About Doc 00 Johnson

Tired of commonplace “bubblegum” raps? Want to follow someone who relates to and represents the masses? Then “00” is the new artist you’re checking for. Just as Johnson reveals that the “00” in his name symbolizes how Johnson is “starting from scratch, coming from nothing,” his music wipes the Harlem hip hop slate clean, as he and his crew, the Numba Runnas, take it back to a time in history before the drug game took hold of the streets, a time when number running, bootlegging, rent parties, church events, and other means of survival formed an underground economy that fulfilled the needs of the community. Doc “00” Johnson and his Numba Runnas crew use beats, rhymes, and life to bridge the gap between past to present, creatively educating the masses on other methods for survival by any means necessary. Says Johnson, “I have something new, a different story to bring to the table where I don’t have to try to emulate and be some kind of gangsta or mobster, I can just relate to our true roots, where we came from, you know, how our families survived before people was talking about going on the corner and selling drugs.” Now ten years strong in the game, “00” first began rapping as a part of Quiet Noize, a group he created when he and junior high school friend Duke “02” Johnson began trading verses with each other back in 1992. The duo released a few vinyl pressings of singles they dropped, and had a healthy following in New York college radio. By 1996, Johnson’s career began to flourish when manager Bill Blass introduced him to renowned rapper Rakim. Wowed by Doc’s material, the God repeatedly welcomed Quiet Noize as his opening act throughout the next four years. It was Rakim who revealed to “00” the importance of a strong stage presence and the mechanics of moving the crowd. In 2000, Rakim left Universal to join Aftermath, prompting “00” to venture off independently, and inspiring him to start his own label, Epidemic Recordings. Incorporated in 2006, Epidemic has various projects underway with featured solo artists as well as his Numba Runnas crew. Since establishing Epidemic, “00” has been featured on more than 30 mixtapes, developing a fan base in Germany, Sandi ego, Canada and Indiana to name a few. As the industry begins to take note of his steady, confident flow and the way he weaves his words, hip hop fans are also turning their attention to Johnson. Employing the power of college radio promotion, he has been well received by listeners of 91.3 WXAC at Albright College in Reading, PA. Moreover, Johnson has developed a solid fan base in Boston, MA as a result of linking up with well-known local mixtape maestro DJ Sureshot, who features “00” on every project that he drops. Building upon his steadily increasing popularity, Johnson is putting the finishing touches on his first solo EP, Steady Cash Flow, which is expected to hit the streets before spring 2009. Beats are provided courtesy of Epidemic in-house producer Homicide, as well as Mad Large Music. As far as the artist’s future plans, “00” desires to work with heavyweight producers like Kanye West, Heatmakerz, and Just Blaze. “00” pulls inspiration from everyday life and messages in other artistic mediums, and during studio sessions, he thoroughly acquaints himself with Homicide’s beats before laying down his lines. “I believe your vocals are the last instrument added to the music, so I try to take my time and listen to the music and see where it wants to go instead of just placing anything on it,” he says, and this level of thoughtfulness in his craft imbues his music with honesty and allows him to contemplate how to make his words meaningful and impactful; because hip hop speaks to the struggles and triumphs of the people, he’s aware of how important it is that he carefully consider what he says as he speaks for many people all at once. “I like to talk about things really from a perspective of what I see we all have to deal with,” he says. “ I like to speak of things from the perspective of the masses rather than what I feel on a personal level, because I know it’s a whole lot of other people who deal with the same issues… I focus more on being the voice of the people.” The first single from Steady Cash Flow will be “The Man,” which will feature Epidemic artist Shi-Flamez, and members of the Numba Runnas will also make guest appearances on the EP. On this project, “00” reveals that he most strongly relates to the track “I’ll be,” and advises listeners to hone in on that one. Filming is currently underway for a video to accompany a single from Steady Cash Flow, and presently, Doc “00” Johnson and Epidemic Recordings continuously have had nine mix CDs under their belt, and are currently touring. Countless reviews on RapMullet.com have paid homage to several of Doc’s mix CDs quoting Johnson as having a “flow that rivals the Nile”. Doc “00” Johnson is inarguably a “top draft pick” for the hip hop world.

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