Eminem Producer Doc Ish Brings The Treatment

Behind the Beats: Doc Ish

Doc Ish got his big break when Eminem tapped the Connecticut producer's beat to use for his comeback single "We Made You," from the Detroit MC's 2009 album, Relapse.

Although the song was panned, mainly due to Em's dated formula of picking on celebs, the rollicking production caught the ears of many, including those who would eventually join Doc Ish for his debut album.

The producer released the digital album The Treatment late last year, with the physical product set to arrive this spring. The title is a play on the producer's ability and also his real-life health battles, including lupus and a heart issues.

Doc told Mixtape Daily, "A friend of mind was like, 'You in and out of the hospital so much, you're always with the doctor, you're Doc Ish, why don't you make it like "the treatment"? You go in there and give people a dose of real hip-hop and give them what they lacking. It's like someone not getting their nutrients or getting their right foods, they're missing out by not listening to the right hip-hop.' "

One listen to the project, and fans can consider themselves healed.

Five-Star Stellar Hits

"Is It A Dream?" featuring Joe Budden, Talib Kweli, Sean Price and Angelica C.: "I sent a song to Talib that he said wasn't for him," Doc recalled. "And that kind of challenged me. So that day, I made this and sent it back to Mos Def's people, 'cause that's who I was going through to get to Talib, and they responded back immediately: 'It's dope, and he loves it. Let's do it.' Then Joe came up [to Hartford, Connecticut] that week, and I gave him the concept of the idea, and he could tell by the beat already, so he hopped in the booth one day and did what he does best. Then I got up with Sean Price and we were in the studio, and I don't think Sean heard anybody's verses either. He just went on and annihilated it. Then I got up with Talib last, and it was just amazing working with him. All of them. Bringing it together was awesome. It grew so much before it came out that people that heard about it wanted in, so I made a lot of remixes of it because people were mad they weren't on it. I'm gonna start releasing those soon."

"Animal Grammar" featuring KRS-One and B. Burroughs: "I was in the studio with Buckshot when we were doing 'Make Moves,' and then KRS walks in, 'cause he just signed [to Duck Down]," Doc explained. "It was awesome to just be able to sit there. It was amazing. When I spoke to him, you know, he's a busy, busy, busy guy. He had to tour and go do this and that. His manager called me later and was like, 'We're in New York. KRS wants to get on your project. He loves the beats you sent him.' So when I got up with him, it was such an honor and it was crazy to talk to him. You learn so much. He was supposed to just do one verse, but he was like, 'Doc, why do I only get a verse?' I told him the whole album has a mixture of different people on it. He jumped in the booth, 'cause he wrote mad verses, recorded both verses and said, 'Pick one.' I said, 'Oh my god, you can't be serious. It's like, do you want Jennifer Lopez or Jennifer Lopez?' And he just told me, 'Keep 'em both.' I was like, 'Thank God.' "

"FOH" featuring The Abnormals: "Me and my crew have been together for years," Doc explained. "And years ago, we had a song called 'F--- Out of Here," and the group we were in couldn't get their verses out. Years later, after my hiatus, my health, working with Eminem, it just put us back in full mode. We were back together. So we were all in the studio and recorded a whole album, maybe two albums in one week. And, basically, I was messing with some guitar samples, and I don't know how it started, but someone was talking about something in the news, and everyone was like, 'F--- out of here, that didn't happen.' We were all smoking and drinking, and it became a big collabo. So we all came up with ideas and jumped in the booth and did it right on the spot. It's something everybody says; you see it on Twitter, Facebook, it was one of those things we decided to get out before anybody else does."

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