| Intro | American rapper and documentary producer | ||
| Known for | Invisible Bully | ||
| A.K.A. | D-Roc, Damien ‘D Roc’ Butler, Damion Butler | ||
| Is | Rapper Musician Documentary filmmaker | ||
| From | United States of America | ||
| Type | Film, TV, Stage & Radio Music | ||
| Gender | male | ||
| Birth | 23 February 1979, Atlanta, Georgia | ||
| Age: | 41 years | ||
| Residence | Atlanta, Georgia | ||
| Family |
| ||
| Stats |
|
Damien “D-Roc” Butler is an American entrepreneur, record producer, and documentary film-maker. He is known for producing Life After Death: The Movie (2007) and Biggie Smalls: Rap Phenomenon (2009.)
Table of Contents
Friendship with Biggie
D-Roc was close to his childhood friend, the celebrated American rapper The Notorious B.I.G., aka Biggie. He was Biggie’s closest confidant and Biggie often referred to D-Roc in his lyrics as his “Invisible Bully.” D-Roc helped launch Biggie’s musical career and later also managed the music career of rappers Lil’ Kim and Junior M.A.F.I.A. under the name “Roc Management.” Junior M.A.F.I.A. (Junior Masters At Finding Intelligent Attitudes) was a Brooklyn-based hip-hop group consisting of Biggie’s childhood friends Lil’ Kim (Kimberley Jones) and Lil’ Cease among others. The group was mentored by Biggie and disbanded after Biggie’s death.
D-Roc and Lil’ Cease were in the back seat of the SUV when Biggie, sitting in the passenger seat, was shot and killed on March 9, 1977.
Career
Clothing line
After the release of Biggie’s first album Ready to Die in September 13, 1994, D-Roc and Biggie began working on a clothing line named Brooklyn Mint. Biggie was big and D-Roc, tall –– and they always had trouble finding clothes their size. Thus came the inspiration to create a clothing line catering only to big and tall men. The label was launched in 1996, however it didn’t take off due to Biggie’s death in 1997 and D-Roc’s legal battles in early 2000s.
Fifteen years after Biggie’s death, in 2012, D-Roc founded Invisible Bully clothing line. “Invisible Bully” is obviously a reference to the nickname Biggie used to refer to D-Roc, his right hand man, in his songs. The label’s tag-line is: Only Those That Believe In The Invisible Can Achieve The Impossible.
The brand has been a success and has received support from famed celebrities including Sean Combs, Justin Bieber, Rick Ross, Chris Brown, French Montana, DJ Envy and Miley Cyrus.
Documentary films
In 2007, D-Roc executive-produced Life After Death: The Movie. The documentary was based on the life and struggles of Biggie. It was directed by April Maiya, narrated by Jamie Hector, and starred Mary J. Blige, Da Brat, Sean Combs, Missy Elliott, Jadakiss, Jay-Z, Tommy Lee, Lil’ Cease, Lil’ Kim, and Mase.
Two years later, in 2009, he wrote and produced another documentary on Biggie titled, Biggie Smalls: Rap Phenomenon. The documentary was directed by April Maiya, and starred D-Roc, R.A. the Rugged Man, DJ Clue, Sheek Louch, Styles P., and Datwon Thomas.
In October 2018, D-Roc was seen in a minor role in “We’re All Beasts” episode of television series The Deuce. The episode had James Franco, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Gbenga Akinnagbe in the leading roles.
Legal Issue
At the peak of stardom, D-Roc took the rap for a 1993 gun charge Biggie was actually guilty of, which resulted in a four-year prison sentence for D-Roc. He did it so that Biggie could record his debut album, Ready to Die. Upon his release from prison, he served as B.I.G.’s personnel until his death. A few years later, in February 2001, D-Roc was involved in a shootout outside the offices of New York radio station Hot 97.
According to the police, dispute stemmed from an ongoing feud between Lil’ Kim and rap rival Foxy Brown. As Kim and her entourage left WQHT-FM’s Houston Street offices, Capone, of rap duo Capone-N-Noreaga, and his companions were entering. At the time, Capone-N-Noreaga’s latest album, The Reunion, included the track “Bang Bang,” on which Foxy Brown called Kim’s album Notorious K.I.M. “weak” and “lame.” Words were exchanged between the two groups before gunfire erupted. Per the indictment, Kim and her then road manager Monica “Shaka Don” Dopwell, who also faces the same perjury charge, were outside when D-Roc, Suif Jackson (a.k.a. C-Gutta) and at least one other person fired guns, including a fully automatic Mac-11 machine gun, outside the radio station. D-Roc was imprisoned in 2001 and released in late 2008.
Recognition
D-Roc was portrayed by Dennis L.A. White in George Tillman Jr.-directed Biggie’s biopic, Notorious. In the lead roles were Jamal Woolard (as Biggie,) Angela Bassett (as Biggie’s mother, Voletta Wallace) Derek Luke (as Sean Combs,) Naturi Naughton (as Lil’ Kim,) Edwin Freeman (as Mister Cee,) Anthony Mackie (as Tupac Shakur,) and Antonique Smith (as Faith Evans.)
Personal life
D-Roc is married to his wife California-native film director/producer April Maiya. She directed the two Biggie documentaries that D-Roc produced in 2007 and 2009.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7u7PRZ6WerF%2Bau3C8xKinpZ1fma6utcSnZJ1loqSwbq7UraOeql2XtrCz0ZqnobFdm66kwIycmKudlad6osPAq5usZZ6awW7DzquroWWRo7FuuMifnGarpKS%2Funs%3D
