Deric Angelettie
Deric Michael "D-Dot" Angelettie (born July 31, 1968), also known by his stage name the Madd Rapper, is an American record producer, songwriter, rapper, TV and film producer and entrepreneur. He was a Grammy Award winner for "Best Rap Album" in 1998 and a BMI Urban Award winner in 2001. Angelettie created the character, Madd Rapper (who made his debut on the Notorious B.I.G.'s LP, "Life After Death)", and released an album, "Tell 'Em Why U Madd", on his Crazy Cat Catalogue record label distributed by Columbia Records in 2000. The album featured then-unknown rappers  50 Cent (on the song "How to Rob"), and Kanye West, whom Angelite also managed and mentored. Career. Two Kings in a Cipher. While attending Howard University from 1986 to 1989, Angelettie and his friend Ron "Amen-Ra" Lawrence formed the conscious rap duo "Two Kings in a Cipher". In 1990, the duo signed a recording deal to RCA/Bahia. In 1990, they debuted their first single "Movin 'On 'Em" and in 1991, they released their debut album "From Pyramids to Projects". The album received critical acclaim but the duo was dropped from RCA in 1993. Bad Boy Entertainment. After  moving back to NYC from D.C., D-Dot joined Bad Boy Entertainment in 1993 and in a 5-year span, Angelettie went from intern, to director of merchandising and management, to booking shows for artists Craig Mack and the Notorious B.I.G., to managing R&B diva Mary J. Blige on her My Life Tour (1994-1996), to becoming the head of Bad Boy's A&R Department as vice-president, and then finally in 1996 becoming the "captain" of the Hitmen — Bad Boy's in-house production team. As a producer and songwriter, D-Dot produced and wrote multi-platinum songs for  legendary artists such as Jay-Z, 50 Cent, Mary J. Blige, Outkast and Eminem among many others. He produced and wrote mega hits such as Diddy's "It's All About the Benjamins" and the Notorious B.I.G's "Hypnotize" and has sold over 30 million records as a producer, executive producer, songwriter and artist. Angelettie executive-produced multi-platinum albums for the Notorious B.I.G., Puff Daddy, Mase, Faith Evans, the Lox, Black Rob, and Da Band. As a producer, Angelettie's credits also include songs for artists: Lil' Kim, Nas, Nicki Minaj, Busta Rhymes. Angelettie has managed artists such as  Kanye West. The Madd Rapper. The Madd Rapper persona debuted on a skit on the Notorious B.I.G.'s second LP (Life After Death) in 1997. Angelettie's alter ego released his debut album, "Tell 'Em Why U Madd", on his own Crazy Cat Catalogue Label in 1999. The album featured guest appearances from Puff Daddy, Eminem, Busta Rhymes, Raekwon, Jermaine Dupri, Lil' Cease. The album also introduced young rapper 50 Cent and young producer Kanye West. On November 19, 1998, Angelettie was charged with participating in the assault of "Blaze Magazine" editor Jesse Washington. Washington claimed that the assault was  made because he published a photograph (taken with Angelettie's consent) that revealed the Madd Rapper's identity, which up until that time had been concealed from the general public but widely known in the music industry. The editor and Angelettie settled out of court. Business. Angelettie has appeared on MTVʼs reality show "Making the Band 1 & 2". He has co-hosted the television show "Hip-Hop Hold 'Em" on UPN and was the "Music Consultant" for the "Notorious" movie on Fox/Searchlight Pictures - 2009. Angelettie also owns and runs Connect the Dots, a management and strategy company with clients  such as multi-platinum producer, Stevie J from VH1's #1 cable reality show, "" and Eddie Harris, a screenwriter whose credits include “House of Bodies” (2014) and “Steps” (2015). Angelettie was a producer on the film “Steps”, and executive producer of the documentary "Rules To This $hit", distributed through Complex Networks. Personal life. 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, he graduated from Samuel J Tilden High School in 1986 and then later attended Howard University in Washington, D.C. He is  married to author Lisa Angelettie and has four daughters.