The Evolution of Doug E. Fresh

Born Douglas Davis, Fresh was born on Sept. 17, 1966 in Barbados.

Shortly after he was born, Fresh moved to Harlem and was raised by his mother and grandfather. This is where his love of Hip-hop blossomed: Fresh grew up as a huge fan of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five and The Cold Crush Brothers. Fresh was also a big fan of poetry — especially that of the legendary Langston Hughes.

Fresh went through a myriad of names before he landed on Doug E. Fresh. He went by Christian D, Dougie D, Law-D and Dougie Doug, among others.

Fresh was originally a solo artist who signed to Enjoy Records, and later Vintertainment Records. Fresh would eventually join DJ Barry Bee, DJ Chill Will, and MC Ricky D (Slick Rick) to create the Get Fresh Crew.

Fresh (with the help of the Get Fresh Crew) released his debut album, “Oh, My God!,” in July 1986. While the album did not become a huge success, the group had songs that went on to become popular singles.

The most popular track from “Oh, My God!” was “The Show,” an upbeat song that showcased the crew’s energy and unique sound. The production samples the melody used in the theme song of “Inspector Gadget,” a popular 1980s TV show. The single peaked at four on the Billboard Hot 100.

In May 1988, Doug E. Fresh released his sophomore album, “The World’s Greatest Entertainer.” While not an instant hit, the album became one of Fresh’s most popular and beloved projects to date.

“Keep Risin’ To the Top” was the most popular song on Doug E. Fresh’s sophomore album. Similar to “The Show,” the single peaked at four on the Billboard Hot 100.

“Doin’ What I Gotta Do” is the last studio album Doug E. Fresh worked on with the Get Fresh Crew. While it’s not nearly as beloved as his previous two albums, it’s a solid piece of work in his discography and features the hit “Bustin Out (On Funk),” which samples the 1979 Rick James song of the same name.

“Play” is the first studio album Doug E. Fresh released without the help of the Get Fresh Crew. Released in September 1996, the album includes some solid jams, including “Freaks,” “Hands in the Air,” “I-ight (Alright)” and “Where’s da Party At?”

Did you know that the “Teach Me How to Dougie” dance was partly taken from Fresh’s dance moves during the mid-1980s? Due to the popularity of the dance, Fresh came back to the forefront in 2010 and even helped teach CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer how to do the dougie at the 2010 Soul Train Awards. It was pretty cringe to watch.

Doug E. Fresh is also a member of the Church of Scientology. The above picture was taken while he was performing at the Scientology Celebrity Center’s Anniversary Gala in 2004.

Doug E. Fresh is probably the most famous beatboxer of all time. So it only made sense that he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2019 American Beatbox Championships.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, Doug E. Fresh helped organize the “Masters of the Mic: Hip Hop 50 Tour,” along with rap legends Big Daddy Kane, Rakim, KRS-One and Slick Rick.

Doug E. Fresh teamed up with Dr. Olajide Williams to create Hip Hop Public Health, an organization that teaches health literacy to underserved communities. Their work as a part of the organization was recognized at the 2023 The Root 100 event.