No One Can Do It Better is The D.O.C.'s debut album, released on August 1, 1989. It reached number-one on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart for two weeks, while peaking in the Top 20 on the Billboard 200 chart. The album was certified gold by the RIAA three months after it was released, and platinum on April 21, 1994.[3] This was the only solo album The D.O.C. was able to record before a car accident resulted in crushing his larynx; in recent years, however, he has been undergoing vocal surgery. He would not release another album until 7 years later, with Helter Skelter (1996).
Album information
Idolizing East Coast acts such as Run-D.M.C. and Public Enemy, The D.O.C. always showed more of a lyrical style, not talking about guns, drugs and violence. The album received a Parental Advisory sticker because of the final track on the album ("The Grand Finalé"). Most of the songs were influenced and sampled from funk artists such as Marvin Gaye, Parliament, and Funkadelic, but one track in particular was influenced by other genres, "Beautiful But Deadly", a rock-hip hop track, influenced by Run-D.M.C. with a heavy guitar riff throughout the song (it borrows from Funkadelic's Cosmic Slop).
All five then-current members of N.W.A contributed to this album. Beats were produced by Dr. Dre, with Eazy-E being the executive producer and DJ Yella co-producing "The Grand Finalé". Dre, Ice Cube, MC Ren and Eazy all provide vocals for "The Grand Finalé", while Ren also provides vocals for "Comm. 2". Yella performs on "Comm. Blues", "Comm. 2" and "The Grand Finalé" as a drummer.
No One Can Do It Better also features additional vocals by Krazy Dee (who also co-wrote the N.W.A song "Panic Zone" from N.W.A. and the Posse), J. J. Fad, Yomo & Maulkie and Michel'le, who were all part of Ruthless as well. Andre "L.A. Dre" Bolton and Stan "The Guitar Man" Jones, who play keyboards and guitar on some of the tracks respectively, also worked for the label.
Critical reception
In a contemporary review for The Village Voice, music critic Robert Christgau said that the first three songs have music that is funky, multi-dimensional, and engaging, but the rest of the album's funk diminishes and leaves listeners having to focus on D.O.C.'s inferior lyrics.[4] In a retrospective review, Allmusic stated, "It's a shame that the D.O.C. never got the chance for a proper follow-up, but in No One Can Do It Better, he at least has one undeniable masterpiece."[2] RapReviews wrote, "It's hard to adequately describe how much of an unbelievable pleasure it is to listen to "No One Can Do it Better," an album that not only exceeds the expectations anyone had for D.O.C. at the time but which goes down as an unqualified classic in the history of hip-hop."[5] In 1998, the album was listed in The Source's 100 Best Rap Albums.
Track listing
| 1. |
"It's Funky Enough" |
4:29 |
| 2. |
"Mind Blowin'" |
3:35 |
| 3. |
"Lend Me an Ear" |
3:20 |
| 4. |
"Comm. Blues" (featuring Michel'le) |
2:22 |
| 5. |
"Let the Bass Go" |
3:41 |
| 6. |
"Beautiful But Deadly" |
5:10 |
| 7. |
"The D.O.C. & the Doctor" |
4:06 |
| 8. |
"No One Can Do It Better" |
4:50 |
| 9. |
"Whirlwind Pyramid" |
3:45 |
| 10. |
"Comm. 2" (featuring MC Ren) |
1:20 |
| 11. |
"The Formula" |
4:11 |
| 12. |
"Portrait of a Masterpiece" |
2:30 |
| 13. |
"The Grand Finale" (featuring N.W.A) |
4:40 |
Total length: |
47:59 |
Cut Tracks
Singles
| Single information |
|---|
"The D.O.C. & the Doctor"
- Released: October 5, 1989
- B-side: "SomethingTaBumpInYaCar"
|
"It's Funky Enough"
- Released: 1989
- B-side: "No One Can Do It Better"
|
"The Formula"
- Released: 1989
- B-side: "Whirlwind Pyramid"
|
"Mind Blowin'"
- Released: 1989
- B-side: "Portrait of a Master Piece (Remix)"
|
Chart positions
| Chart (1989) |
Peak
position |
|---|
| Billboard 200 |
20 |
| Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums |
1 |
See also
References
|
|---|
| | | | Studio albums | |
|---|
| | Singles | |
|---|
| | Other songs | |
|---|
| | Related articles | |
|---|
|
