The Dogg facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Dogg
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The Dogg performing in Zoo Park in 2006.
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Martin Morocky |
| Also known as | The Kwaito Master, Mr. Skeleton, TeeDee |
| Born | 31 March 1983 Maheba, Zambia |
| Origin | Onayena, Oshikoto, Namibia Tribe = Ndonga |
| Genres | Kwaito, hip hop, house |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, producer |
| Instruments | Vocals, keyboards, drums |
| Years active | 2003–present |
| Labels | Mshasho |
| Associated acts | Sunny boy, E Gazakoff, Vikta Juiceboy, OmPuff, Kanibal, Elvo, Qonja, Ree-Kay |
Martin Morocky (born March 31, 1983), better known by his stage name The Dogg or King TeeDee, is a famous musician from Namibia. He is known for making Kwaito music, a popular style in Southern Africa.
The Dogg released his first album, Shimaliw' Osatana, in 2004. He was also part of a group called Omalaeti O'Swapo. His music is popular in many countries, including South Africa, Botswana, and Angola. He has even performed in France, England, and Canada.
He has won many awards from places like Channel O and is one of the most awarded and best-selling artists in Namibia. The Dogg is also the owner of the Mshasho Productions record label and a clothing brand called Mshasho Clothing.
Contents
Early Life and School
The Dogg, whose real name is Martin Morocky, was born in Zambia. In 1989, his family moved to Namibia, where he started school at Onayena Primary School. As a child, his dream was to become a mechanical engineer. Music was a hobby he had not yet fully explored.
In 1997, he moved to the city of Windhoek for high school. After graduating, he started studying science at the University of Namibia. However, after one year, he decided to leave the university to follow his passion for music.
Music Career
How He Became Famous
The Dogg started performing at school concerts. In grade nine, he and a friend started a dance group. Before he became a solo artist, he was a backup dancer and opened shows for his cousin Killa B and his friend Jossy Joss. He also performed before big South African artists like Mandoza and Mafikizolo.
His big break came in 2003 with his hit song "Jesus Otati." The song was a mix of kwaito and gospel music and was produced by Elvo. "Jesus Otati" became very popular and helped launch his career. Because of the song's success, he won Artist of the Year and Best Kwaito Song at the 2003 Sanlam-NBC Music Awards. In the same year, he started his own record label, Mshasho Productions.
First Albums and Collaborations
While working on his first album, The Dogg became friends with another artist named Gazza. They recorded a song together called "Ghetto Life." The Dogg was also featured on Gazza's popular song "Shidolodolo," which won an award for Best Collaboration in 2004.
In February 2004, The Dogg released his first album, Shimaliw' Osatana. It was the first full kwaito album in Namibia and won the Best Selling Album award. Later that year, in December, he released his second album, Take Out Yo Gun, on his own Mshasho label. The main song, "The Dogg Is Back," won awards for Best Kwaito Song and Best Video in 2005. For the third year in a row, he won the Artist of the Year award.
This led to some friendly competition between The Dogg and Gazza. The Dogg also signed his first artist, Sunny Boy, to his Mshasho label. This caused a professional disagreement between The Dogg and Gazza, who had also wanted to sign Sunny Boy. From then on, the two artists focused on their own careers.
More Successful Albums
In May 2006, The Dogg released his third album, Introducing TeeDee. He produced the album himself with help from Jay Malgas. The album featured other artists from his label. The song "Baby Don't Go" was a big hit and won four awards in total. The video for this song also won Best Newcomer at the Channel-O Spirit of Africa Video Awards in 2007.
In 2007, he released his fourth album, You Can't Ignore. This album was a return to his original kwaito sound and was very popular with fans. He produced most of the album himself.
- The song "Can You Feel It" won Best Kwaito Video at the 2008 Channel O Music Video Awards.
- It also won Song of the Year at the 2007 Sanlam-NBC Music Awards, where The Dogg won Artist of the Year for the fourth time.
- Other popular songs like "Get Sum More" and "My Girl" also won awards.
Career from 2009 Onward
The Dogg's fifth album, This Is My Time, came out in 2009. That same year, he was a special celebrity guest on the TV show Big Brother Africa. He stayed in the house for a weekend and performed for the viewers.
He released his sixth album, The Power of 7 – Elevating Elevators, in 2010. In 2011, his seventh album, The Deception, was released. It featured famous artists like Brickz from South Africa and JK from Zambia.
Role as a Producer
Besides being a singer, The Dogg is also a talented music producer. He started producing music in 2005 with help from his mentor, Elvo. He has produced music for many other Namibian artists, both on his Mshasho label and for others.
He has been the main producer for all of his own albums since 2006. In an interview, he said, "I'm working on establishing my unique blend of music." He often works with other producers like Elvo and DJ Kboz to create his sound.
Discography
Solo Albums
- Shimaliw' Osatana – (2004)
- Take Out Yo Gun – (2004)
- Introducing TeeDee – (2006)
- You Can't Ignore – (2007)
- This Is My Time – (2009)
- The Power of 7 – Elevating Elevators – (2010)
- The Deception – (2011)
- Live or Die – (2013)
- Respect My Hustle – (2015)
- Concrete Jungle – (2017)
Other Albums
- Omalaeti O'Swapo – (2004, with Gazza, Elvo and Pablo)
