One of Hip-Hop’s most resilient figures is D-Nice. The Human TR-808 came into vogue as an MC, down with KRS-One, Scott La Rock, and Boogie Down Productions. Rolling with one of the late ’80s most ferocious Hip-Hop outfits, D-Nice became B.D.P.’s most prominent off-shoot, signing a solo deal with Jive Records, and spawning his Turtles-sampling hit “Call Me D-Nice.”

However, even though the gettin’ appeared good in 1990, D-Nice now tells The Combat Jack Show that B.D.P. co-founder, Scott La Rock’s 1987 murder greatly affected his relationship with the Blastmasta. Despite being Kid Rock’s earliest mentor (he helped the would-be Pop-Rock superstar ink a deal with Jive), D-Nice suffered more losses in the ’90s. Following his sophomore 1991 LP, To Tha Rescue, his second consecutive Top 200 release, D-Nice battled depression, and the kind of financial hurdles that eventually forced him into homelessness, and committing crimes to make ends meet.

Recalling these deeply personal hurdles, DJ D-Nice as he’s now known, is a Roc Nation-backed mixmaster, spinning at high-profile events, and shooting film and still photography, including the artwork to Pharoahe Monch’s W.A.R. album.

Get some rare access and insights to one of Hip-Hop’s most persevering, adaptive figures, care of Combat:

Related: Late ’80s-Early ’90s Hip-Hop Video Playlist featuring D-Nice (Videos)