Long before Snoop Dogg, Eminem, or Xzibit came into the picture, Dr. Dre had already found the perfect MC in the D.O.C., a Texas transplant to Los Angeles. Before he tragically lost his vocal chords in an auto accident, the D.O.C. was easily one of the fiercest lyricists that the West Coast had ever witnessed--a combination of Ice Cube's scowling aggressiveness but balanced with a sophistication that would have rivaled KRS-One at his best. With a ragga-tinged flow, he could drop lyrical bombs with fury on "It's Funky Enough" or sublimely style for "The Formula." Dre supported the D.O.C. with a bevy of funk-laden tracks that were pre-Chronic, meaning that the feel was rough and rugged vs. wet and sticky. Had his voice survived, there's little doubt that the D.O.C. would have become one of Cali's greatest MCs ever. All the supporting evidence is on this album. --Oliver Wang