Rudolph Frank Moore , known as Rudy Ray Moore , was an American comedian, musician, singer, film actor, and film producer. He was perhaps best known as Dolemite (the name derived from the mineral dolomite ), the uniquely articulate pimp from the 1975 film Dolemite , and its sequels, The Human Tornado and The Return of Dolemite . The persona was developed during his earlier comedy records, for which Moore has been called "the Godfather of Rap". Moore was born and raised in Fort Smith, Arkansas , and eventually moved to Cleveland, Ohio , and then Milwaukee, Wisconsin . In Milwaukee, he preached in churches as well as worked as a nightclub dancer. He returned to Cleveland, working in clubs as a singer, dancer, and comedian, often appearing in character as Prince DuMarr . He joined the US Army and served in an entertainment unit in Germany, where he w...