Representative Albums: "No One Can Do It Better," "Helter Skelter," "Deuce"
Representative Songs: "It's Funky Enough," "The D.O.C. & The Doctor," "No One Can Do It Better"
Biography
After the release of his debut album, the career of Texas-born rapper the D.O.C. was shattered by a car crash that almost took his life. Although he could no longer rap like he used to, his former producer Dr. Dre featured the rapper on his groundbreaking album The Chronic, which built on the foundation laid by the D.O.C.'s No One Can Do It Better. He was also featured on Snoop Doggy Dogg's Doggystyle. The D.O.C. returned in early 1996 with Helter Skelter, his first album in nearly seven years. The album received mixed reviews and failed to earn a large audience, leaving the charts a few months after its release. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Tracy Lynn Curry, known as The D.O.C., is an American rapper from Dallas, Texas. He was a member of the Fila Fresh Crew and a creative force behind the rap group N.W.A.
The D.O.C. contributed lyrics and vocals to N.W.A.'s second album, Straight Outta Compton and to Eazy E's debut, Eazy-Duz-It. He was recruited as a member of Fila Fresh Crew which turned out successful until he went to California for N.W.A.. When Ice Cube left the group, the group remained impressed with The D.O.C.'s work and kept him on board. In 1989, The D.O.C. released his Dr. Dre-produced debut album, No One Can Do It Better. The album was very well received by critics, and sold very well, peaking at #20 on the Billboard 200.[1]Allmusic gives the album a five-star rating and describes it as "an early landmark of West Coast Rap" as well as "an undeniable masterpiece" [2]
Accident
Not long after his debut album was released, his vocal cords were damaged in a car accident[3], which would prove to be an insurmountable obstacle for his continued career as a vocalist. In 2006, Jerry Heller of Ruthless Records stated that The D.O.C. could have had his voice recovered up to 90% but was suffering from depression and was "lazy", causing the voice we now know today.
However, The D.O.C. remained important to Dr. Dre, who used his talents as one of the writers for his debut solo album The Chronic, contributing to the tracks "Lil' Ghetto Boy," "A Nigga Witta Gun," and "Bitches Ain't Shit". He also appeared on the skit track "The $20 Sack Pyramid." He is referenced by name in "Nuthin' but a G Thang," and appears in the song's video as well. The liner notes to The Chronic say, "I want to give a special shout out to The D.O.C. for talking me into doin' this album." The D.O.C. also worked on Snoop Dogg's debut album Doggystyle and added some vocals on the song "Serial Killa". Also, the words, "No one can do it better", the name of his first album, were featured on the song "The Next Episode" by Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg and "Public Service Announcement" by Jay-Z as a direct reference to the rapper.
Surgery
It was revealed by The D.O.C. himself on Twitter, that LA-Based Publicist, Idalyze Nasiha Rose assisted him in finding the doctor that would perform the surgery to repair his vocal cords.[1] In a 2009 interview that fellow rapper Snoop Dogg assisted him in seeing this voice therapist in which resulted in him learning that his vocal chords have not been severed nor crushed and could be repaired up to 70%. He is currently undergoing final tests before the surgery takes place, which could possibly be televised.[2]
He made a guest appearance in Shyne's music-video for the song "That's Gangsta", which samples the same beat D.O.C. uses for his first hit "It's Funky Enough", Foster Sylvers's "Misdemeanor". The song "Lend Me An Ear was featured on Lakai skate shoe's video "Fully Flared
