The D.O.C.

A native of the West Dallas projects, the D.O.C. (real name Tracy "Tray" Curry) came up as a member of the Dallas rap group Fila Fresh Crew. In 1988 the group's minor hit "I Hate to Go to Work" appeared on The Posse -- Chapter 2, a compilation on the small but influential Los Angeles-based Macola label that also included early tracks by Ice T and Digital Underground. The D.O.C. came to the attention of a young Dr. Dre, who invited him to come to Compton. Thus, the D.O.C. became involved -- writing lyrics primarily -- for infamous early Ruthless Records albums like N.W.A's Straight Outta Compton. (Ice Cube allegedly referred to the D.O.C. as N.W.A's "unsung hero.") Dre then produced No One Can Do It Better, the D.O.C.'s excellent debut album. With an assertive, astringent voice not unlike DMC from Run-D.M.C. and Big Daddy Kane, the D.O.C. devoted himself to lyrical boasting, not gangsta tales. The album included some of Dre's best productions to date (except for the tinny heavy-metal track, "Beautiful But Deadly"). In retrospect, although the D.O.C.'s flow is old school, his facility at relentlessly fast rapping on "Portrait of a Masterpiece" remains impressive. Prospects looked good for the D.O.C. when in November 1989 his larynx was crushed in a car accident. Five years would pass before he recuperated enough to record again, and his comeback album Helter Skelter -- dominated by resurrection imagery -- began with a skit reenacting the accident. Lead track "Return of da Livin' Dead" recycled the beat from his first album's big hit "It's Funky Enough" and was the best beat on the album (with Dre absent, production was handled unexceptionally by the D.O.C. and Erotic D). With his voice reduced to an ineffective rasp, the D.O.C. virtually disappeared for the rest of the '90s. Apparently the D.O.C. maintained ties with his old buddies, however, as his protege Six Two appeared on "Xxplosive" on Dre's Chronic 2001. Having returned to his original stomping ground of Dallas, the D.O.C. formed his own record label and released his third album, Deuce, the highlight of which is "Tha Shit," a posse cut featuring Ice Cube, MC Ren, and Snoop. (PETER RELIC)

From 2004's The New Rolling Stone Album Guide