"The Formula" by The D.O.C.

 

    Whazzup, friends? Today, the Dial rewinds the virtual Walkman back to 1989, as we slip on our gold chain necklaces, four finger rings, and hip hop hats (Kente print, or Kangol… take your pic) in order to get the most out of “The Formula” by The D.O.C.!

“High energy flowin’ with the wisdom… sense of a rich man, knowledge and the rhythm…”

Extracted from The D.O.C.’s influential LP No One Can Do It Better, “The Formula” reached #4 on the rap singles chart, but only managed US R&B #76, and earned no Hot 100 showing at all, which is a damn shame, as this is by far, among the best rap songs of the era, IMHO.

Released at a time when rap was still viewed as an underground phenomenon, though the genre was clearly knocking on the door to mainstream acceptance with artists like LL Cool J, Salt N Pepa, Run DMC, the Beasties, and 3rd Bass all experiencing critical acclaim and pop crossover success in the later years of the decade.

“Creative so I’ll never be regarded as a regular… more than just a little bit better than my competitor.”

“The Formula” is what is referred to as a “boasting” rap, in which The D.O.C. (a.k.a. Tracy Lynn Curry) outlines why his skills are superior to other rappers. However, this tune carries more of an intellectual lean, as “Doc-T” (as he was also known as) discusses the calculations and science of making lyrical rhymes, almost as if he is a rapping professor. There are no “disses” and no violent imagery, nor does he resort to vulgar lyrics, which makes “The Formula” the kind of rap song that I tend to like. Interestingly, the song has no vocal chorus, just a periodic instrumental break following each rap verse.

There’s also a cool “call and response” appearing at the end of each rap verse. The D.O.C. asks Dre for validation of the title subject, to which Dre responds with a variation on… “That's the formula!"

Sampling Marvin Gaye's "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)", (US #9 and R&B #1 in ‘71), and The Magic Disco Machine's 1975 album cut "Scratchin'" (a frequently used break in hip hop music), The Formula builds on its classic music bed with The D.O.C.’s smooth delivery and clear lyrics. Confident and authoritative without slipping into brash arrogance, the D.O.C.'s rhymes and lyrical flow was widely considered to be the best of his peers.

“Originality is a must whenever I bust a funky composition, its crush and I trust that you know it when you hear a funky record with potential.”

The music video is a stand out of the era as well. It opens with Dre and fellow NWA alumnus Eazy-E auditioning prospective rappers for a project they are working on. We are treated to hilarious goofs of a generic rap group from Compton, MC Hammer, and even the New Kids on the Block, (“yo man, we got the right stuff”) as they try their hand at being rappers and fail miserably. Though all of the spoof rappers are still better than the real rappers of present day… but I digress.

The rest of the video is pretty cool too, as Dre, sequestered in a creepy castle dungeon, with his cute lab assistant by his side, decides to create his own rapper ala Frankenstein. Make sure to watch all the way ‘til the end.

Sadly, The D.O.C.’s promising career was cut short by a car accident that crushed his larynx. He survived, but his voice was irrevocably changed, and he was never able to recapture the magic from his debut LP, though he did release two other LPs, 1996’s Helter Skelter, and 2003’s Duece. He ended up writing lyrics with many other rappers, most notably Dre, and Snoop Dogg.

So check out this classic old school track below, and give mad props to Dre and The D.O.C., and their “Formula”. In this reviewer’s humble opinion, it is both “fresh” and “dope”. I just have one question… when is the New Kids in the Hood’s album dropping? I’ve been waiting almost 30 years!

D.O.C.: “Knowledge and the talent that my mother had born to her, equals the DOC, what is it, Dre?”             

Dre: “Yo man, that’s the formula!”