Doug E. Fresh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Doug E. Fresh
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Doug E. Fresh performing in Brooklyn in 2010
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Douglas Davis |
| Born | September 17, 1966 Bridgetown, Barbados |
| Origin | Manhattan, New York City, U.S. |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Occupation(s) | |
| Years active | 1983–present |
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| Associated acts | Slick Rick, Vicious, MC Hammer, Teddy Riley, Prince |
Douglas Davis (born September 17, 1966), known as Doug E. Fresh, is an American rapper, record producer, and beatboxer. He was born in Bridgetown, Barbados. People often call him the "Human Beat Box" because he was a pioneer of beatboxing in the 20th century. Doug E. Fresh can perfectly copy the sounds of drum machines and other special effects using only his mouth, lips, and throat.
In the early 1980s, he started a group called the Lover Boy Crew. It included DJs Chill Will and Barry B, and later, rapper Slick Rick. Two of their songs, "The Show" and "La Di Da Di", are famous hip hop songs. "La Di Da Di" is one of the most sampled songs ever, meaning many other artists have used parts of it in their own music.
Contents
The Life of Doug E. Fresh
Early Years and Music Beginnings
Doug E. Fresh was born in Barbados, and his family also has roots in Trinidad and Tobago. His grandfather raised him in Harlem, New York, along with his mother. Doug E. Fresh went to a school that had a music program. There, he learned to play drums, percussion, and the trumpet. When the school's music budget was cut, he had to return his trumpet.
He got into rapping when his brother brought home tapes of famous hip hop artists like Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. In his neighborhood, he joined a group called D & D Express. He started rapping into the microphone and experimenting with sounds. In school, he wrote rhymes for poetry and was a big fan of Langston Hughes, even winning a local award named after him.
During this time, many local music groups formed. They would host parties in school cafeterias, which Doug E. Fresh often attended. He had his own crew with his cousins, Damon and James. They loved the group The Cold Crush Brothers, so they called themselves the Cold Cash Crew. Doug E. Fresh used several names back then, like Dougie Doug and Dougie D. The name "Doug E. Fresh" came from a mistake. Someone was writing his name for an art piece and spelled "Dougie’s Fresh" as "Doug E. Fresh." He liked it and started using it when he went to other schools for rap battles.
How He Became a Beatboxer
Doug E. Fresh learned to beatbox by listening to music. Every day after school, he walked past a record shop owned by Bobby Robinson. Records would play outside, and he would hum along to the bass-lines of songs by artists like Grandmaster Flash. His friend DJ Barry Bee, who later joined the Get Fresh Crew, also encouraged him.
One day, while listening to records outside, Doug E. Fresh tried beatboxing between songs. His friends loved it! News of his amazing skills spread quickly. He performed at a party in a park in East Harlem, where he ra rapped and beatboxed live. Soon after, Kurtis Blow, a producer for The Fat Boys, needed someone to make instrumentals because he didn't have turntables. He asked Doug E. Fresh to beatbox, and that's how his beatboxing career really took off.
Music Career Highlights
Early Success and Famous Songs
Doug E. Fresh started his recording career as a solo artist. He was one of the first artists on Vintertainment Records. Later, he formed the Get Fresh Crew with DJs Barry Bee and Chill Will, and MC Ricky D (who became Slick Rick). They signed with Danya/Reality Records.
In 1985, they released a 12-inch single with two songs: "The Show" and "La Di Da Di". "The Show" used a melody from the Inspector Gadget theme song. "La Di Da Di" was special because Slick Rick sang all the words, and Doug E. Fresh provided all the music using only his beatboxing. These two songs made Doug E. Fresh (and Slick Rick) very famous. They are still considered classic hip hop songs. "The Show" even reached number 7 on the UK Singles Chart in December 1985.
Slick Rick left the group about a year later. Doug E. Fresh and the Get Fresh Crew continued making music. They released the album Oh, My God! in 1986, which included the hit song "All the Way to Heaven." In 1988, they released The World's Greatest Entertainer.
Later Albums and Comebacks
After a break, Doug E. Fresh joined MC Hammer's label, Bust It Records, in 1992. He released the album Doin' What I Gotta Do. In 1993, he moved to Gee Street Records and released a single with three songs, including "Freaks," which became popular on the radio and in clubs.
In 1995, Slick Rick and Doug E. Fresh worked together again on the album Play. This album was very well-received and sold enough copies to be certified gold.
Recent Appearances and Recognition
Doug E. Fresh has continued to perform and make appearances.
- In 2007, he performed on the sixth-season finale of American Idol. This was the first hip hop performance ever on the show.
- In 2010, the rap group Cali Swag District brought back some of his famous dance moves for their song "Teach Me How to Dougie." They gave him credit for inspiring the dance.
- He performed with Cali Swag District at the BET Awards pre-show in 2010.
- He appeared at the Soul Train Awards in 2010, where he taught CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer how to do the Dougie dance on stage.
- From 2013 to 2016, Doug E. Fresh hosted a classic hip hop and R&B radio show called "The Show" on New York's 107.5 WBLS.
- In 2019, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the American Beatbox Championships for his important role in music and beatboxing.
- In 2021, he released his first full album since 1995, called This One's for Chuck Brown: Doug E. Fresh Salutes The Godfather of Go-Go.
- He also made a brief appearance in the 2023 film World's Best.
Personal Life
Doug E. Fresh is a member of the Church of Scientology. He has performed at their events and contributed to their music albums.
In 2010, he opened a restaurant called Doug E.'s Chicken and Waffles in Harlem, New York. The restaurant closed in 2015.
Doug E. Fresh also has a foundation called Hip Hop Public Health. He has been a spokesperson for the Hip Hop Public Health Education Center at Harlem Hospital Center, working to promote health through hip hop.
He has six sons. Two of his sons, Dayquan "Slim" Davis and Solomon "Trips" Davis, are in a hip hop group called Square Off, which Doug E. Fresh helps manage. They released their first CD in 2011.
Discography
Studio albums
- Oh, My God! (1986)
- The World's Greatest Entertainer (1988)
- Doin' What I Gotta Do (1992)
- Play (1995)
