D-Dot

While attending Howard University in the late 1980s, Angelettie and Ron "Amen-Ra" Lawrence formed the hip hop duo Two Kings in A Cipher, who signed with RCA Records to release their debut album, From Pyramids to Projects (1991). He joined Bad Boy Records' production team The Hitmen by 1995, after which he was credited on releases for artists including the Notorious B.I.G, Jay-Z, and Mary J. Blige, among others. He served as the team's de facto "Captain" by the time he produced the label's 1997 singles "Hypnotize" by Notorious B.I.G. and "It's All About The Benjamins" by Diddy. Angelettie signed with Columbia Records to release his debut studio album as the character, Tell Em Why U Madd (1999), which contained guest appearances from then-unknown rappers 50 Cent (on the song "How to Rob") and Kanye West—the latter of whom Angelettie managed. Outside of music, Angelettie is the founder of Crazy Cat Catalogue and Crazy Cat Cinemas. He has appeared on and produced the titlular song for MTV's reality show Making The Band 1 & 2. He co-hosted the television series Hip-Hop Hold 'Em on UPN, and served as a consultant for the 2009 film Notorious, due to his personal connection with the film's subject. He was an associate producer for the 2018 film Steps-The Movie, which was executive produced by Shaquille O'Neal.

• Name — Deric Angelettie • Birth Name — Deric Michael Angelettie • Born — 31 July 1968 • Birthplace — Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.A • Genre — * East Coast hip-hop • R&B • Occupation — * Record producer • rapper • songwriter • television producer • film producer • Years Active — 1989–present • Label — * Bad Boy • Crazy Cat Catalogue • Columbia • The Mystery System • Current Member Of — * The Hitmen • Website — madrapper.com • Alias — * D-Dot • Mad Rapper • D.O.P. • Papa Dot

• Illustration — Promotional image for Two Kings in a Cipher, pictured c. 1991 During his time at Howard University from 1986 to 1989, Angelettie and colleague Ron "Amen-Ra" Lawrence formed the conscious hip hop duo, Two Kings in a Cipher, in 1988. Two years later, they signed with RCA Records and Bahia, and released their debut single, "Movin 'On 'Em" shortly after. Their debut studio album, From Pyramids to Projects (1991) was met with positive critical reception despite failing to chart, and the duo was dropped from RCA in 1993. Angelettie began his work with Bad Boy Records in 1993 as an intern, and within five years, was named the unofficial captain of the label's in-house production team, the Hitmen. He has also served as VP of A&R during his time with the label. He was the sole credited producer of label boss Sean Combs' 1997 single "It's All About the Benjamins", and co-produced the Notorious B.I.G's "Hypnotize"—the rapper's final single released before his death—along with Lawrence earlier that year. Outside of the label, he amassed credits for other artists including Lil' Kim, Nas, Jay-Z, Outkast, and Busta Rhymes. During this time, Angelettie met and subsequently managed then-unknown rapper Kanye West during his time with Roc-A-Fella Records in 1999.

Angelettie's "The Madd Rapper" persona debuted with a skit on the Notorious B.I.G.'s Life After Death in 1997. His debut studio album, Tell 'Em Why U Madd, was released by Angelettie's label, Crazy Cat Catalogue in a joint venture with Columbia Records in 1999; it contained guest appearances from Eminem, Raekwon, Diddy, Ma$e, Busta Rhymes, and then-unknown rappers 50 Cent and West. On November 19, 1998, Angelettie was charged with participating in the assault of Blaze Magazine editor Jesse Washington. Washington claimed that the assault occurred due to him publishing a photograph, taken with Angelettie's consent, which revealed the Madd Rapper's identity. The editor and Angelettie settled the case out of court. In 2000, due to legal issues with Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), the stage name was changed to simply Mad Rapper. Angelettie later appeared on MTVʼs reality show Making the Band 1 & 2, co-hosted Hip-Hop Hold 'Em on UPN, and served as a consultant for the 2009 film Notorious by Fox Broadcasting Company and Searchlight Pictures. He founded Connect the Dots in 2006, a management and strategy company with clients such as record producer Stevie J. Angelettie has since co-written the film House of Bodies in 2014, served as a producer for the film Steps the following year, and executive produced Complexs documentary, Rules To This Sh!t in 2021.

Angelettie's background includes being born and raised an only child in Brooklyn, New York, to an African-American father Eric Angelettie and a Puerto Rican mother, Dr. Noemi Angelettie-Wallace. He graduated from Samuel J Tilden High School in 1986 and then later attended Howard University in Washington, D.C., but dropped out in 1989 to pursue his music career. He is married to author Lisa Angelettie and is a father to four daughters.

Two Kings in a Cipher • From Pyramids to Projects (1991), Bahia Entertainment/RCA Madd Rapper • Tell 'Em Why U Madd (1999), Crazy Cat/Columbia Mad Rapper • Appreciate the Hate - Vol #2 (2013) • Appreciate the Hate - Vol #3 (2019) • Fire Sign - the EP (2020) Mad Rapper Appearances • Year — Song — Artist — Album • 1997 — Kick in the Door (skit) — The Notorious B.I.G. — Life After Death • Mad Producer (Interlude) — Puff Daddy — No Way Out • Mad Rapper (Interlude) — Mase — Harlem World • 1998 — Mad Rapper (Interlude) — The Lox — Money, Power, Respect • Get Your Shit Right — Jermaine Dupri, DMX — Life in 1472 • Mad Rapper (Intro/Interlude/Outro) — Mad Rapper — Bad Boy Greatest Hits • 1999 — How to Rob — 50 Cent — In Too Deep OST • Mad Rapper (Interlude) — Cha Cha — Dear Diary • Mad Rapper (Interlude) — Puff Daddy — Forever • Mad Rapper (Interlude) — Mase — Double UP • 2000 — Mad Rapper (Interlude) — Black Rob — Life Story • 2009 — Murder — DJ JS-1 — Ground Original 2 • 2011 — Hip Hop — Fred the Godson — City of God • 2019 — What You Mad At — Dave East — Survival Production Credits • Year — Song — Artist — Album • 1995 — What's Up Star? — Suga — The Show OST • 1996 — I Want You Baby — Horace Brown — Horace Brown • Lay Down (Bad Boy Remix) — Nalini — ~ • ATLiens (Remix) — OutKast — ~ • 1997 — The Theme; Big Will; Clue (Who Shot JR?) — Tracey Lee — Many Facez • Hypnotize; The World Is Filled — The Notorious B.I.G. — Life After Death • Been Around the World; Do You Know?; All About the Benjamins — Puff Daddy — No Way Out • Everything You Want (Remix) — Ray J — ~ • Hot, Hot, Hot — LL Cool J — Phenomenon • Give It Up — SWV — Release Some Tension • Where I'm From — Jay-Z — In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 • Lately I — Faith Evans — Faith • Rock the Body — Queen Pen & Tracey Lee — Hav Plenty OST • All 4 the Love; Everybody Wanna Rat — The Lox — Money, Power, Respect • Sitting Home — Total — Kim, Keisha, Pam • Get Your Shit Right; All That's Got to Go — Jermaine Dupri — Life in 1472 • Off the Hook (Remix) — Jody Watley — Flower • Hot Shit Makin Ya Bounce — Busta Rhymes — Extinction Level Event • 1999 — Shorty You Keep Playin With My Mind — Imajin — Imajin • My Life — Foxy Brown — Chyna Doll • Cali Chronic — Harlem World — The Movement • Sunglasses — Cha Cha — Dear Diary • Just You & I; Is It You (Deja Vu Remix) — Made Men — Classic: Limited Edition • Joanne — Trina and Tamara — Trina and Tamara • Fuck Me, No Fuck You — Mase — Double Up • Chain Swang; Rebuilding — Goodie Mobb — World Party • Let Me Get Down; If I Should Die Before — Notorious B.I.G. — Born Again • 2000 — You Don't Know Me — Black Rob — Life Story • Hands in the Air — Da Brat — Unrestricted • Don't Mess With Me — Lil Kim — Notorious K.I.M.

• Rank — Artist — Album — Credits — Year • 483 — The Notorious B.I.G. — Life After Death — A&R — 1997

• Behind the Music (2001) - Angelettie • Driven (Lil' Kim) (2003) - Angelettie • Making the Band (1 & 2) (2004) - Angelettie, music producer • Hip-Hop Hold 'Em (2006) - host • E! True Hollywood Story (2006) - Angelettie • Life After Death: The Movie (2007) - Angelettie • Notorious (2009) - music consultant • Rules to This Shit (2019) - executive producer • Steps - The Movie (2021) - associate producer • Neutralize (2021) - producer

• Year — Nominee/work — Credits — Award — Result • 1998 — "It's All About the Benjamins" (Rock Remix) — Co-production — Video of the Year • Viewer's Choice • "Come with Me" (from Godzilla) — Best Video from a Film

• Year — Nominee/work — Credits — Award — Result • 1998 — No Way Out — Executive production — Best Rap Album|Best Rap Album • Life After Death — A&R — Best Rap Album|Best Rap Album

• Year — Nominee/work — Credits — Award — Result • 1998 — Deric Angelettie — Producer of The Year — Best Rap Album|Grammy Naras Governor's New Horizon Award