This song is a collaboration with an exchange student from Kosovo. He really challenged our idea of what youth go through by describing the types of corruption in government and education he's seen. We set out to write a song about corruption (Korrupstonit in Albanian). He wanted to show that despite the corruption, youth must have voice. Zonin means, "voice," in Albanian. The beat was made by JT.

Zonin (featuring Dee Jay Doc)

This is the story of my neighbor Dee and her brother Sandy's battle with Multiple Sclerosis. Music and lyrics by Dee Jay Doc.

My Little Shadow by Dee Jay Doc

Deluge

Stop

Unorthdox

True Light

Invasion

Last Resort

Our kickstarter was funded, so you can expect some new songs this year. . .  bit.ly/freshcampcle

Prototype had the idea to collaborate on a song after 14 years since our last. All of what I do now as an MC, DJ, producer, recording engineer and teacher stems from the formative years of developing my craft with these guys. This goes out to all the friends, supporters and fans from the years gone by. I hope some small jewels of wisdom and experience shine through this track to inspire the next generation. We were 17-21 on our first albums together performing around Cleveland. We are 33-37 now. Much love to Lee, Lon and Prototype!

REUNITE by Prototype and the Fearless Poets (Doc, Lee, and Lon)

I knew there were many dangers living in a rust belt city, like Cleveland, Ohio, but I didn't know I'd meet this one. In fact, I didn't even know the Silent Killer existed. This song was recorded in 2016, but is still just as pertinent. I have a lot more to say on this topic, as well as how this song was written in the context of community, but I'll have to let that wait for a few days to let you figure out this mystery. . . Can you guess. . . . "Who am I?"

Silent Killer

You can see the video at deejaydoc.com  

Vote here: http://bit.ly/oILgPg

Many have asked for an audio only version to play in their cars and ipods.  Here it is.  Be inspired!  Thanks to all of those sharing the video, the Cleveland New Homes Team, and all of the others who posted their perspective of Cleveland.

In this song I speak about why I love Cleveland and why city living is important to me. The many faces of Cleveland create a mosaic of talent, skills, and heart. . . I touch on just a few of the them. . . just a few friends I've met along the way.

Cleveland Faces

Building trust with neighbors to create a healthy, strong, vibrant community take grit and hard work. It's easier to stereotype than to get to know someone new. Rust belt cities like Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Detroit and Chicago can grow stronger than economics if we take the risk and commit to build trust by being trustworthy and getting to know our neighbors. 

Trust Belt City

Fast Funk

This is a reflection on the hard work ethic in the rust belt cities. . . the kind of work ethic I learned from my father and grandfather, even my grandmother. There's a grittiness here. It takes the same hard work ethic and commitment to build trust with neighbors. . . the kind of trust it takes to grow vibrant, safe and healthy neighborhoods in the city. This goes out to all of my neighbors who've helped me develop this kind of thinking and lifestyle. Let's come together!

These songs are from the Refresh Collective's "Drop the Lead" Album. Hear the full album here:  http://www.freshcamp.org/drop-the-lead

10 Silent Killer

9 Best Days

7 I Pray

This camp is for students age 9-16 in the Glenville/University Circle area. Students explore and promote what's fresh in our neighborhood by writing, recording, and producing their own CD and final performance. For more details go to thefreshcamp.com

The Fresh Camp Theme Song by Dee Jay Doc

Youth 9-16 in the Glenville neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio spent two weeks uncovering FRESH and putting it to song. By exploring urban farms and other vibrant places in our transitional neighborhood students critically thought about what makes us unique as individuals and as a community. Professional artists, Dee Jay Doc, Lon Jordan and Ron Kent, helped them craft their message into song and finish a professionally recorded, self-made CD to promote their findings. Feel the FRESH!  More at thefreshcamp.com

Feel the Fresh (Teachers)

In an after school residency at The Fatima Family Center I worked with the teens to help them create a song from start to finish. The topic they chose was, "hard work." The instructor, Mr. Hughes and I have done some hard work in our lives so we decided to write a song about it. 

Wipe That

This is the 2012-2013 Communications Capstone at MC2 STEM High School in Cleveland, Ohio where students spent three months exploring the science of music and sound. 25 groups of four created their own working, powered speakers that are a piece of art. They also learned how to create and arrange beats with DubTurbo software while writing lyrics on their own community action project. They wrote essays and debated their positions in Social Studies and English, while writing lyrics and recording full songs with Dee Jay Doc.

Garbage in the Trash (by Dee Jay Doc)

New Directions provides quality life-changing treatment to chemically dependent adolescents and their families dealing with emotional, behavioral, or psychiatric needs. Every two months, I run a week long residency at the guys or girls building. In this song, I challenged the guys to be brave enough to tel their real life story and not paint a rap fantasy image like what is common in commercial hip-hop. The guys were having a hard time being real, so I had to write a verse that would cause them to man up.  And they did.

I edited out names to respect confidentiality.

My Life

Here's one of many songs recorded at the girls building at New Directions. 

Unique

During this 8-week after school program, teens from various schools united in a common message. . . Be Original. Live Different. We explored digital music creation and lyric writing as one way humans ROAR, or speak their message to those who will hear.

Roar

This is a theme song performed at Lon Jordan's, Sketched By Design, school assemblies. He'll be an artist-in-residence with me at The FRESH Camp this summer. 

Sketched Aah

This song and t-shirt collab is part of "Refresh Collective’s “Stories of Struggle and Success” hip-hop project. Through this multi-age, multi-skill level project we share personal stories, celebrate our shared humanity and listen to each other better. 

Dee Jay Doc and Nate Willard collaborated with No Rulz Art, teen Classical musicians from Taiwan and the local poet, Marisol Ramos to create a unique song birthed from the experience of working together.

The drum beat was originally created by Nate Willard, teaching artist at Refresh Collective, then an amazing group of high school age classical musicians from Taiwan visited our Fresh Lab, courtesy of the Cleveland Council on World Affairs. 

Dee Jay Doc gave a hip-hop history lesson and their first experience writing their own music and recording to a hip-hop beat in the studio wearing headphones. It was an amazing cultural exchange. You’ll hear violin, cello, keys, tuba, clarinet, flute and box drum.

This Is Me

Global EYEZ was featured when Luke Frazier interviewed me on PBS TV last summer. See the full video at thefreshcamp.com.

Global EYEZ

How did Jesus teach, train and release his disciples to carry on his message and movement? I've met a few men and women in my life who simply follow the ways of Jesus and teach others to do the same. Here's a little from my learning and experience. This is my gift to the faith community. I hope it is encouraging to your life walk. Feel free to download and share.  Music by Cool Matt.

The Blueprint Flow

I help artists, teachers and youth leaders architect hip-hop music programs to spark change.

Dee Jay Doc

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