Doey Rock(February 2010) | Interview By:
Javon Adams
Charismatic, talented and driven are a few words that can describe Sacramento native
Doey Rock. Dubcnn was fortunate to catch Doey during one of his rare breaks and I am
certain you will enjoy the conversation. Doey talks about his greatest strengths AND
weaknesses which is rare for an artist to do. He discusses what people can expect from
his upcoming album Mean Doe Green and why it will be a must-have. Mr. Bring Back Double
also gives some insight into how he became connected with Wu-Tang legend Raekwon and
whether or not they’ve worked on some music.
In short, the independent minded visionary is someone you should keep an eye on and
according to him you don’t want to miss his live show. As always you can send your
comments to javon@dubcnn.com. Enjoy.
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Dubcnn Exclusive – Doey Rock
By: Javon Adams
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Dubcnn: What’s going on? Dubcnn.com sitting with the one and only Doey Rock. How are
you doing man?
I’m doing good. I can’t complain at all.
Dubcnn: Cool. I appreciate you taking some time out of your schedule. I know that you
are working on your second album. I want to kind of get right into…the sophomore album is
where you get to see an artist grow. What have you learned from your 1st album and what
makes you a better artist now than when your 1st album dropped?
I think when I did the 1st album I was just kind of gung ho. I was just grabbing beats
and grabbing any situation and rapping. And I was going so hard on everything and kinda
speedin’. I wouldn’t take my foot off the gas. I think on this Mean Doe Green album, as
far as maturity and the subject matter period its just gonna show a lot.
Lyrically I’m really taking a lot of leaps and really pressing the issue about being an artist
again. I feel that rap got away from the content too much. So on this Mean Doe Green album it’s
really taking a leap of faith content wise, lyrically, beats and the whole thing.
Dubcnn: Now when you talk about leaps of faith does that concern you at all? For
example, when a listener discovers an artist and they like they way they are on that
particular project but the artist wants to grow and the listener is a little hesitant
to let them do that. Are you a little worried about how it will be received? Or are
you just confident in your ability?
Nah, because it’s still hard. It’s still street and it’s still me. It’s just a
little bit of a deeper dynamic. I feel like I have better beats and production this
go ‘round. On this one I felt like I really had to come with it. I felt like I had
to fill the void and I feel like, especially coming from the West Coast that we have
to show different sides of ourselves and that’s what this is doing.
Dubcnn: Gotcha. Now, in a minute I’m going to play a little game of word association
with you so just to prep you for that. But, your 1st album came out on Sic Wid It, right?
No, my 1st album actually came out independent on my independent label Industrial Works.
This will actually be my 3rd album that I’ve put out. I’ve got numerous things on itunes.
I have Trophy Case on itunes which was kind of a compilation. The album that came out on
Sic Wid It was 916 Unified and that was a compilation. Really, this is my 2nd Doey Rock
album but I have four joints out though in the last four years. I’ve been pretty consistent.
Dubcnn: Ok. So are you totally independent right now? What’s your label situation? Can
you speak on that at all?
Yeah, I’m independent right now. Building up Industrial Works. I have my guy (indecipherable)
Hill helping me out and we’re going to ride it out.
Dubcnn: Ok. I want to ask you a quick question…what do you think is your greatest strength
as an artist?
Probably performing. I think a lot of my stuff comes off better live than it does on cd.
That’s just from my point of view. I don’t go on stage playing my tracks behind me. I go on
there with the straight beat. I’m energetic and I have my live band rocking with me and we
get busy. That’s probably my strongest asset.
Dubcnn: Speaking of live band, I was doing a little research and I read where you perform
with a live band. I’ve performed with a live band before and I love it because it opens up the
possibilities and all that. What do you like best about having that band in back of you?
Pretty much what you just said. Its almost like you can freestyle. A lot of times when
we’re feeling it and there’s a real energy in the crowd I might go ahead and battle the
guitarist. He’ll do something for four bars and then I’ll freestyle for four bars. The
drummer will get into it…we do a lot of things that have never been seen before live.
There’s a lot of ways you can go with a live band but you have to have that…you don’t
have any help so you have to be able to maintain it and make sure everything is together
too though. You don’t have that back up. But the pressure…I work better under pressure
anyway so it’s good.
Dubcnn: Now I bet you’ve experienced this too unless you already knew talented musicians
but its hard finding a good drummer or a musician that can really stay in the pocket. That’s
the secret of all secrets.
Yeah. Well, you know…we have a lot of talented artists in Sac on the musician side. A
lot of talented drummers like Buddy who has done a lot of stuff and my guitarist Mike. My
dude on Keys Goldie…they’re raw man. Go check us out on www.youtube.com, we get busy.
Dubcnn: Ok, I believe you. Now, flipping it a little bit…what is your greatest weakness
and what are you doing to improve upon it and bring it closer to your strengths?
Album wise, I feel like I’m trying to concentrate on staying in the pocket because
sometimes I’ll get ahead of myself. I’ll just be so energetic to get to the next bar or
the next song that I tend to rush songs sometimes. So as far as recording and album wise
I feel like I took my time. It’s easy to go into the studio and record 4 songs a day but
how many of those songs are actually album worthy? So, on this one I’m taking my time,
writing and really analyzing the songs. We put the Doe’s Diner video out and built up
the buzz and really just mathematically plotted the whole thing. Like I said before, on
my first project I was just so gung ho and didn’t know what I was doing. On this one we
learned from all of our mistakes. So it’s going to be right.
Dubcnn: I know that you have a connection with Raekwon. Can you talk about
your relationship and how he’s helped you to develop as an artist? Like brainstorming
etc…what’s your connection with Rae?
I met the Chef through my other boy when I was 20 years old. It’s been awhile and
he’s pretty much been mentoring me. I’ve done many shows with him like amphitheaters
and Rock The Bells and he’s really been there for me when I needed to get on stage or
when I need to holla. He’s a real good dude. Regardless of East Coast or West Coast,
he’s a real good dude. He’s always there for me on a personal level. We’ve been
recording and I’ve got 3 or 4 songs with Rae but that ain’t even what it is though,
you know what I mean? That’s really the Big Homie right there.
Dubcnn: Ok. I hear artists say stuff like, ‘If I wasn’t rapping I’d be in your home
robbing and stealing’, but from what I know about you I think that if you weren’t rapping
you’d be perfect as a manager or a leader of an organization. Do you agree or disagree
with that?
I definitely would be an executive. I’m going that route anyway and I definitely want
to help artists reach their full potential. Even with my stable of artists I think they
appreciate the fact that I’m open and honest. And we’ve advanced every year and have not
taken a step back as an organization. That’s the biggest deal…especially with Black Zeke
because he’s been down with me since 2001. The whole time I’ve been encouraging him. I put
my artists on blast…they always get to rock live when I’m rocking and the whole nine. I
don’t hold anybody back.
Dubcnn: One of the things as a leader is that you have to have vision. I look at it as
vision is the power to see what others can’t see. What’s Doey Rock’s vision of where you
see your label will be in the coming months or years?
Right now, it’s like the whole goal is that we are taking small goals because I took a
lot of losses and I was in some bad situations. So instead of trying to throw out these big
dreams and big aspirations we’re short goaling right now. I’m getting this Mean Doe
Green album done.
But as a vision, as Industrial Works which is my independent label…we will be corporate.
Industrial Works means ‘the workman mentality’. It’s Industrial, a hard hat and a hammer.
We can always go back to the ground up but that comes with remaining humble and trying to
build towards the corporate mentality. But we want to bring that small time hustle to the
corporate level. In order to do that we have to take the baby steps. First of all we have
to sell some records on an international level. That’s the next step, Hong Kong, Japan and
England. All of these places are calling and now we have to get there. Its baby steps and
keeping some humility and remaining working. That’s what it’s a about right now.
Dubcnn: Here comes that word association so see if you can try to keep it to one or two
words. Pop in whatever word comes to your mind when I mention these things. You ready?
Let’s go.
Dubcnn: Sacramento
My City
Dubcnn: Doey Rock
King
Dubcnn: Longevity
A Must
Dubcnn: Pain
Ah, man…a lot of it *laughs*
Dubcnn: Success
I need that!
Dubcnn: I hear you on that. So, any last words for dubcnn? I know you have a blog…the floor
is yours. Let them know how they can keep up-to-date on what’s happening with Doey Rock.
The blog site is www.doeyrock.blogspot.com.
I’m always on twitter running my thumbs. Go to
twitter.com/drdoeyrock. As far as
dubcnn, we need you and we need that outlet to reach people we normally can’t during a 9-5
day…or a 5-9 day because you know I run 24 hours. Let’s keep it up man
