The Madd Rapper was the alias of Brooklyn-born MC/producer Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie, who first rose to prominence as one half of the conscious rap duo 2 Kings in a Cipher, which scored an underground hit with "For the Brothers Who Ain't Here." From there, Angelettie went to work as intern with Bad Boy Entertainment, where over time he rose to the position of A&R Director before Sean "Puffy" Combs tapped him as a staff producer; credited as D-Dot, he helmed the hit singles "Been Around the World" and "All About the Benjamins," additionally serving as executive producer on projects from Mase (Harlem World), the LOX (Money, Power & Respect), Faith Evans (Keep the Faith), and Black Rob (Life Story). Angelettie invented the Madd Rapper persona as a satiric skit character for the Notorious B.I.G's Life After Death album, but it proved so popular with listeners that a solo album was announced; originally the Madd Rapper's identity was a closely guarded secret, but in November of 1998 Angelettie made headlines for an alleged attack on then-Blaze editor-in-chief Jesse Washington after the magazine published photos disclosing the character's true name. The 1999 single "D-Dot vs. the Madd Rapper" preceded the release of the full-length Tell 'Em Why U Madd. ~ Jason Ankeny