Davy D., also known as Davy DMX (named after the Oberheim drum machine), got involved with hip-hop by DJ'ing around neighborhoods in Queens. In the early '80s, as a guitarist, he joined with bassist Larry Smith and drummer Trevor Gale to form Orange Krush, a group who recorded a handful of singles, in addition to several backing tracks for Run-DMC, Sweet G, and Lovebug Starski. After the group separated, he worked with Kurtis Blow as a DJ and guitarist, providing significant contributions to "If I Ruled the World" and "The Breaks." Scattered singles like 1984's "One for the Treble" and 1985's "The DMX Will Rock" put him on the map as a solo artist; in 1987, a full-length album called Davy's Ride followed for Def Jam. Apart from occasional behind-the-scenes work on records, Davy DMX also appeared as a member of the Afros, a comical group who sprouted from another group called Solo Sounds. Tuff City released a collection of four-track recordings called FFFresh, albeit without his knowledge.