The D.O.C.`s "ReTuRN Of Da LiViN` DeaD" [CD MaXi-SiNGLe]...

Re~uPP`d, originally posted on 06.06.2010...





I`ve been a BiG fan of The D.O.C. ever since I first discovered his music back in the Summer of 1991. My PoPs` nephew hook`D me up with a bunch of HiP HoP cassettes & one of them just happened to be The D.O.C.`s debut album "No One Can Do It Better", from that day on I was a fan! I DiG "It`s Funky Enough", "Mind Blowin`", "Beautiful But Deadly", "The D.O.C & The Doctor", "No One Can Do It Better", "Whirlwind Pyramid", "The Formula" & the N.W.A. posse cut "The Grand Finale". Let`s just say I played the cassette all the time til that one fatal day that my walkman ate the tape up beyond any type of repair, TRuST me I even had my PoPs attempt some sort or CPR.....LoL...

Sadly much like the cassette that had been jammed & crushed in my yellow walkman, it wasn`t long after I had just started getting into The D.O.C. that he was involved in a car accident leavin` him with a crushed larynx. Many thought that his career was over, but he returned with a dark raspy voice (similar to that of a DoPe fiend) & dropped a second album in 1996 titled "Helter Skelter". A side~note, I believe that at one point in time Dr. Dre & Ice Cube were working on a collabo` album with the same title & this is why Dr. Dre had a lil` beef with The D.O.C. a few years back...


Anyway The D.O.C.`s "Helter Skelter" album didn`t do too well sales~wise. Personally I just think that folks we`re comparing him to The D.O.C. of the past, before the Life altering accident. They weren`t ready or willing to accept change or artistic growth. To my ears the album is DoPe, a much more darker one than his debut without question. Erotic D handled the production providing D.O.C. with the perfect backdrops for his lyrics...


What I`ve got for y`all is a CD Maxi-Single, it features both the Album Versions & Remixes for 2 tracks off the "Helter Skelter" album; "Return Of Da Livin` Dead" & "From Ruthless To Death Row (Do We All Part?)". The remixes are alright but nothing too special. Gotta say that I DiG the Album Version of "Return Of Da Livin` Dead" more than the Remix, even though the Remix has a decent beat behind it. Maybe it`s because the Album Version samples "It`s Funky Enough" from his 1989 debut album or maybe it`s because it takes me back to the time I seen the music video for "Return Of Da Livin` Dead" on Rap City. The D.O.C. was dressed as a zombie~like character breakin` out his coffin, I guess it was to symbolize his return to the game...


I thought the video was iLL & well done, couldn`t find it on youtube though. Once I can rip VHS tapes to my computer I`ll post that up here for y`all. Anyway, "From Ruthless To Death Row (Do We All Part?)" is an iLL story~telling track, The D.O.C. talks about his side of things during his transition from fuckin` with Ruthless Records to Death Row Records & beyond. Again I gotta go with the Album Version on this one, the Remix uses a sample of "Eric B. Is President" & features Erotic D on the intro though. Erotic D handled the production on all 4 tracks of this Maxi~Single, go `head & check it out...

The D.O.C. - Return Of The Livin` Dead [CD Maxi-Single]

Released: 1995
Label: Giant Records

1. Return Of Da Livin` Dead [Rmx]
2. Return Of Da Livin` Dead [Album]
3. From Ruthless 2 Death Row (Do We All Part?) [Rmx]
4. From Ruthless 2 Death Row (Do We All Part?) [Album]




Here`s a DoPe interview (2 parts) with The D.O.C., he covers some iLL topics; Eazy-E, Ruthless Records, Death Row etc. It`s definitely worth checkin` out as well...










SoLiDFiLeS LiNK...





N`JoY...