It's been 13 years since the D.O.C. became one of rap's most acclaimed lyricists, ghostwriting for Eazy-E on Eazy-Duz-It and later penning rhymes for Eazy and Dr. Dre on N.W.A's N---az4life. The D.O.C. then got help from his mentor Dre on his groundbreaking debut, No One Can Do It Better, in 1989. Today the D.O.C. believes that album's title is still the case.

"If you've been listening to rap music the last 10 years, you've been listening to me," he said Wednesday.

For example, last year Shyne's "That's Gangsta" featured the track that helped make the D.O.C.'s "It's Funky Enough" a hit in 1989.

"I was quite honored that the young cat called me and invited me to come to New York City to be a part of his [video for the song]," he said of Shyne. "That showed he had a lot of respect for the guy who put it down on that instrumental before he did. I hate the f---ing position he got caught up in. I wish him all the best."

The D.O.C., who's been appearing on and writing on all of Dr. Dre's albums, said he still feels his best days are ahead of him. He's getting ready to release his "real" second album (he's apparently not too fond of his 1996 release, Helter Skelter) early next year, titled Deuce.

"I'm used to being on top when I do what I do. ... If I can't be on the team that's #1, I'm 'a try to figure out something else. I have a very competitive nature."

Lately the D.O.C. — who's been uncomfortable with his voice ever since suffering a crushed larynx in a 1989 car accident — has been playing general manager. The past couple of years he's been assembling a squad of hungry young MCs from Texas to team up with in the studio. His #1 draft pick was Six-Two, who also appeared on the Dr. Dre 2001 LP.

"I met this young boy, Six-Two. He had all the elements I had," the D.O.C. said. "Then I found another guy around the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, area, and things started to come together."

The D.O.C went from GM to coach when putting together Deuce, which features production by his camp as well as Organized Noise and Jazze Pha with his crew.

"I'm the guy that cusses everybody out if your sh-- is wack," he said. "I wouldn't care if you were Quincy Jones. [The album] is dirty, it's [reminiscent] of the old N.W.A days when n---as didn't give a f---. I haven't found all the other pieces I need, so I had to go back to my friends on the West Coast to make the formula complete."

MC Ren, Ice Cube and Xzibit will appear on Deuce, and Nate Dogg has recorded a track that may also make the cut.

Whether the album, which will be issued by his own Silverback Entertainment label, is a sales success doesn't cause any anxiety for the legendary MC. He's finding salvation with his music.

"I wanted to let God and everybody else know I understand the mistakes I made, and I'd like to do good by them mistakes."

One of his painful miscues was taking his early success for granted and not counting his blessings.

"You don't play with God like that," he said. "He will sit you down [and say], 'I gave you enough time to talk, I gave you a hell of a voice to talk with, but you don't seem to understand. Let me just pull you back and sit you down — you're gonna spend these next 10 years learning.'"

After the D.O.C.'s car accident his life went into a downward spiral. His once distinct baritone was shattered into a raspy whisper. He had to deal with his career being in limbo and the possibility of it ending for good.

"It was the hardest thing I ever had to deal with in my life," he said. "It had me doing things that weren't me. A lot of excess drinking, experimenting with a lot of drugs. It took nine, maybe 10 years before I could see light at the end of the tunnel."

Now he's ready to remind people who may have forgotten him. "I'm damn near better than I used to be. When they said, 'No one can do it better' on that record, they were not playing, man."