Donald-Dcame into hip hop as a b-boy breaking on the streets of the Bronx. Legend be told is that when he saw Busy Bee Starsky rocking the mic at 123 park in the sound view section of the Bronx with DJ Disco King Mario he knew where his mission in hip hop was headed. Donald-D recall’s that he ran to the corner bodega got a paper bag & pencil, and wrote down the rhymes Starsky said. While growing up, and playing basketball at the local Boys & Girls club he met a DJ name Rashid, and along withrhyme partner Easy AD who would later become a member of the Cold Crush Brothers started their own crew the As Salaam Brothers. They would play house parties & a few out door jams before they decided they wanted to go big time, and while walking down the street one day they met DJ Kool Herc. Donald asked Herc could they play with him, and he invited them to rock with him at a club called the Sparkle, but before the party could take place the club burnt down. After the As Salaam Brothers broke up Donald-D became a member of the Universal Zulu Nation when he join forces with DJ Afrika Islam, DJ Jazzy Jay, DJ Superman, and 3 The Hard Way MC’s Kid Vicious & El Jayasthe groupThe Funk Machine. Theywould go on to become one of the best hip hop crews around in that time period mainly known for their routines & Donald-D story telling rhymes. Islam & Jazzy Jay would be the first DJ’s to do mixing & scratching routines together on the turntables.
Radio & Making Records
When Hip Hop made it’s way into the downtown scene at the Roxy’s club, and Afrika Islam became the resident DJ he also had Donald along for the ride. That led to Afrika Islam starting his radio show the Zulu Beat on W.H.B.I (New York) in 1983, and when he needed an MC to rockthem fresh rhymes he called on D, also DJ Red Alert was on board. What they did was unique by bringing what they did at the party’s to live radio. With Islam playing break beats & the beat box Donald-D would take the audience on a journey with his story telling rhymes about Bruce Lee, Liza Minnelli, his friends,and a day in the life of Donald-D. The Zulu Beat would be the first hip hop radio show to included live interviews, and was the first to inform the public about the movie Wild Style when Islam interviewed Fab 5 Freddy. With the show intro done by actors Cheech & Chong & the crazy voiceovers the Zulu Beat tapes would be the first
Introduction, about the hip hop culture from New York when it made it’s way
To England.
Donald-D's recording journey began when the CEO of Vintertainment recordsheard him rhyming, and came up to the radio station. He would go into the studio to record the song’s Two Three Break, Rock The House & Cuttin Herbie under the group name The B Boys along with DJ Chuck Chill Out. The Rock The House Ya’ll would go on to become one of hip hop’s most sample lyrics. After 3 Recordings as a team Chuck went solo, and Donald would add a rap partner named Brother-B, and DJ Master-T. They would record the classicsGirls, Stick Up Kid & Girls Part 2, and soon be out doing shows with Dougie Fresh & Slick Rick, The Boogie Boys, Sparky D & others. After Master-T left the group the DJ became a high school friend name DJ Jazzy-G as they continue to rock the house through out America. When the label decided not to have the B Boys in their future plans Donald-D went solo and recorded the songs Outlaw which was on most radio play list & Dope Jam on the label Rockin Hard Records in 1987. Donald-D along with Bronx Style Bob would also write the lyrics for the Fat Boys song Are You Ready For Freddy for the movie A Nightmare On Elm Street.
The West Coast
In 1988 Donald-D headed out west to Los Angeles to be apart of Ice-T's Rhyme Syndicate Family. His first recording would be for the Rhyme Syndicate Comin Through compilation album as he brought his New York swagger to the land of sunshine on the song titled Name Of The Game that featured Bronx Style Bob. He would co write the song called the Syndicate that was on Ice-T Power album, and the summer of 88 he would tour with Ice on the dope jam tour that included big name artist Eric B & Rakim, Kool Moe Dee, KRS ONE & Biz Markie. Donald-D would go on to write, rhyme & produce, and be a major player on many Ice-t’s albums.
In 1989 Donald-D would get his first full album record deal when he was signed to Sony records. With the music production produced by Afrika Islam they would record the album Notorious that would bring to life the hit single F.B.I. that told the reality & truth about the world of drugs. He would become a role model & spoke’s person to travel to schools to speak to the youth about the downside of drugs, but somehow Donald would wind up on the FBI hit list along with rappers NWA, Public Enemy, Ice-T & 2 Live Crew for his songs Car Chase & Who Got The Gun.
The secondalbum was recorded on the Warner Brothers label titled Let The Horns Blow. The lp was first released through out Europe with it’s original mixes, but when it was time for the American release the lp was put on hold, because of sample clearance. By the time Donald got in the studio to remix the album the Rodney King up rising happen which delayed the lp, and he even had to change one of the song titles which was called Looters the original name for the movie Trespass, because the song was also featured on the soundtrack as well in the film. Drama would come calling again when it was time for release Ice-T’s cop killer song was the talk of the music industry, and within the political world. With the threat of major corporation pulling stocks Warner Brothers Records dropped Ice-T, Donald-D, and all rap artist on the label.
Movies, TV & Radio
After many years as a recording artist Donald-D took his act into the film industry. He would go on to work with the movie soundtracks Ricochet,Trespass,Rhyme & Reason, The Freshest Kids, A Nightmare On Elm Street, See No Evil Hear No Evil, Vatikankiller, and Donald-D instrumentals could be heard as background themes on Fox sports. He has acted in the movie Bang which also featured Lucy Liu & rapper Everlast, he also acted in the gospel play Faith & Temptation in Los Angeles. Donald would go on to do radio again with rap legends Kurtis Blow & Whipper Whip doingthe old school show on power 106 in (L.A.)Inter FM(Japan) with DJ Joey Slick, and his own Street Team Show on Contro radio (Italy).
The Future
The 21st Century has seen Donald-D release the ep titled B.R.O.N.X which means Beats Rhymes Of New Xperience.There will be a new B Boys album & Donald-D album Coming soon, also he is now working on his documentary about his journey over the years in hip hop. A man that’s always on a mission to whole down the true hip hop foundation he has started a new group with rhyme partners Kid Jazz & Dynamax called the Bronx Syndicate. He has also been in the studio recording new songs for the Stupid Americans project with J RO & MayLay Sparks.Never one to be locked down to only hip hop music Donald is also apart of the electronic/reggae/ italian band Capucino.
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