After Two Decades, The D.O.C. Is Locked And Loaded
The story of The D.O.C. is often told with an underlying air of tragedy, but the rap legend’s legacy is one defined by triumph. His 1989 debut project, No Once Can Do It Better, was hailed as an instant classic. Yet, that success was undercut when The D.O.C. was involved in a near-fatal car crash later that year. He suffered injuries that damaged his voice and ultimately derailed what appeared to be a legendary rap career. While the Dallas native released two studio albums (Helter Skelter, Deuce) in 1996 and 2003 respectively, he never regained the momentum he built with his debut, resulting in one of the biggest “what-if” questions in terms of a dream deferred.
The D.O.C., who says his voice has since been fully recovered, recently resumed his recording career with an appearance alongside the Codefendants on the song “Fast Ones” from their album This is Crime Wave. With artificial intelligence gradually becoming a widely used tool and breaking barriers in music, he finds himself at yet another crossroads in his journey while voicing his appreciation for the perspective gained along the way.
VIBE spoke with The D.O.C. about resuming his career as a recording artist, his forthcoming documentary, and his confliction about the use of artificial intelligence in music.
You recently appeared alongside Codefendants on the song “Fast Ones,” which features your first recorded verse in nearly 20 years. Can you tell us about the vibe of the song and how it came to life?
The Codefendants is a group that was put together by a guy named Fat Mike who was in a punk band called NOFX. I shot some of my documentary in his house; he let me use his place. So he asked me to be on this song and it’s been 30 years, bro. I did the verse for him and they really loved the sh*t and they put the song out and now people really seem to love the record. They said they wanted an ‘NWA verse,’ and that’s what I gave them.
What spurred and inspired you to get back in the swing of things?
I’ve never stopped. What made me stop putting it out is people were in my ear telling me that I shouldn’t put it out. And I just didn’t feel good about the voice or who I was, but now I’m a different man. I’m much closer to the man I was, as that boy that just kind’ve knows he’s dope and don’t give a f**k what nobody say. So I’m trying to get it out here, whatever it is. Whether it’s new music or an artist documentary. A lot of people got me caught in between this A.I. thing where part of me is like, ‘That would be really cool, you know to be a part of.’ It seems like if anybody, I would be the poster child for some sh*t like that. But there’s so many people that love this voice now, it’s like ‘Man, f**k that.’ So for me, it’s all good, I’m in a great space. G.O.D. put me through some stuff, but he let me make it and now things are looking up for me.
You recently did your first live performance in over 20 years in your hometown of Dallas as well. Take us through the performance and the reception from the crowd?
Well, the first show was in Austin, like a couple days before. It was a festival show, it was about maybe 15,000 punk rock kids out there, right? Yeah. I say kids, but you got folks out there from 14 to 55 and they’re just out there vibing and they loved it. They loved it, bro, and it felt great. I couldn’t walk five feet without folks really just on me and I haven’t been part of that emotion in a long time. And when I when I came to Dallas to do that same set in a much smaller venue, it was folks that drove from Austin to Dallas to see that sh*t two days later and take pictures. It was a big deal for them, so it was a big deal for me, bro. It’s a blessing and I don’t take it for granted.
Your near-fatal car accident, which altered your voice, is one of the greatest tragedies and what-if moments in Hip-Hop history. How often do you think about how your career and legacy could’ve turned out different?
We’re talking about this documentary for a reason. Every question that you could ever have and a whole bunch of sh*t that you would never even think to ask is in that documentary. It is the best music documentary you’ll see this year and a perfect f**king present to Hip-Hop. It’s a gift to her and it’s a gift to us because you get to see her at her best. Even at her f**king worst, you see her at her best, right? And so I say all that to say it was a path for me and I treasure that path and if I had to go back to that car wreck that day to get all these things that I got now, I’d go to the sh*t again the same way. I mean, yeah, I was a cold motherf**ker and the road would have definitely been different had that accident not happened. I say that with all humility, but all confidence.
But it went the way it was supposed to go for a purpose, so my brothers could do what the f**k they was supposed to do. From Snoop Dogg to f**king Shawn Carter, everybody in the thing, along that line. From Eminem to goddamn Lil Wayne, everybody along that line benefits from each other. We stand on each other’s shoulders. And I know that those guys plus a whole lot more heard that No One Can Do It Better record and it did something for him. That was my purpose, bro. So where I’m at now, I’m at The Funeral Is Canceled right now. That’s the new movement, that’s the next mission right? It’s bigger than any record, it’s bigger than any medium, it’s bigger than any motherf**king platform that’s out there and that happens in that documentary. And if you want that and if you want to know about the documentary, reach out to me. Email me and ask me, let’s talk about it. I’m gonna let you know what’s going on.
What’s the title of the documentary?
The D.O.C. It’s just me, but it’s really G.O.D. through me showing out. It’s something your mother is going to love, your daughter would love, your homies is gonna love, your grandmother is gonna love. It’s a 50 year-old white boy out there somewhere that’s losing everything else he owns that’s going to not jump off a bridge because of this goddamn movie, mark my word, bro. It’s that real, it’s that deep, I don’t hold nothing back, I give you everything. And it’s just G.O.D.. you know.
Do you have a timetable for when the fans can expect it?
It’ll be out this summer. I got dates in mind that I would prefer that feel the best, but I’m still dealing with these distributors, trying to make the right decision because it’s such an important movie, because it’s such a cultural moment. It’s a G.O.D. thing so you have to give it what it deserves in order for me to give it to you. Otherwise, you can’t have it. You know, you got to come on with it. So I’m dealing with these folks, but as soon as somebody step up to the table, we finna put this thing in motion and my hope is it’s before Hip-Hop’s birthday.
Artificial intelligence has become a hot topic in Hip-Hop, as a number of rap artists have had A.I.-generated vocals created and turned into songs. What are your thoughts on the subject?
So that question… is this G.O.D. or something else, bro? I mean, it’s crazy because that question for me, on a personal level, is being asked inside this documentary in a way that most people ain’t expecting. It’s f**king crazy, like… I can’t wait for this s**t to come out, bro, it’s crazy. Of course, I would love to hear me do me, so man, it’s hard to answer that question because I understand both sides of these arguments that folks are making. But I would love to hear me do me. And like I said, that question is being asked to me on a personal level in a way that you’re not even ready for inside this documentary. So I don’t want to spoil it for folks by giving it away. So I’ll just say where A.I. is concerned, I understand both sides.
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