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The D.O.C. - Deuce
Label: Deuce Records/ Silverback Records
Release Date: February 2002
Listen to clips from DOC's latest album Deuce...
»
Intro
»
Big
Dick Shit
»
Simple
As That
»
DFW
»
XXX
Files
»
Ghetto
Blues
»
Mass
Confusion
»
The
Shit
It's
been 13 years since the D.O.C. became one of rap's most
acclaimed lyricists, ghostwriting for Eazy-E on Eazy-Duz-It
and later penning rhymes for Eazy and Dr. Dre on N.W.A's
Niggaz4life. The D.O.C. then got help from his mentor
Dre on his groundbreaking debut, No One Can Do It Better,
in 1989. Today the D.O.C. believes that album's title
is still the case.
"If you've been listening to rap music the last 10 years,
you've been listening to me," he said Wednesday.
For example, last year Shyne's "That's Gangsta" featured
the track that helped make the D.O.C.'s "It's Funky
Enough" a hit in 1989.
"I was quite honored that the young cat called me and
invited me to come to New York City to be a part of
his [video for the song]," he said of Shyne. "That showed
he had a lot of respect for the guy who put it down
on that instrumental before he did. I hate the f---ing
position he got caught up in. I wish him all the best."
The D.O.C., who's been appearing on and writing on all
of Dr. Dre's albums, said he still feels his best days
are ahead of him. He's getting ready to release his
"real" second album (he's apparently not too fond of
his 1996 release, Helter Skelter) early next year, titled
Deuce.
"I'm used to being on top when I do what I do. ... If
I can't be on the team that's #1, I'm 'a try to figure
out something else. I have a very competitive nature."
Lately the D.O.C. — who's been uncomfortable with his
voice ever since suffering a crushed larynx in a 1989
car accident — has been playing general manager. The
past couple of years he's been assembling a squad of
hungry young MCs from Texas to team up with in the studio.
His #1 draft pick was Six-Two, who also appeared on
the Dr. Dre 2001 LP.
"I met this young boy, Six-Two. He had all the elements
I had," the D.O.C. said. "Then I found another guy around
the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, area, and things started
to come together."
The D.O.C went from GM to coach when putting together
Deuce, which features production by his camp as well
as Organized Noise and Jazze Pha with his crew.
"I'm the guy that cusses everybody out if your sh--
is wack," he said. "I wouldn't care if you were Quincy
Jones. [The album] is dirty, it's [reminiscent] of the
old N.W.A days when n---as didn't give a f---. I haven't
found all the other pieces I need, so I had to go back
to my friends on the West Coast to make the formula
complete."
MC Ren, Ice Cube and Xzibit will appear on Deuce, and
Nate Dogg has recorded a track that may also make the
cut.
Whether the album, which will be issued by his own Phat
Cat Entertainment label, is a sales success doesn't
cause any anxiety for the legendary MC. He's finding
salvation with his music.
"I wanted to let God and everybody else know I understand
the mistakes I made, and I'd like to do good by them
mistakes."
One of his painful miscues was taking his early success
for granted and not counting his blessings.
"You don't play with God like that," he said. "He will
sit you down [and say], 'I gave you enough time to talk,
I gave you a hell of a voice to talk with, but you don't
seem to understand. Let me just pull you back and sit
you down — you're gonna spend these next 10 years learning.'"
After the D.O.C.'s car accident his life went into a
downward spiral. His once distinct baritone was shattered
into a raspy whisper. He had to deal with his career
being in limbo and the possibility of it ending for
good.
"It was the hardest thing I ever had to deal with in
my life," he said. "It had me doing things that weren't
me. A lot of excess drinking, experimenting with a lot
of drugs. It took nine, maybe 10 years before I could
see light at the end of the tunnel."
Now he's ready to remind people who may have forgotten
him. "I'm damn near better than I used to be. When they
said, 'No one can do it better' on that record, they
were not playing, man
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