DOUG E. FRESH

It's like having a conversation. Doing beatbox for me is as natural as talking is for someone else. Sending sound through a certain part of my throat, so that I am accurate every time. It's not like whatever happens happens, this is a focused sound.

I was probably like 13 years old, 14. And I used to walk home doing the beatbox from school. That's how I created it. There was no walkmans back then, no iPods, no CDs. There was just me. Back then there was the boom box.

I'm always trying to come up with something new and unique. I do a beatbox with a harmonica.

My sons are coming out with music. Square Off, they're called.

When I graduated, I was going to go to school for law, but had such an affinity for hip-hop. It was like walking into a casino and I decided to bet everything on hip-hop, and I hit! My hit wasn't just a hit for me, it was a hit for everyone in this culture.

Everybody's doing it. When I'm performing and I do the Dougie, the fans lose their minds.

I'm coming up with new music, I'm in the best shape of my life, I'm real sharp, my energy is strong. I look at it as: I'm just following the energy. That's how I sum that up.

Health has always been an important thing to me. I exercise and try to take care of myself, and drink a lot of water! And I push that to my kids so that they can carry on that same energy.

I'm forever learning and that's why I'm always able to create new styles and new dimensions of hip-hop.

Hip-hop is supposed to uplift and create, to educate people on a larger level and to make a change.

And I always try to make a clean, honest, product and ideas for people to get into that can transcend time. Like the Dougie.

Honestly, a lot of pop records have beatboxing. Timbaland beatboxes on his tracks. Justin Timberlake beatboxes.

There's nothing more special than talking in your community, and using your celebrity to uplift people and help them.

Everything is a process... some of our eating habits consist of things we can't change, but if we modify it a little and put some exercise in there, we can really make a difference.

I think the rebuilding of the city has to start with the spirit first. So the music, the vibe, the connection spiritually with the artists. Everybody out here is the main key. A lot of people are still in a lot of tough situations. My heart still goes out to the people of New Orleans.

I've learned how to look at things and not judge them, but respect them and use it in a way that people understand that I respect them, show them love and respect their reality.

When I first started to beatbox on the microphone with the Get Fresh Crew, people were shocked. Some things are just supposed to happen and you have to roll with it.

Scientology is not written with disrespect toward God. It doesn't worship something that is evil. It is scientific, mathematical, and spiritual. The black community has to check it out and see what's there. I'm not saying it's for everyone, but you have to take a look.

I have new music coming out. I'm working on some television shows. I still do a tremendous amount of concerts. I'm doing my restaurant. I got a club coming in New York. The restaurant is called Doug E. The club is called Fresh.

People can look to me as a teacher, but I consider myself a student of hip-hop.

I always say, 'Man, the Creator is preparing me for something. He's keeping the sun on me for some reason. He's keeping me aligned with that generation.' Because I genuinely love people, I love hip-hop, and I love using it as a tool to communicate and to create a better vibration. Life is short. I guess I'm lined up for a reason.

I always say, 'Man, the Creator is preparing me for something. He's keeping the sun on me for some reason. He's keeping me aligned with that generation.' Because I genuinely love people, I love hip-hop, and I love using it as a tool to communicate and to create a better vibration.

Really, even in this whole Obama initiative, and everything that's going on with the economy, the only way to jump start it is we have to give each other opportunity. That's the only way to make it work.

Essence is something I always enjoy, because I love New Orleans. Since they brought it back to New Orleans, it's a special place to me. We been doing it since the beginning. We did it when it was in Houston, but there's nothing like New Orleans.

I could still walk the street. I don't have to have no massive security.