Bridging the gap from the old school to the new.

(photo courtsey of Craig Valentine)

By: Deejay Spice

Any real music fan could tell you that Dougie Fresh catapulted to hip hop stardom with his 1985 hits "The Show" (which borrowed the melody of the Inspector Gadget theme), and "La Di Da Di" (which both can still make a dance floor jump) But a TRUE HIP HOP fan could tell you that Doug was a pioneer. Every time you are in a club and you hear the chant "Heyyyyyy, YO!... I-iiiiight", you can thank Doug for that. He laid the blue print for the hip hop art form known as beat boxing. His body is his instrument. And to keep his instrument tuned, he runs everyday, doesn't drink, doesn't smoke, doesn't eat red meat, and has done it like that for years. And in 2010, Doug made yet another silent contribution to the new generation of Hip Hop fans by letting a somewhat unknown group from Inglewood, CA known as "Cali Swag District" teach the world how to Dougie. A dance that he has done on his stage show since the 80s. It's not everyday that you are invited to New York
with 15 other hip hop fans to sit down with hip hop royalty. So when my super producer Craig V used his super powers and made it happen, I jumped at the opportunity.

Dougie Fresh teaches the 3 styles of "Dougie"

When Doug first walked through the door,  he greeted every person in the room. Immediately making me realize just how Intimate of a setting this was. He got right down to business taking a few questions and performing some of his CLASSIC jams. Some might say he was an innovator of his time. But giving him credit as one of the founders of hip hop isn't enough. He was an innovator then, and he's an innovator now. "What helps me stay relevant is the fact that I still love hip hop. And when you still love something you're gonna do what you have to do to stay relevant." Dougie Fresh said about his place in today's hip hop world. "I'm always listening to the creative process of hip hop without judging
it." When Cali Swag District came to my house wanting to do the Dougie record, instead of judging it or having any negative energy on it, I was happy to see them wanting to do something different. And when their people asked me if I wanted anything off the Dougie record, I told them I already got something from the song. I planted a seed and they grew something from it. I got some kids off
the street, gotta few people some jobs, they took my energy and that gave them energy. See that's what hip hop used to be about. It wasn't about how much paper I could get off you." The words of a legend.

An innovator then, and an innovator now. Watch how he is still re-inventing the art form that he helped create. The unbelievable beat box skills of the pioneer.

Doug performed and talked for about an hour, ending with a version of Alright, The Show, Freaks-joined by dance hall legend Lil Vicious and the hip-hop veteran's sons, 23-year-old Dayquan "Slim" Davis and 21-year-old Solomon "Trips" Davis, who are making their own noise in the hip hop industry as the rap group Square Off.

Footage from our Q&A session:

Fresh can currently be seen on his 2012 "The Fresh Factory" tour along with Keith Sweat, Guy, KC & Jojo, and SWV. Any real Hip Hop & R&B fan wont want to miss the show... TOUR DATES AND INFO