Rap / Hip-Hop
Dallas, TX, USA

Daniel Dimitri Rodriguez (November 10, 1967 – October 6, 1990), alias D-Boy Rodriguez, was a Christian rap artist. He released two albums that received moderate commercial success, before being murdered in 1990. His third album was released posthumously.

D-Boy was born to Cookie Rodriguez, the first female graduate of Reverend Dale Wilkerson's Teen Challenge drug rehabilitation program. D-Boy's parents founded an inner city Christian school called Street Church Academy after they moved to Dallas. D-Boy was involved with his parent's school, forming a fellowship group for gang members brought to Christ through his family's efforts called G.O.D.S. Posse (standing for Greater Opportunities Destroying Satan).

Rodriguez was signed to Frontline Records, who released his debut album Plantin' a Seed in 1989. Christian blue-eyed soul singer Tim Miner was instrumental in creating the album in a technical role as well as assisting with songwriting, playing various instruments, and singing background vocals on the album. Miner's future wife Cindy Cruse also sang backing vocals. “Pick Yourself Up,” co-written with Miner and Tommy Sims of White Heart hit No. 8 on Christian radio from the album. It would be the only song D-Boy ever charted.

Rodriguez' second album, 1990's Lyrical Strength of One Street Poet (street poet was Rodriguez' preferred term for himself rather than 'rapper') was one of the first in Christian rap to make extensive use of sampling, using soundbites from Pee-Wee Herman (“Nobody hipped me to that, dude..”) and Bill Cosby (“Read your Bible.. Bible states”) along with musical elements from Sly and the Family Stone, Steve Miller Band, and The Isley Brothers amongst others. The album also has an early appearance on backing vocals by Nicole Bruce, who after marrying Christian rocker David Mullen would go on to greater recognition as Nicole Mullen. It peaked at No. 35 on Billboard's CCM album chart in early 1991. Christian radio, however, was not ready for its more raw rap sound and it got little airplay.

D-Boy also served as a mentor to other rappers that would sign with Miner's production team and Frontline. One of the first one's was M.C. R.G..

Rodriguez died in 1990 after being shot upon leaving his East Dallas apartment. No official motive has yet been revealed for the shooting. According to his mother: “They say it was everything from mistaken identity to a robbery attempt, but nobody really knows.”

In 1993 his final album, Peace to the Poet, was released. It contained a collection of outtakes and other scraps put out by his label posthumously. Labelmate Angie Alan recorded “Until We Meet Again” in his memory on her album The Bottom Line. Rappers included tobyMac and Vanilla Ice. His sister, Genie Rodriguez-Lopez, began recording rap music herself to carry on his legacy as M.C. Ge Gee.

Fellow musicians Corey Red and Precise dedicated the song “Martyr's Anthem” to him. It is found on the 2004 album, Resistance Iz Futile. On April 28, 2006, his mother was in attendance as a concert in West Oak Cliff was held to mark the release of a Christian rap CD entitled The Fallen Soldier Compilation: A Tribute to D-Boy. The album features contributions from fellow Christian rap pioneer Fred Lynch (of P.I.D.), Dynamic Twins, I.D.O.L. King, Lingo, Heata, and others.

1989 Frontline Records (CD09082)

D-Boy Rodriguez - Rap Vocals Tommy Simms - Bass, keys, drum programming, guitar, backing vocals
Tim Miner - Bass, keys, guitar, backing vocals
Cindy Cruse - Backing vocals
Ronnie V. - Backing vocals

1. Plantin' a Seed (3:47)
2. Church Hoppers (3:55)
3. Pick Yourself Up (3:53)
4. When I Strut (4:36)
5. Doggin' the Devil (3:30)
6. King David (3:56)
7. It's a Disease (3:40)
8. G.O.D.S. Possee in Effect (5:30)
9. Stompin' Satan (2:54)

1990 Frontline Records (CD09216)

D-Boy Rodriguez - Rap Vocals
Tim Miner - Keyboards, bass, drums, percussion, programming, background vocals
David Ebensberger - Guitar, keyboards, programming, background vocals
G-Rock - Programming, background vocals
Keith Davenport - Keyboards
Mike Stitts - Drums John Wirtz - Programming, break ad-libs, vocals

M.C. R.G. - Background vocals, break ad-libs
Tarrence Smith - Background vocals, break ad-libs
Nicole Bruce - Background vocals
Terri Hall - Background vocals
Tessa Hall - Background vocals
Griselda Lopez - Background vocals
Juan Lopez - Background vocals
Rene Lopez - Background vocals
Teresa Patterson - Background vocals
K-Boy Rodriguez - Background vocals

1. That UB Urself (4:37)
2. UB Urself (Reprise) (3:31)
3. Drop the Mic (3:32)
4. The Boy Don't Play (3:40)
5. Slackness (4:07)
6. Cease for Peace (5:51)
7. Flow Time (4:28)
8. Shout (3:01)
9. God's House (3:54)
10. Last Days (4:03)
11. Hip-Hopcracy (4:06)
12. Come Back Home (3:58)

1993 Frontline Records (FLD9295)

1. Cease For Peace (5:50)
2. G.O.D.'s Posse in Effect (5:30)
3. Interview (1:31)
4. Pick Yourself Up (5:55)
5. Plantin' a Seed (3:48)
6. The Boy Don't Play (3:39)
7. God Gave Us the Power (5:07)
8. When I Strut (4:35)
9. Interview (0:43)
10. Hey You (3:58)
11. Drop the Mic / I Caught the Mic (6:51)

Tracks 1, 6, and the first half of 10 are from The Lyrical Strength of One Street Poet
Tracks 2, 4, 5, and 8 are from Plantin' a Seed
“God Gave Us the Power” is from John Jacobs and the Power Team Soundtrack (1990)
“Hey You” is from Tim Miner's I Know You Think You Know album (1988)
“I Caught the Mic” is from M.C. Ge Gee's …And Now the Mission Continues album (1991)

John Jacobs and the Power Team Soundtrack (1990 Frontline Records)
10) God Gave Us the Power (5:06)

Yo! Ho Ho (1990 ForeFront Records)
08) Winter Wonderland

Tim MIner - A True Story (1990 Frontline Records)
02) Walked Across My Heart (3:30) - Rap vocals

• Danny ‘D-Boy’ Rodriguez: The Story of Christian Hip-Hop’s 1st Martyr