As we celebrate 50 years of hip-hop, we bring you the story of an icon who is often considered "your favorite rapper's favorite rapper." The D.O.C. was the unofficial sixth member of the rap group N.W.A. He collaborated with the likes of Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, among others. However, his career was derailed after a car crash severely damaged his voice 34 years ago. Now, he's embracing a new sound. He spoke with Michelle Miller, co-host of CBS Saturday Morning, about the tragedy and his groundbreaking steps toward new music.
True hip-hop heads know The D.O.C. as a master and artist who churned out some of rap's most iconic lyrics, doing so without profanity. A rising star in the late 1980s, he began collaborating with other up-and-comers, most notably Dr. Dre's N.W.A. "When I was writing those songs, I put my name in every damn song," he said. Born Tracy Curry, The D.O.C. ghostwrote verses on several of their hits, including a track on the "Straight Outta Compton" album.
How did a Dallas-born rapper become integral to West Coast rap? A radio DJ put Dre and The D.O.C. in the same space together. "We just felt at home," he recalls. "He made music, and I made words." In 1989, he released his own album, emerging from N.W.A.'s shadow. "I was living that life, girl. I was doing my thing," he reflects. The album peaked at number 20 on the Billboard 200 chart.
However, three months after its release, his life turned upside down. He was driving down the highway after an all-night video shoot when he took an illegal substance, leading to a car crash that severely damaged his vocal cords, leaving him with a raspy voice. While this ended his career as a master MC, he continued to write for and mentor some of rap's now-favored sons. Still, he struggled with depression for the next 30 years, blaming himself.
His story, The D.O.C., is now a documentary that premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival last year. "That's what life gave me to work with," he says about sharing his path. The documentary features rap superstars Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, and Eminem. Erica Badu, his former partner and mother of his 19-year-old daughter, helped him through tough times. "She made me a better person, a great father," he says. Now, at 55, The D.O.C. isn't giving up on reclaiming his voice, thanks to an opportunity from his friend Fab 5 Freddy, who introduced him to the AI company Suno. CEO Mikey Shulman and his team are teaching a machine to mimic The D.O.C.'s old voice.
Curry will record music, and Suno will use his voice from older songs to match his pre-accident sound. "I think this one is a slam dunk," Shulman says about the ethical implications, "letting D.O.C. recreate the voice he has in his head." Curry remains hopeful, drawing lessons from his life. "I've been doing this since I was 16 years old, but I wanted to be the greatest of all time. AI might be giving me another shot at the title," he concludes.
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