doc summary

[STILLDRE IS THE GODFATHER]

Anyone who was Hip-Hop in Dallas has D.O.C. stories. I was in middle school the first time I heard him in the mid 1980’s. My middle school “crew” and I, which for all intents and purposes should just as well have been called The Wack Three (yes, we were wack, and yes, I’ve burned all the tapes that prove it) were in our deejay’s garage messing around with 12-inches and beat tapes, when he pulled out one of his older brother’s mixtapes for us to hear. The first track was from these local rappers called the Fila Fresh Crew.
They were a tight squad, but nothing real amazing until this kid named Tracy Curry started spitting. In an area rife with East Coast imitators and bass mechanics, this young D.O.C. was one of the few local rap artists with a completely original sound. It was edgy but not really gangsta; dynamic yet not quite that typical New York flow. It was clever metaphors and clear stories riding on a sharp voice. I don’t think we even let the song finish before we started trying to bite.

As time progressed, the D.O.C. quickly got some notoriety and appeared more and more on radio and underground mixtapes. With the subsequent emergence of numerous other locally popular acts, heads started hypothesizing that the bubbling rap scene here was about to blow up onto the national stage, with Curry naturally being one of the premier regional artists. Before long Hip-Hoppers were getting prepared to watch the D.O.C. make Big D the next major Hip-Hop city.

Then one day, this disappointing news came through the grapevine: an aspiring producer named Andre Young had come to Dallas, heard “the best muthaf*cka that he had ever heard” and invited him to collaborate with him on the West Coast. D.O.C. had left Dallas to work with N.W.A.

Since this was long before the Eazy Duz It and Straight Outta Compton, not everyone universally recognized the chance to join up with the ruthless villains from LA as a great opportunity. There were many that wanted him to stay and help blow up Dallas, not work with some cats on the same level in another area. Still, those who knew him best swore up and down in the streets and on the radio shows that D.O.C. was loyal to the local scene, and would be back to help us put Dallas on the map. So needless to say, after N.W.A. ”ganked” rap from the East Coast in the late 80’s and D.O.C. stepped out of the group’s background with his 1989 debut No One Does It Better, everyone went back to the lab to tighten their acts in anticipation of the countless groups and execs who would come down in search of more talent.

Then the unthinkable happened, something that D.O.C. refers to as and abrupt end to “six months of bliss.” In November of 1989 the rapper fell asleep at the wheel after returning home from the studio one fateful night. His car veered off the road and crashed, throwing him through the windshield. Amongst other injuries, he suffered a crushed larynx – an injury that would forever mar his once crystalline voice. Though DOC was certainly still alive, we felt like we had lost something huge. You could almost liken the emotions to when Biggie or Pac died; we felt rap had lost one of its best and brightest stars, and we had lost an opportunity to show the world what Dallas Hip-Hop was all about.

Or so it seemed at the time.

Down but not out, D.O.C. would still stay close with the Death Row camp, playing instrumental roles in the writing and concepts on various projects from The Chronic, to Snoop’s solo releases, all the way up to Chronic 2001. He would even attempt a comeback album with 1996’s Helter Skelter, though an audience not receptive to his new voice would overlook the effort.

But now, stronger and wiser after the years of adversity, the D.O.C. returns to the game to see if he can do for Dallas Hip-Hop what he did for gangsta rap in South Central. Apparently not to fond of his widely disregarded sophomore album, D.O.C. has named this new effort Deuce, and you can definitely believe the hype when people call it The Chronic JR. Where Dr. Dre’s seminal release featured his burgeoning Death Row camp, Duece introduces the world to Curry’s promising Silverback squad, a collective of three emcees (Cadillac Seville, Uptight, and 6Two) from the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Though the D.O.C.’s voice has healed well enough to spit a few bars, for the most part he’s content to work hard at the tasks of producer, writer, and label executive, and allow his stable of artists to dominate the spotlight.

By now you’ve probably heard the first single off Deuce, appropriately titled “The ?hit.” The production mirrors one of Dr. Dre’s textbook bangers signified by marching chords, orchestral hits, and a funky little melody peeking out from between resonant kick drums. D.O.C., MC Ren, Ice Cube, and Xzibit know exactly what to do with this familiar formula and demolish the mic with their individual verses, and relative newcomer 6Two definitely holds his own in this impressive roster as well. “Concrete Jungle” sports another sound characteristic of the Death Row catalog, specifically street rap verses sandwiched by the crooning of Nate Dogg. The DPG singer’s satin voice complements the uptempo keyboard accompaniment as the rappers spit “ballaholic” verses.

The crew works to solidify their status as storytellers with the homicidal narration of “What Would You Do.” Also, 6Two, Seville, and Uptight spit their own rendition of the “crew anthem” with “Mass Confusion.” The Silverback gorillas simply ignite this blend, territorially beating their chests over dramatic synth crescendos. Later Uptight makes the most of his solo opportunity with his packed-solid flow on “Critical Condition” immediately invoking images of a younger D.O.C. shredding the mic with the swift, intricately layered verses of “Whirlwind Pyramid.” Pulse monitors, sirens, and rumbling bass grooves paint the aural backdrop for this adrenaline-injected piece.

Despite the familiar formulas, heads that are expecting a typical predictable gangsta rap release from D.O.C.’s stable are definitely going to be disappointed. 6Two shows his originality and lyrical cleverness by seamlessly splicing his humorous pimp flow into a familiar Schoolhouse Rock ditty on “XXX Files.” His playful delivery perfectly mirrors the cheerful guitar, electric piano, and flute accompaniment, even as he contradicts the arefree mood with his lines. Plus on “Geto Blues,” D.O.C. truly gets to flaunt the live instrument-based production that’s frequently present throughout the album. Funk fortified blues guitars are the foundation for this slow, somber piece, with the rappers trading melancholy street rhymes over the track.

With Deuce, D.O.C. proves that he has learned much from his time with Ruthless, Aftermath, and Dre, and has the skill, acumen, and fortitude to take the knowledge dropped and lessons taught and apply them in a new environment. His production, though certainly tinged with a healthy dose of g-funk, feels more like the musical progression of his own debut than an extension of The Chronic, and the trio of emcees he assembled are evidence that there’s certainly no shortage of proficient and willing rap talent to pull from in DFW. Will Silverback and D.O.C. do for Dallas what Ruthless and NWA did for South Central LA? Only time will tell.

[40oz GRApHire]

Thanks, shit's intresting..

[Dr._Funkenstein]

Thanks, shit's intresting..

[akaDRooPY]

yeah, i just grabbed that shit today. HOT ALBUM, some banging tracks on this. "Gorilla pimpin" is a hot track. Damn, one of the best albums ive purchased this year