New In Depth D.O.C. Interview (talks Detox, solo album, more)

[D-Nice]

http://illuminati2g.webs.com/docinterview.htm

I2G chopped it up with the one and only D.O.C. for a interview. We discuss the incredible news about the surgery he will be having to restore most of his voice back, Detox of course, his process in writing songs, take a trip down memory lane with hip hop and much more. One of the realest, down to earth people I have had the honor of meeting.

Illuminati 2G is here with D.O.C. how's it going?

I am doing pretty good. Let me ask you a question.

Alright.

Illuminati 2G, what is that?

It's a hip hop website, we cover everything.

Why the name Illuminati?

Just a twist on the whole New World Order type thing but a new way of looking at hip hop from my perspective.

Ok I get cha. I am a information geek, I am into that kind of stuff. (laughs)

No problem. So what have you been up to lately? What have you been working on music wise other than Detox?

No man we are all putting our..., you know when the good Doctor goes to bat, we all drop everything else we are doing. Of course you know it is all music so I am always working on something. But Detox is really what is getting all of my energy.

The internet is a buzz. They are talking about after Detox drops there is a rumor that you are going to have a operation on your vocal cords and you are going to put one more solo album. Is there any truth to that?

You damn right, but you know what...., I am getting so excited about it that I may move the surgery up and try and make Detox.

Wow.

I know that is a bug out right? I am thinking about it, it is just the rehab time would cut my abilites short of actually putting work in on record and I do not want to miss out on that because Detox is a huge album.

Why did you decide to do the surgery now? I heard a rumor about 3 years ago Jerry Heller was in a interview saying that the surgery could have been done a long time ago but for whatever reason it did not happen. Why did you decide to do it now?

You know what I wish Jerry Heller would have come to me and told me that but I just think Jerry Heller is full of shit. But it was a possibility that it could have been done a long time ago. Because to be honest with you it never crossed my mind to look and see. I had gotten so used to my situation, I just decided for the most part to deal with it. It took a long time to fight through the depression behind it, but I had got to a point where I felt like I could just deal with it. I make great money writing and producing with people that I love and care about, but for these last couple of years Dre had been really brown beating me about going and checking this thing out (surgery). Dre can be pretty aggressive about stuff when he wants it. I got tired of hearing him talk about it but what really sparked it is one morning I was having a conversation with Snoop and he challenged me to do it.

I am a very competitive type of person and he was basically saying that I was scared to go do it. He said he would pay for the doctor visit and the surgery so I took him up on it. I went to the doctor and what we found out was crazy. What we thought was wrong the whole time was not wrong. The things that we thought for the past 20 years were the issues, were not the issues. The problem could be fixed and relatively easy.

Just in your personal opinion in dealing with Dre, do you feel like the pressure and everything of dropping a album like Detox, do you think that is the reason that it has taken so long for it to come out?

Nah, the one thing about Dre, he never feels the pressure. Because he knows what he is, even more than we do. When I say we do, I mean we know when we have a hit record in our hands or a great album, but he knows that even more than we do. Dre is a rich, rich dude, he does not have to do this record, so he is doing it for the love. If he did not feel like he had it in him, he would not do the record. But trust me, the world is going to love this guy's record. Because he is putting everything into it and everyone working on it is putting the same energy and focus into it just like the early days. He wants perfection and I can't blame him. That is why I was really thinking of moving the surgery up and be on this record. I mean I was on the last song on NWA's record, I thought it would be so cool to do the last song on Detox. So I thought it would be so poetic, and I was always feeling that idea, but who knows.

I always wondered with you being a song writer, where do you get your inspiration to write songs for people? Do you collaborate with people or is it you have a idea and pitch it to say Snoop or Dre. What's the process if any that you go through?

Well I am a writer, more so then a rapper. I was gifted with this voice and I probably got the best rhythms in this business, still to this day. When rappers rap, they are in this thing called a pocket. That is a place with the music and inside the drums patterns where as long as you are in that pocket, someone can hear the words that you are saying and understand it, but the music never loses that tempo. That tempo that comes in a artist's head. Well my writing comes from that pocket. But the subject matter comes from the person, so whoever it may be, I am not going to rap the same kind of stuff that Snoop raps. Snoop ain't gonna rap the exact same stuff that Dre raps. I am not a gangsta rapper persay, that is not the kind of stuff that I get into. But when I write songs for people I know what they like so I go into their state of mind and try to write from their perpsective.

Another way is to get inside the minds of the young people that are always in the circle. Slim Da Mobster is one, who is actually my nephew. But he has got a record coming out on Aftermath and he is probably the best young MC I have heard in YEARS. There is this other cat named Haze who is another artist who is coming out on Aftermath soon, both of these guys I use them to get into the new slang and new termanologies and all that kind of stuff. I ride their waves.

One track that I love that you wrote for Snoop actually on Blue Carpet Treatment was the song Round Here. Is there anything that you can talk about that you remember about that track? The vibe, where you in the studio with Snoop when the track was being done?

You know what, Snoop just so happened to be in the studio that day and Dre played the drums. Snoop laid the hook and by the time I got there, they were playing this thing. I love it like you love it right off the bat. Actually I took the track home, Round Here and also That's That Shit, I took both home that night and wrote both of those songs that night.

Wow, yeah that song was crazy because it had a real gangsta tone to it. I know people were saying that it had the Dido sample, the same one that the Stan song had with Eminem. I like Snoop's tone on it, it was not the same tone he had on say Doggystyle or Chronic, but lyrically it was hard but it was not like he was whispering over the track, but his tone and voice was lower. I always wondered if you and Dre maybe told Snoop to try something different with your delivery or how that song came together, because that song is crazy.

Nah Snoop just liked how I wrote the song and how I laid the song. He just went it there and did it how he felt it. Of course they have voices and I don't so the sound is different. But I could give a fuck where the track came from, the shit sounded good. People always have a reason to give you a negative take on something. But the shit sounded good to me and I loved the way the raps felt to me. I wish they would have done more with the song but it is probably for that reason that you just stated. Maybe because it had the sample and they did not want to feel like they were stepping on Em's toes they did not push it as a single.

Yeah that is a crazy record. Do you ever check out albums or anything or are you personally critical of albums that you do not have a hand in? Like for example Ego Trippin from Snoop? I always wondered albums that you did not collaborate with Snoop on, do you listen to them? What is your thoughts on Snoop's last record?

It is not in my nature to criticize people's art. That is just not for me to do. I am not sure if it was the artist Van Gogh or not but lets use him for example. Nowadays everyone says his art is the best thing since fucking toilet paper. Back in his day, they probably thought the guy was just fucking nuts. So to clarify, I don't do that with artists, I don't get into it. Why disrespect the Soulja Boy's or the guys from Dallas/Ft. Worth that do the Stanky Legg, it's all good. If you black and that shit can make you money, by rapping then I say go get that money. Because these boys could be doing alot fucking worse then that. If you can't see that then you just a asshole.

Right, I hear ya. Is your solo album still going to be called Voices Through Hot Vessels or did you change the name at all for it?

Well see when Dre and I came up with the Voices Through Hot Vessels record, I wanted to do another record. So I wanted to do one last record with him for this game. We thought about it and thought the best way to do it would be for me to write 12 songs from my perspective and get the people that I love and respect in the game to rap the lyrics for me. Maybe TI would do one, Snoop would do one, Dre would do one, so on and so on. But now that I get my voice back, or I am getting a voice back, I don't think I am going to NEED anyone to be rapping on my own shit (laughs).

Right (laughs)

I don't think I will be allowing any other voices on my record but mine.

Do you still have the Silverback Records label that you dropped the album Deuce about 5,6 years ago, is that still up and running for you?

I still have it running, but I have not put any energy into that thing in about 3 or 4 years. I have not had the time or the energy and making records without Dre and without my family out here on the west coast is just not something that I want to do. I snuffed out all the egotistical thoughts and came back to the west coast to end this the right way.

I wanted to do a quick word association with you. Just going to throw a artist or group's name out and you just say the first thing that comes to your mind. First one is 6-2.

My nigga

Erotic D

Bitch nigga

Ice Cube

My nigga

I always wondered what you thought about the NWA reunion without Eazy E back then

Well that is a tough one. I don't have a real opinion on that. I loved the fact that those guys were coming together to make a record. And what are you going to do, change the name? But in the end they decided not to do it. I think the best thing that they could have did was come together and build on what we built. Make sure Eazy was well represented on the project and other projects as well. I got a really cool song about Eazy that I am going to do on my album. The funny thing is about my record I am always writing songs so I have a billion songs, DOC songs, and they just sit. Because as a artist and a writer if I don't get the shit out, I will go crazy. Like I said before I am not a gangsta rapper persay, so the things that I say are not always the things that Dre or Snoopy or anybody else would say. So these songs just sit. MC Breed, God bless his soul, he came and snatched a whole bunch of them and took them back to Atlanta and planned on doing a album. He actually did some of them but I don't know what happened to that stuff. People are trying to get it and release it, I am not sure if they will allow that. It was cool position for me to do another album on Breed and just let him use all of those songs and put him out, but God called my nigga home. So I have to deal with that.

Did you at any time ever work with Big Mike?

Which Big Mike?

Rap-A-Lot Big Mike, Geto Boys Big Mike

When it was Big Mike and 3-2 (The Convicts), they spent alot of time around us during the Chronic days. They spent alot of time around us then but they was just friends with everyone. If I did, I can't remember right now doing any work with Mike, but he is a friend, so I may have, but I never got no money from it.

If you could rank your personal Top 5 rappers dead or alive who would it be?

Biggie Smalls, Rakim, Slick Rick, D.O.C., Eminem

Woah

You can scramble that around however you want, it don't matter. All them niggas is cold (laughs)

What about Top 5 up and coming rappers that you think are dope that are out right now?

My favorite young rapper is Slim Da Mobster. But I am biased because he is my family but then I am not biased because the motherfucker is cold. Excuse my language, I don't want to be using bad language on ya site.

It's all good, don't worry about it.

(laughs) Yeah Slim reminds me of the golden era. All those MC that I mentioned earlier, Slim got a little bit of all in him. He is a throwback so Slim and Haze are my top 2 guys. Shit I don't listen to a whole lot of anything else. Is Wayne up and coming? He is up and came (laughs)

Nah he has been around for a while. I don't consider him new.

I don't really know or check out alot of the new artists that are coming out right now. It is so many of them and they are coming from everywhere, I have no idea where the hell all of these dudes are poppin up from. But I like them all, as long as they getting money I like them, but as far as rap that I am going to buy, I can't wait till Slim Da Mobster's record comes out. His music does not even leave the studio, that is how important his music is to everyone involved, and I want a copy myself.

Just getting back a little bit on the solo tip, so does that mean no one is going to get no song writing from you once Detox drops? You gonna lock yourself in the lab and just work on this album?

Once Detox drops, I am going to....., yeah pretty much. Just lock it up and go and do my own thing. I am going to give it the same energy as Dre is giving Detox. I am not going to drop anything until it is completely ready. Man I can't even put into fucking words the anxiousness I have to do this thing. I have so much to prove still. They cut me off so early, I did not really get a chance to do it. I got so much to prove still to myself and to a whole new audience. I sit back and imagine what a thrill it will be to be able to be on stage and rap The Formula. I mean that is INSANE to me.

Yeah when I first heard the news, that just tripped me out.

Yeah it is.

Do you have a wish list of rappers or anyone that you would like to work with or is this just something that you want to do just by yourself?

I told you I am not sharing nothing. I will probably be the only voice on that fucking record. Then again no one ever knows, maybe it will be a double album. 12 songs just me and 12 songs all with other people. I got alot to say and I would love to work with some of these other guys out here. There is no need to make a wish list because who would not want to rap with me when I get my voice back?

Definitely

Who would not want to make a fucking song with me? Come on let's keep it fucking real (laughs)

That would be a side project in itself right there.

Dre is more excited then I am about the possibilities because the guy is like my brother. We share alot of love for one another and I think he wants to see this worst then I do.

Other then your first album or you own work, your favorite track that you wrote for somebody else that if you did have your voice you would be like nah I want to keep that song for myself. The greatest song that you feel that you have wrote that you wrote for somebody else.

Wow that is a pretty good question. What song was I just thinking about....., oh it is one of these new songs. I can't tell you which one it is. It is one of these Detox songs. Who knows, maybe it won't make it so we will see. With all these damn leaks and shit, once a song leaks out it will never make it. I seen and heard that Topless song that leaked.

Yeah

I like that record. And the song with R. Kelly that leaked.

Yeah it is crazy, people are in demand for anything Dre or Detox related. Whether it is meant for the album or not, people just want to hear something.

I think in due time people will have what they have been waiting for.

Is there any songs that you have a personal favorite that HAS been released already that you would say man I wish I would have kept that for myself?

No, because everything I do, I do for my people. I am not a selfish cat like that. Like I said the stuff those guys rap about, 9 times out of 10 that is really not my type of hype. I am not into murder, death, kill in my music. I rap for the joy of putting the shit together. My intent is not for destroying somebody's credibility or stopping someone from making opportunitites. That is not the kind of person that I am. Matter of fact, even though all I hang around is "the niggas", or "street thugs", or "street niggas", that mentality ain't the same as my mentality. I am not a killer, I am a bring shit together kind of person. If I can ever get these "niggas" all on the same page, maybe I could do some real shit with this music. That was my train of thinking as a young dude, but then again things got moving too fast and I got caught up in the mix. I am more of a healer then I am a killer, so it is not in my nature to want to take something from someone.

Well that is all the questions that I have for you. It has been a real honor in interviewing you and I appreciate it. Is there any last words you want to get out there to the people?

Yeah I appreciate all the outpouring of love and support I am getting behind this operation. As you can probably understand I am not gun ho about people cutting on my neck but I know it is a G O D thing, not a D O C thing so I am walking bold and I am standing strong and thanks for all the love, I am going to give it back as soon as I can.

Appreciate the interview.

Sidenote: After the interview was done, D.O.C. talked more about the operation and that possibly VH1 would be doing a show following DOC all the way up to the operation and post operation and airing it on TV. Dr. Dre is down for the project but it is still in the works.

[Meho]

He's really hyped about Slim, no words of Bishop. Who's this Haze dude?

[Jaydc555]

Doc always seemed really shady to me

[Action!]

Doc as is in Doc Dre or the DOC?


But, yeah, Slim da Mobsta done lied in that interview with Vlad about how he got signed.  I never understand why so many lie about how they got signed. 

Despite that recent interview I'm still wondering about Bishop Lamont as well.  I know Eminem and 50 are the current public focus then Doc Dre but I'm waiting for Bishop Lamont more then any other "newcomer." 

[Digital Pimpin']

*waits for Dre-Day*

[R1ZE]

  @ putting himself in his top 5

[Matty]

slim the mobster supposedly releasing an album on aftermath has gotta be one of the most laughable things we've heard in a while.

props on the interview though

[D-Nice]

DOC on Detox? 

[Nooc210]

DOC on Detox? 

 

Detox is still coming   

[Lunatic]

damn, this interview is the shit!

[D-Nice]

*waits for Dre-Day*

And Chad, where yall at?

[Jaydc555]

Masturbating to the production credits on relapse

[OchoCinco]

dope but u shoulda posted this in the westcoast section D8)

just read through the whole thing, that wasa real tight interview, i liked how he asked u about the name of thesite and what it meant, found that real interesting for some reason. Props

[jaytee]

Good interview.

The thought of DOC on Detox is crazy.  When the news first hit that he was seeking an operation to getting his voice back, I thought it was a shame that he was going to miss Detox.  Either way as long he gets his vocals back and drops an album I'm satisfied.  He could give a teaser on Detox or let the public wait until his own album drops.  His album should be highly anticipated and publicized.  He'll have his own reality special, Dre production and he will receive notice for the fact that it has been over 20 years since this guy has spoken in his true voice. 

[MediumL]

just to hear the doc rap again would be  DOPE INTERVIEW!