Doso

DOSO - "YOU'RE NOT THAT FLY"
Doso’s latest is setting the groundwork for the Chicago M.C.’s 2020.

by David McDevitt
Nov 30 2019
TRACK
RAP

Boasting a chorus and bass line that harkens back to when Thundercat and Anderson .Paak took 2015 by storm, Chicago M.C. Doso’s latest single “You’re Not That Fly” is a bold and brassy size-up of foes and nuisances alike. Spinning around one of the catchiest mantras of the month, his half-sung challenge glides across a solid groove of squelched sub-bass and clean 808s, mixed in with a chorus of voices. Doso brings huge amounts of confidence and bravado on this track - driving the nail home that “You don’t wanna go there with me - because you’re not that fly”. He sounds primed and ready to take 2020 by storm. - David McDevitt (Double Negative)

Chicagoan Manasseh Champion first picked up the trumpet at age seven. Now 22, he’s teaching young people how to play brass instruments at the West Point School of Music in South Shore. Over the past few years, Champion has focused his extracurricular energy on hip-hop, releasing a slew of stylistically varied singles under the name Doso. Last year’s [Extended] (A Rugged Interest) veers between trap-inflected tracks that highlight Champion’s agility at rattling off aggressive bars and melodic pop tunes that show off his sultry singing. He balances those skills on “Again, Again,” where a polished-up version of the instrumental for Tupac’s “Ambitionz az a Ridah” provides the backdrop for Champion sweetly singing the song’s hook and punching in anxious raps. Over his short career, Champion has shown continual growth as a vocalist: his latest single, May’s “Know That Now,” has a relaxed vibe that might lull you to sleep if it weren’t enlivened by his subtly sensual singing, which makes the song sound like it belongs on the radio. - Leor Galil

It’s been a little minute since the last time we received some new music from rising Chicago emcee Doso, but just a few minutes ago he put out a brand new track titled “Know That Now”. I have been supporting Doso’s music for awhile now and I have always known him to be a up-tempo and high energy type of emcee, but he really slowed it down here and damn near made an alternative sounding type of track, it feels like rap meets Blink 182 or something. Whatever it is I dig it and I think you will too, check out this brand new release below.

produced by fike – cover art by owen ziliak - Elliot Montanez (Lyrical Lemonade)

Doso just might be Chicago’s best kept secret, it doesn’t take more than a couple listens to come to the conclusion that this kid has the potential to become a star. A record this good needed a special video director behind the camera to bring it to life, lucky for us Doso knew that Paul Araki Elliott (DualMind Visuals) was the perfect man for the job. Doso brings a ton of energy to his music and it’s extremely contagious for the listeners, it’s literally the definition of feel good music. Don’t sleep on this kid, check out his latest visual below!

Producer: Luxury (BeatsByLuxury) - Elliot Montanez (Lyrical Lemonade)

Doso is definitely one of my favorite artists to write about simply because every song he releases seems so be better than the previous. Doso never stops improving, and if you don’t believe me, then listen to his new single, ‘My Song’.

Doso knows how to speed it up and slow it down. With ‘My Song’ we are directed to Doso’s singing persona as he executes incredible harmony over the funky/pop Nanzoo produced instrumental. Doso claims to open up to “Calvin Harris, pop sounding production “, molding his style to be more uplifting than ever. This new song will get you up and dancing like it did to me. I can’t see much room for improvement from the young Chicago artist, but there’s no doubt in my mind he’ll impress me again.

Stream ‘My Song’ by Doso below! - Joe McGrath (Next Wave)

From his early days posting songs on SoundCloud to headlining shows at venues like Schubas Tavern, Doso is dedicated to heightening his sound and learning from his past.

Building buzz around his vibrant live shows, he performs his tracks with a group of similarly talented musicians. Playing with a live band gives Doso the freedom to play new interpretations and arrangements of his music, allowing older songs to grow and change as he has.

Learning from his 2018 debut album [Extended], which consisted primarily of his previously-released SoundCloud tracks, Doso worked nearly two years to expand his sound on sophomore album Opus Two, released Jan. 29, 2021. He spent more time to revise and fully flesh out the songs on this album, giving the final product a tighter and more mature sound. The album’s crisp production is exemplified by standout track “You’re Not That Fly,” which has proven to be one of his most popular with more than 10 thousand Spotify streams.

Doso’s latest dance-worthy single “Superstar,” released Sept. 28, was featured in Vocalo’s “Poised to Break Through” playlist for November 2021. We chatted with him about leveling up for album number two, being a part of the A.R.I. Collective and enhancing his sound with collaborations.

Give us a quick background on your history with music. When did you start writing and rapping? What first inspired you to become a musician?

My older sister helped me write my first rap when I was seven. That’s also the same age my father started to teach me how to play trumpet, so music was all I knew back then. They were my first two inspirations for sure.

How would you describe your style?

My style is versatile, very melody- and flow-driven. Those are two things I focus on the most in my creative process no matter what type of music I’m making.

What do you think makes your sound your own?

My voice and my writing. I always felt like I had a distinct singing and rapping voice, but I didn’t always think that it was a good thing. When I was younger, I thought because it was different it was bad, silly me. And writing is very important to me because I try to improve my songwriting skills everyday. Some of my supporters have noticed that, and when they tell me that they have it always makes my day.

Talk to us about your new song, “Superstar.” Where did you get the idea for this song, and how did the collaboration with producer Nikita come about?

I recorded “Superstar” in the summertime. Found the beat by Nikita online and I freestyled the hook in my phone. A week later I wanted to write another song for a session I had later that day, so I went in my voice memos and remembered the hook that I had. Decided to write the whole song out, recorded it later that night. That’s pretty much it.

Very often when you perform, you are supported by a live band. What made you want to pursue this?

It was just the right time. My friends and family had been hassling me about it for a couple years because my siblings are all musicians. In 2019, I wanted to start doing Sofar live shows in the city and that’s when we made it happen. My little sister plays bass guitar, little brother plays keyboard and two good friends of mine play drums and guitar. We had everything we needed and knew it was time.

How has the live band added to your sound?

The opening tracks for my last two projects, [“Damage” and “Another Day,”] both have a guitar solo in them. Shout-out to Rob Bugos and Ëkoli. Some of my songs have a totally different sound when I perform them with the group. You can do so much more when you have a great band backing you. Loop the ending four times if you want, slow it down, change the ending, anything. The band adds way more flexibility to my sound.

Have you considered recording with a band, or do you only see yourself working with producers?

As long as I’m making music, I see myself doing both. I’d love to make a record with my band, and definitely see that happening in the future. I’ve been working with a handful of producers recently and they’ve been really inspiring me to step it up more, working like that is fun.

Where in Chicago are you from, and how has growing up in Chicago affected the music you make?

I’m from South Shore, and I love it. When it comes to Chicago we’ve had legends that have come out of here. And we have some of the dopest upcoming artists coming out of here. Growing up here just encouraged me to be great, because greatness runs through this city. So much of it is around and I know there’s more to come.

Do you have a favorite place to perform in Chicago?

Schubas for sure. Had a headline show there, plus I opened up for Sub Urban there. Both really great shows. They have an amazing sound system too, and good food.

You are a part of A.R.I. Collective, which is dedicated to “the performing and production of urban music.” Tell us about this group and how it came about.

A.R.I stands for “A Rugged Interest.” It comprises me and my best friends that I met through high school. We all became close, and shortly after that I started taking music seriously. I came up with the name because my dad was helping me start a company to back my music. After years of my friends helping me any way they could, we started calling it a collective, adding more roles and making it more official.

What is it like collaborating with other artists in the A.R.I. Collective and forwarding your collective vision?

I’m the only musical artist, but Serafin is a digital editor and photographer. Manny is a designer and also helps with editing. Andrew books the shows and Juan is the digital marketer and helps with promoting the music. Big part of our vision is to produce rugged content. And when I say “rugged,” I just mean real. In my music I’m making an effort to embrace myself, my life and everything that comes with it. And it’s not perfect, not flawless — sometimes it’s rough and rugged. But it’s me. And I’m just the soundtrack to the lifestyle, but we want to crossover a few different mediums when it’s all said and done.

Is there anyone you dream of collaborating with? If so, who and why?

G Herbo and Ratatat. G Herbo is my favorite rapper. And I’ve been hooked on Ratatat for years and I would always play their Classics tape and freestyle to it for hours and hours, so collaborating with them would be a dream come true.

Earlier this year you released your second album Opus Two. What was the experience of recording and releasing that record like?

I created Opus Two over a span of one and a half to two years. So it felt like a really long process, but a much-needed one. I was set to drop it early 2020, but everything shut down and I decided to postpone it and work on it even more. But with that extra time I made some improvements on a few songs that I thought were finished, and then recorded “Fridge,” “Body” and “Dirty Cup” back to back. And I couldn’t stop playing them after I made them! So when the project finally came out I was overjoyed, man. I’m very proud of it.

Did you learn anything from your first album that changed your process for album number two? If so, explain it to us.

The first project was a compilation of my Soundcloud songs that had already been released. But I knew going into my second album I just had to be better. I had to sound levels above what my supporters had been listening to. It was a similar process, but this go ‘round I had something to beat. And I did that.

Do you have anything else you want to promote, or that you want to make sure listeners know about?

I have a single called “Push Start” dropping next month and another one called “Serenade,” produced by Nikita, dropping at the top of next year. I’m geeked! - Vocalo Radio

Chicago rapper Doso caught my attention four years ago by tinkering confidently and smoothly with a variety of instrumental styles, and he plays up that skill on October’s Safe Travels (A Rugged Interest, Inc.). He raps over minimal nu-funk (“Holding on Loosely”), sleek and frictionless pop punk (“Upside Down”), and a sentimental ballad built atop a single acoustic guitar (“Long Way Home”), maintaining a casual, debonair presence wherever he goes. Doso cycles through these sounds like he’s trying on every piece in his wardrobe, each time laser focused on choosing a perfect fit to make his personality pop.

South-side hip-hop duo OutPastMidnight perform with a single-minded focus on euphoria. In April they self-released Super Stereo Bros., and three of its most joyful tracks (“What You Need,” “H20,” “Sure Thing”) are available on the two major streaming services. (Currently you can only get the whole album from Bandcamp.) On “Sure Thing,” they’re joined by guest vocalist Kenny Morningstar, but they trade verses over its stuttering video-game synth melody and kitchen-sink percussion like they’re at the best party of the week and have to keep the energy level sky-high all on their own. “Sure Thing” is a great argument to download the rest of Super Stereo Bros.; the next track, “Kick da Doe,” exudes a welcoming freshness even as it thrums along on an arty beat reminiscent of late-2000s blog-era hip-hop. - Chicago Reader

Emerging from the east side of Chicago, rising rapper-singer, Doso, has been captivating listeners with an innovative sound that crosses between hip-hop & alternative. Doso is versatile, and he has an innate ability to craft songs that are dynamic and relatable. When it comes to discovering new artists, I’m always search for those that go against the grain. Doso is that kind of an artist. He is unconventional, but he has the talent to move genres forward. Now, he debuts on our pages with his latest single “Upside Down”.



“Upside Down” is a vibrant record that captures the raw emotions of a break-up. The song is laced with captivating melodies, warm sonics, and an ear-worm hook. With production from Gray Skies, Doso approaches the single with his exceptional vocal range as he discusses the run-ins with his ex. “Upside Down” is genuine, and Doso has gotten my attention! Stream the record below and vibe out! - BangerOfTheDay