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30 of 31 found the following review helpful:
West Coast Masterpiece Jul 16, 2005
By Mike J
In a prior review of Jay-Z's Blueprint 2: The Gift and The Curse I had said that a more appropriate title could not have been chosen. Ironically, the same can be said about the first full length release from Tray Curry aka The D.O.C. but with an entirely different result. While Blueprint 2 represents a muddled collection of what would be one of Jay-Z's low points in his career, No One Can Do It Better is one of those rare Hip-Hop moments where everything came together. You will seldom hear the words perfection thrown around in my vocabulary. If you were to look for a "measuring stick" for perfection in rap releases, this album would not be a bad choice.
Doc was one of those rare emcees that has what Guru of Gangstarr calls "The Voice". When his voice leapt through any speaker prior to his career ruining car accident that severed one of his vocal chords, The D.O.C.'s voice was immediately recognizable. It became a trademark that represented quality in what was swiftly becoming an overcrowded Hip-Hop market on it's release in 1990. Any record featuring Doc's voice was considered instant gold.
And rightly so, as his voice was not the only weapon in his arsenal. After fumbling slightly with his hometown Fila Fresh Crew from Texas, a young D.O.C. was brought to the West Coast by superproducer Dr. Dre. While perfecting his craft writting clever raps for Eazy-E and even spitting a quick verse on the classic NWA release Straight Outta Compton, D.O.C. developed into a lyrical beast that destroys track after track on No One Can Do It Better. Whether it's the hardcore stylings of "The D.O.C. & The Doctor" or the otherworldly scientific style he exibits on "Portrait of a Masterpiece", DOC puts forth quality rhymes that invoke the same reverence held for names like KRS-One, Melle Mel and Rakim. Doc had become the most lyrical member of the ever-expanding collective that had become N.W.A. Further, his vocabulary was such that he could present the NWA hardcore gangsta style but with minimal curses and still not compromise on their abrassiveness or street sensibility. What's more, he was an emcee in a more traditional sense of the term, moreso than either Ice Cube or MC Ren.
Also, he had a diversity in topics and strength in intensity that is seldom matched even today. From his ragga-laced ramblings on "Funky Enough" to the smooth sensiblities of "The Formula" DOC not only had something for every listener, he had something that every listener wants to hear. Song after song, DOC never fails to entertain or become boring with his subject matter.
Finally, Dre really outdid himself on the production end of things. Many consider this offering to represent Dre's strongest work. His prior philosophy of funk samples remains evident but he also took on a more experimentative style with No One Can Do It Better. His Marvin Gaye inspired interpolation on "The Formula" and his rock inspired production on "Beautiful But Deadly" show a more diverse side to Dre's previously sample based productions. The work here seems to represent the stepping stone between what he was in the 80's to what he would become in the 90's. Neither style is less effective or powerful than the other but it is a suprise oto find them both so equally represented here. And when the piano laced posse cut "The Grand Finale" finally concludes, any listener should agree that this is what a classic album should sound like whether it's 5 stars or 5 mics. This high quality to both his presentation and lyrics create one of the most enjoyable listens in all Hip-Hop.
Perhaps this result makes the loss of Doc's voice all the more tragic. While Dr Dre's Chronic album would carry The D.O.C.'s indelible fingerprints a few years later, Mr. Curry's career was mostly over except the shouting. To my way of thinking, No One Can Do It Better now serves as a constant reminder that there are fates worse than death. To have such a gift so suddenly taken from you would have to shake a person to his foundation. The fact that Doc's legacy is mostly neglected by today's Hip-Hop audience in favor of 2Pac's or Biggie's is, to me, a huge disappointment.
8 of 8 found the following review helpful:
the start of makin it funky enough Aug 25, 2004
By liveon14887
The D.O.C. was of course a talented writer and if it wasn't for his car crash in '89, it would have been hard to tell who was better on the west coast- 2Pac or The D.O.C. Originally from Texas, The D.O.C. has some pretty rough lyrics that sounded like it came from the east coast but it didn't matter. His rhymes were fresh. This is an album where beats don't really matter (surprizingly, the beats are all produced by Dr. Dre but don't even sound like Dre production), it's the lyrics you're really looking for. The Formula (a prime classic) and No One Can Do It Better portray The D.O.C. at his best. His amazing flow can contradict even the most talented rappers who have been in the game. Portrait of a Master Piece and Whirlwind Pyramid is where The D.O.C. performs at his fastest pace and does a damn good job, especially in Portrait of a Master Piece. Bangers like It's Funky Enough and Lend Me a Hand will give you a reason to get you moving on the dancefloor.
No One Can Do It Better sure proved that nobody as talented as him could do it better. There are about a few rappers who are slightly better but The D.O.C. would come rough when needed. It's tragic that he lost his voice, he had the road to victory lying just ahead of him. However his talent will never be forgotten. Legendary, that's all I can say, legendary.
8 of 8 found the following review helpful:
D.O.C. is one of the most lyrically inclined of all-time. Sep 22, 2001
By Mister Hip-Hop
You have to love The D.O.C., he has amazing technical rapping skills, great energetic personality, and of course Dr. Dre's beats go perfectly with his style. Originally from Texas, D.O.C. moved to Los Angeles and hooked up with the classic group N.W.A., on Ruthless Records. Eazy-E handled executive production, and Dre was in his good old days and did a great job with the beats. But D.O.C. still came amazing on every single song and also used very little profanity on this album which showed his versatility, especially considering that he was working with N.W.A., one of the most controversial rap groups of all-time. It's such a shame the The D.O.C. lost his vocal cords in 1992 in a car crash and lost his mind-blowing flow. But he continued rapping after that and he might not have had the same technical ability but he remained a great lyricist. No One Can Do It Better was released in 1989 and still sounds fresh. And of course you have to love the real live instruments playing on the songs, and the saxophone solos on a couple songs. Even the commercial interludes have meaning, and are catchy. An undisputed classic album.The album opens up with the signature track "It's Funky Enough", which is a crazy song. D.O.C. rips it here, and the beat is definitely funky enough from Dre. A good party track, never gets tired. "Mind-Blowing" has a nice piano and bass beat and D.O.C. comes with some of the best verses I've heard in a long time. He switches rapping at fast and normal paces and it does blow the mind. "Lend Me An Ear" is another swift track, with D.O.C. tearing a head-nodding beat into pieces. The first commercial has Michel'le singing on it, and has these two people talking on it which is pretty funny. "Let The Bass Go" is a funky, laid-back track with some excellent rapping by Doc again. Good scratching by Dre as well. "Beautiful But Deadly" is a rock type of track with an obvious Run-DMC influence and has great heavy-metal guitars. The song is about a girl who is beautiful but deadly. "The D.O.C. And The Doctor" is a perfect example of the relationship Dre and D.O.C. had musically. D.O.C. raps real well and the beat is a funky Parliament portrait. "No One Can Do It Better" certainly sounds like a hit, and has a great guitar beat. D.O.C. also comes with some really good lyrics on this song. "Whirlwind Pyramid" is a fast-paced party track with a instrumental that sounds like a James Brown track and of course D.O.C. is emceeing at his unbelieveable fast speed. "The Formula" is one of The D.O.C.'s best songs ever. It's more laid-back and Doc raps with a different feel. The tune during the chorus is great and there's also a nice late night feel to this song. "Portrait Of A Masterpiece" is also amazing. D.O.C. raps faster than ever on this song and the beat is also amazingly fast. It blew me away the first time I heard him do it. "The Grand Finale" is the final song which features the whole N.W.A. group: Ice Cube, MC Ren, Eazy-E, Dr. Dre (who only talks and introduces everyone) and DJ Yella (who plays the drums). They all tear this song to pieces over a nice gangsta beat. One of the best songs on here; a classic. This whole album is classic. Also, it's very influential and many other rappers have used similiar styles to The D.O.C., like DJ Quik, Crooked I, Xzibit, and plenty others. Before Ruthless had funk, it was funky enough. Also, has anyone here heard the song that was left off this album by The D.O.C. called "Bridgette"? It was released on Dr. Dre's album Second Round Knock Out. The song didn't make No One Can Do It Better but it's a nice bouncy track about a girl named Bridgette. The song is touchy though, especially compared to this album which is very clean. D.O.C. shouldn't have lost his vocal cords, I miss his old style and I'm sure many others do too. He was one of the best lyricists and rappers of all-time, voice messed up or not.
5 of 5 found the following review helpful:
One of the best Apr 07, 2008
By Raymundo Gomez
THe DOC was going to be the snoop before snoop. He was on his way to a successful carreer, until his car accident, but this album is on point. Get it, doesn't matter how old it is. Lyrics are smooth
4 of 4 found the following review helpful:
The D.O.C. is SICK..... Aug 15, 2004
By V. Stylez
"A.K.A. J.R. Valintyne"
THE DOC SHOULD BE CALLED O.M.G.(ONE MAN GANG)...
CLASSIC ALBUM PERIOD. NO MORE SAID...
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