Doughboyz Cashout member Doughboy Roc is being remembered today as a well-liked rapper whose thoughtful lyrics helped listeners through difficult times.
Roc, whose real name was Rodney Yeargin, is believed to have been shot and killed Monday afternoon while sitting in a car on a side street near Livernois Avenue and Joy Road, on Detroit's west side. Detroit police confirmed a man between 25 and 30 years old was shot multiple times at that location, but did not release the victim's identity. They were still looking for the shooter on Tuesday.
"Doughboy Roc was very humble to himself, well-spoken, articulate, and smart," his friend, the Joy Road General, said on the Muckraker Report on 910 Superstation Tuesday.
Friends and fans took to social media to mourn the loss.
Doughboy Roc felt like a brother. His music was too real for mainstream media. It got me through some tough situations. God bless his soul
— Dante Joseph (@DantePastoria) October 10, 2017
da nigga who killed doughboy roc gone hear bout em more then ever now... i kno he tossin n turnin right now cuz the whole D fuck wit cuz
— . GRAET . (@vblack503) October 10, 2017
I didn't personally know #doughboyroc but everyone that I knew that knew him spoke very highly… https://t.co/DdrdwGPyuc
— PITTS (@GPITTS1988) October 10, 2017
People who knew Roc and described him as a likable guy expressed shock over the killing.
"Doughboy Roc was cool, casual, calm — I don't see him to have any enemies," he said.
The killing underscores the dangers young black men face on the streets of Detroit, particularly rappers with higher profiles. According to the Detroit News, nearly a half-dozen notable rappers have been killed in Detroit since the 2005 killing of west side rapper Blade Icewood following beef with the Eastside Chedda Boyz. Three of those rappers — Obie Trice, D12's Proof, and King Gordy, who appeared in the movie 8 Mile — had ties to Eminem.
In the wake of the latest killing of a rapper, Big Sean — who is the same age as Roc — said in a tweet, "We gotta do better."
The General, a local rapper who was recently featured on Vice's Noisey, said he considers himself a survivor in Detroit at 35 years old.RIP Doughboy Roc. Bless his Soul, his family n Doughboyz Cashout. We gotta do better 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾
— Sean Don (@BigSean) October 10, 2017
"The cards people was dealt in the hood is different from the cards people was dealt with parents that had careers," he said. “You just kind of have to do what you can to survive.
"You're gonna keep your pistol on you or you're gonna go do a 9-to-5," he said, referring to employment that could keep people from the streets. "I'd rather keep my pistol on me and get two years [in prison] rather than go be in the morgue."
Roc himself had run-ins with the law for carrying a weapon. He did two years in prison on a felony firearms conviction in 2011. Roc was also recently convicted of the manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance and was to be on probation through 2021.
Roc was a highly productive rapper despite his criminal dealings. In addition to his role in Doughboyz Cashout, he put out four solo albums following his 2013 release from prison — Ghetto Testimony, Beast Mode, Loyalty is Everything, and the recently released, Roc vs. Balboa.
In his lyrics, Roc described music as a mechanism through which to process his feelings. His songs often highlighted a desire to achieve prosperity and get out of the hood. He also touched on themes of loyalty and family.
