http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/article/283334

Ashante Infantry
Pop & Jazz Critic

He hasn't released a record under his own name since 1995, but Doug E. Fresh is still hip hop's go-to-guy.

This year alone, the originator of the human beat box performed on the American Idol finale, hosted David and Victoria Beckham's "Welcome to L.A." party and Usher's wedding reception. He's now working on a VH1 reality show.

The Star chatted by phone with the 41-year-old Harlem, N.Y., native, who still lives just five blocks from where he grew up, in advance of his show at Kool Haus tonight.

Q Have you ever had any musical training?

A I played trumpet and percussion in elementary school. Percussion gave me the ability to use my hands and with trumpet I learned how to position my lips. I love the trumpet, because it creates the announcement. A lot of records that I've done start off with trumpets. My music teacher had a jazz background, (but) hip hop was the dominant force and it drew me in. Hip hop leaned more on the drums and I was so good at memorizing percussion sounds that I would duplicate them in my mind and just let it out with my own little twist with it.

Q Is there any challenge to what you do? How do you keep your chops in shape?

A You've got to know how to use a microphone, where to position it to get the right sound. You learn about circular breathing, which is making the air circulate without stopping the music. It takes a lot of wind. If you catch a cold it's hard to get the kind of wind that you need to make people feel exactly what you're doing. I keep my chops up by performing a lot, but even then I still sit around and play with it to increase my level of control.

Q I take it you're a non-smoker?

A My smoking days is never. You have to be in good shape to do the things that I do. I walk, run, do callisthenics. I haven't eaten meat for more than 20 years. I don't drink, really, occasionally a little champagne.

Q Two of your teenage sons have started their own rap group (Square Off). Did you try to discourage them?

A I've been doing hip hop since I was 13 and I feel like my contribution has made a major difference in the world of hip hop. So I just think that my sons should have the same right to do that. If I tell them "No, you have to go to college or else," I would have been a hypocrite because that's not what I did.

Q Their song "Dear Pops" is full of drama. Is it an accurate reflection of their relationship with you?

A I think it was an accurate reflection of how they felt when they wrote the song. And I think it's going to be an accurate reflection when I write the answer to it.

I'm a very real kind of father. I got six sons (ages 2 to 20); there's not too much feminity around here. It's straight-up, hardcore, real talk. And as young men will in life, sometimes they make good choices, sometimes they make mistakes, so it's real.

http://www.fayobserver.com/article?id=279541

Published on Tuesday, December 04, 2007

The Crown Arena will enjoy a blast from hip-hop's past when the Hip Hop Legend Tour pulls into Fayetteville.

The tour, which comes to the Crown Arena, Dec. 21, will feature MC Lyte, Slick Rick, Whodini and Doug E. Fresh. Tickets are $28 to $38.

MC Lyte is one of the first female rappers to address hip-hop's rampant sexism and misogyny, helping pave the way for future artists like Queen Latifah and Missy Elliott.

In 1993, MC Lyte's album "Ain't No Other" spawned the popular single, "Ruffneck," which earned her a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Single and turned out to be the first gold single ever achieved by a female rap artist.

London-born Slick Rick — complete with his customary eye patch that covers an eye injury suffered during his childhood — was a prototype "pimp," espousing the growing misogynistic attitude of hip-hop's early male artists.

In 1989, Slick Rick enjoyed great success with his album "The Great Adventures of Slick Rick," which was certified-platinum and featured the hit single "Children's Story."

Whodini helped lay the foundation for the new jack swing movement and was one of the first groups to add an R&B layer to their music.

The group featured rappers Jalil Hutchins and John "Ecstasy" Fletcher, and DJ Drew "Grandmaster Dee" Carter, who was known for being able to scratch records with nearly every part of his body.

The group's greatest success came with the seminal 1986 hit "Freaks Come Out at Night."

Doug E. Fresh, establishing himself as the world's first human beatbox, burst onto the hip-hop scene in 1983.

By 1985, he was one of the biggest names in hip-hop, and his first hit single, "The Show/La Di Da Di," became a hip-hop classic.

Fresh recorded "The Show/La Di Da Di," with his Get Fresh Crew, which included MC Ricky D — who later became known as Slick Rick.

http://uptownflavor.wordpress.com/2007/10/05/3-questions-for%e2%80%a6-doug-e-fresh/

3 questions for… Doug E. Fresh

Jesse Serwer interviewed Doug E. Fresh for Time Out New York, in which they spoke about Doug's new ventures (Chicken and Waffles, and the opening of a new restaurant in December), running for office, and beat-box lovers in Japan.

3 questions with Doug E. Fresh
by Jesse Serwer for Time Out New York

1. You've been in Harlem your whole life. Why open two new restaurants now, with the escalating rents and changing demographics?

A lot of new restaurants have been opening in Harlem, but they just don't have that Harlem flavor. With Doug E.'s Fresh Chicken and Waffles, we're next to Wells, which is where chicken and waffles originated. I wanted to pay tribute to that piece of Harlem history and advance it a little—with fish. For the Hot Pot, the Caribbean spot I'm opening in December, I wanted a late-night feel. Harlem's always been known for its late-night style.

2. You've just hosted Amateur Night at the Apollo and Harlem Day. You're practically the mayor of Harlem. Any plans to run for office?

Down the line. Right now, I just want the people to know I'm here for them. It's even more important now because of all the changes happening in the community. I want the kids to know what Harlem represents around the world. I'm in Tokyo right now, and they've got a Cotton Club here.

3. You've been running with American Idol's Blake Lewis lately. Does America need a beat-boxing pop star?

Honestly, a lot of pop records have beat-boxing. Timbaland beat-boxes on his tracks. Justin Timberlake beat-boxes. So I think Blake will do well. A long time ago, people told me this was a novelty. I'm doing a concert tonight in front of 800 people in Japan. They want to see me beat-box. I don't know how much of a novelty that is.

Doug E.'s Fresh Chicken and Waffles (2245 Adam Clayton Powell Blvd at 132nd St)
See more of Jesse's work at his website.

http://blackvoices.aol.com/blogs/2007/09/12/rap-sheet-doug-e-fresh-does-raps-for-puma/

RAP SHEET: Doug E Fresh Does 'Raps' For Puma

Posted Sep 12th 2007 2:22PM by Karu F. Daniels
Filed under: Entertainment Newswire

http://www.ilikemusic.com/hiphop/Yo_MTV_Raps_Party-4058

Yo! MTV Raps Party

--> -->The famous ' La Flèche d'Or' club in Paris witnessed an historical treat over the weekend...Hip hop stars had gathered at the venue for a glamorous Yo! MTV Raps party and were given a shock - the man regularly cited as 'the world's greatest DJ', Cash Money, hit the stage with superstar, and 'the world's greatest entertainer', Doug E Fresh.

The impromptu performance was hailed by insiders as "one of the best live mic displays ever." In a twist of fate Doug E's usual DJ had missed his flight from Miami to Paris; Cash Money was asked by Dougie to step to the decks...and they produced a shocking show. Doug E Fresh, whose rap skills were on display to 30 million people at the recent American Idol finale, said he just "let rip" and the results, an hour of hip hop history, were "devastating". The good news for fans is that the performance was captured by MTV who were filming at the party and will soon release the footage.

http://www.summerstage.org/index1.aspx?BD=19792

Wild Style 25th Anniversary Reunion

The Chief Rocker Busy Bee
The Cold Crush Brothers
GrandMaster Caz
DJ GrandWizzard Theodore
Fab 5 Freddy + special guests
Film screening of Wild Style

Sunday, July 29, 2007
From 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Central Park SummerStage

Before all the hits and headlines, before the bling and bullets, hip-hop was a comparatively naïve scene centered in New York's South Bronx. Aside from the records themselves, nothing evokes these fantastically vital early years as well as Wild Style. The 1982 film by Charles Ahearn tracks the fortunes of a young graffiti writer as he makes his way from street artist to gallery attraction. This 25th reunion event will include a screening of Wild Style, plus live performances from legendary figures that appeared in the film, such as The Cold Crush Brothers, Grandmaster Caz, Theodore and Busy Bee. There will also be new works of graffiti art created live onstage and special surprise guests.

http://www.whudat.com/newsblurbs/more/blake_lewis_and_doug_e_fresh_you_gotta_love_it_1680524071/

Blake Lewis and Doug E. Fresh: You Gotta Love it

http://www.the411online.com/news/05230702.html

'American Idol' invaded by Doug E. Fresh
There's never much hip-hop on "American Idol." And when there is, it's usually limited to the early tryout shows as comic relief. After all, it is a "singing competition." But last year, Wyclef Jean performed with Shakira, and now one beatboxing contestant opened the door to a full-fledged hip-hop performance on Wednesday night's Season 6 finale. Blake Lewis sprinkled performances with tastes of his hip-hop talents throughout the competition, including a surprisingly memorable update of Bon Jovi's "Shot Through the Heart" and a brief duet with Sir Mix-A-Lot during a trip back to his hometown of Seattle. But Wednesday, Doug E. Fresh joined Lewis on stage for a rousing rendition of "The Show," complete with Blake's verbal scratching and a beatboxing battle. So, could a legitimate MC someday find a way into the "Idol" top 10? Let's not push it. In the end, Lewis lost to Jordin Sparks, the 17-year-old daughter of former New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys cornerback Phillippi Sparks.

Diddy To Deliver More Laughs On HBO

By Kelly West: 2007-04-02 19:34:46 

HBO is about to kick off its second season of their late-night comedy series, 'P. Diddy Presents The Bad Boys Of Comedy.' As the title suggests, P. Diddy himself will make an appearance in each episode with rapper Doug E. Fresh introducing the acts. Being on HBO, the stand-up routines are uncensored which means they'll include a lot of adult humor (sex jokes, profanity and liberal use of the F-word).

Taped at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York, the season will consist of six episodes. The series will feature the Emcee skills of DJ Mister Cee and some behind the scenes footage of Diddy hanging out with the comics in the "green room."

The second season of the series will premiere on HBO, Friday, April 6 at 12 a.m.