identity" and "a dark, grim mentality focused on modest survival rather than riches or fame". The group lists Run-DMC, Michael Jackson, LL Cool J, N.W.A, Geto Boys, Tupac Shakur, Notorious B.I.G., X-Clan, Spice 1, Esham, Natas and Public Enemy as influences.

## Discography
### Studio albums

List of studio albums, with selected chart positions :
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions |
| Title | Album details | US | US R&B |
| What's on My Mind? | Released: June 20, 1995 Label: Po' Broke, Relativity Format: CD, LP, cassette, digital download | — | 38 |
| F.B.I. (Fuck Being Indicted) | Released: October 1, 1996 Label: Relativity Format: CD, LP, cassette, digital download | 45 | 7 |
| Welcome to the Dopehouse | Released: May 21, 2002 Label: Koch Format: CD, cassette, digital download | 107 | 20 |
| Family Feud | Released: July 12, 2005 Label: Fast Life Format: CD, digital download | — | 86 |
| Return to Dayton Ave | Released: October 31, 2006 Label: UBeU Format: CD, digital download | — | — |
| The Return: The Right to Remain Silent | Released: 2009 Label: DDA Format: CD, digital download | — | — |
| Charges of Indictment | Released: June 21, 2011 Label: Hatchet House, Psychopathic Format: CD, digital download | — | 75 |
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart. ||||

### Extended plays

List of extended plays with selected details :
| Title | EP details |
| Back on Dayton Ave. | Released: 2006 Label: UBeU Format: CD, digital download |
| Psycho | Released: February 1, 2011 Label: Hatchet House, Psychopathic Format: CD, digital download |

### Guest appearances

| Year | Song | Artist(s) | Album |
| 1996 | "Ballers" | First Degree feat. Bootleg | Paper Stacks |
| 1997 | "Are You Ready For Us" | Three 6 Mafia feat. The Dayton Family | Chapter 2: World Domination |
| 1997 | "U Can't Fuck With Us" | The Fharmacy feat. Bootleg | Goodie |
| 1998 | "Bout The South" | Prophet Posse feat. The Dayton Family | Body Parts |
| 1998 | "P.M.S. (Potential Murder Suspects)" | The Hard Boyz feat. Ghetto E & Jake The Flake | P.M.S. (Potential Murder Suspects) |
| 1998 | "Outsiders" | Ghetto Azz Niggaz feat. Jake the Flake & Shoestring | Faithful To The Streets |
| 1998 | "What Worse" | Black Hippiz feat. The Dayton Family | Dead Rezidentz |
| 1998 | "Snitch Killa" | Destineal feat. Shoestring | Born To Hustle |
| 1998 | "Can't Catch Me" | Ka'Nut feat. Bootleg & Ghetto E | Look At Em Now |
| 1998 | "Don't Sleep" | Quarter Mob feat. Shoestring & Ghetto E | Underworld Ties |
| 1998 | "Who Be Hate'n" | Quarter Mob feat. Shoestring & Ghetto E | Underworld Ties |
| 1999 | "If Niggaz New" | F.O.D. feat. Bootleg | Midwest Poison |
| 2000 | "Here Comes The Mack" | Mack The Jacka feat. Bootleg & Layroyce | The True Story |
| 2000 | "No Future" | MC Breed feat. Bootleg | The Thugz Volume 1 |
| 2000 | "Da Bird-Man" | Skanbino Mob feat. Shoestring | Playin' Fa Keeps |
| 2000 | "Untouchable" | M.A.F.I.A. feat. Bootleg | Misery Loves Company |
| 2001 | "How Many Niggas You Know" | MC Breed feat. Bootleg | The Fharmacist |
| 2001 | "Brain Surgery" | Esham feat. Shoestring | Tongues |
| 2001 | "Fuck A Lover" | Esham feat. The Dayton Family | Tongues |
| 2001 | "Holla At Ya Boy" | Moochie Mack feat. Jake The Flake | Broke Pimpin' |
| 2002 | "Resume Of A Gangsta" | 1st Battalion feat. The Dayton Family | Gutta Gutta |
| 2002 | "Gangsta Walk" | Project Born feat. Bootleg | The Rent Is Due |
| 2003 | "We Don't Need That" | Project Born feat. Bootleg | Ghetto Celebs |
| 2003 | "Take Ya Clothes Off" | Xacution Style feat. Shoestring | Civilized Evil |
| 2004 | "Dope Game" | T-Dub & Pee feat. Shoestring | Camouflage |
| 2004 | "Body Bag" | Project: Deadman feat. The Dayton Family | Self Inflicted |
| 2004 | "Aint Shit" | Project: Deadman feat. Bootleg & MC Breed | Self Inflicted |
| 2004 | "How We Roll" | Billy Smokes feat. Bootleg | Filthy Flint Money |
| 2004 | "On The Run" | Corleone Family feat. Bootleg | No-Gutz No-Glory |
| 2005 | "Calico" | Kurupt feat. The Dayton Family | Against Tha Grain |
| 2005 | "Holla When U See Me" | Tito 6 feat. Bootleg | King Of The Great Lakes |
| 2005 | "I Ain't The One" | Biz feat. Shoestring & Billy Smokes | Bizness As Usual |
| 2005 | "My Life" | E1C feat. Bootleg & Onez Gangsta | It Ain't The $ It's Me |
| 2006 | "Twenty Six" | Pastor Troy feat. Bootleg | By Choice Or By Force |
| 2006 | "On My Block" | C-Murder feat. Bootleg | The TRU Story... Continued |
| 2006 | "Duck Down" | Billy Smokes feat. Bootleg (Track was removed at artist's request) | Flint Hip Hop Volume 1 |
| 2006 | "Anything You Ask For" | The Game feat. Bootleg | G.A.M.E. |
| 2006 | "Nothing's Promised" | The Game feat. Bootleg | G.A.M.E. |
| 2006 | "It Is What It Is" | The Game feat. Shoestring | G.A.M.E. |
| 2006 | "The Naughty North" | Smoke Johnson feat. Shoestring | Analyze That |
| 2007 | "Bout The South (Dragged)" | Three 6 Mafia feat. The Dayton Family | Prophets Greatest Hits (Disc 2) |
| 2007 | "Sex, Drugs, Money & Murder" | Twiztid feat. The Dayton Family | Independents Day |
| 2007 | "Shoot 1st" | Menacide feat. The Dayton Family | Street Symphony |
| 2007 | "The G Code (Intro)" | Menacide feat. Bootleg | The Prequel (Mixtape) |
| 2007 | "The G Code (Mixtape Mix)" | Menacide feat. The Dayton Family | The Prequel (Mixtape) |
| 2008 | "Summer Time" | Bootleg | Gee Pierce Presents: Well Connected (Compilation) |
| 2008 | "Are You Fucking? (Skit)" | Bootleg & Madam Dane | Gee Pierce Presents: Well Connected (Compilation) |
| 2008 | "Back Stabbers" | Jake The Flake & MC Breed | Gee Pierce Presents: Well Connected (Compilation) |
| 2008 | "Big Butt & Ah Smile" | Shoestring | Gee Pierce Presents: Well Connected (Compilation) |
| 2008 | "On My Block" | Shoestring & Katastrofee | Gee Pierce Presents: Well Connected (Compilation) |
| 2008 | "Leg-Weed Skit" | Bootleg | Gee Pierce Presents: Well Connected (Compilation) |
| 2008 | "Leg-Gee Skit" | Gee Pierce & Bootleg | Gee Pierce Presents: Well Connected (Compilation) |
| 2009 | "Shoot 1st (bOb E. NiTe Remix)" | Menacide feat. The Dayton Family | From The Ground Down Mixtape |
| 2010 | "Damn Bitch" | Blaze Ya Dead Homie feat. The Dayton Family | Gang Rags |
| 2010 | "Damn Bitch (Remix)" | Blaze Ya Dead Homie feat. Kottonmouth Kings | Mike E. Clark's Psychopathic Murder Mix Volume 2 |
| 2011 | "I Just Might" | T-Rock feat. The Dayton Family | I Grind, I Hustle |
| 2011 | "I Think It's Time" | Delusional feat. Bootleg | I Think It's Time (single) |
| 2011 | Psychopathic Psypher 1 | Violent J, Anybody Killa, Jamie Madrox & Bootleg |
| 2011 | Psychopathic Psypher 2 | Shaggy 2 Dope, Blaze Ya Dead Homie, Monoxide Child, Boondox & Shoestring |
| 2012 | "I Got Dat Hard" | Mason Napalm Wade feat. The Dayton Family | Tha 9th Edition: Fast Money |