Music is beyond words. It has the ability to move us and, in some cases, even other species as well. Music can strike a deep chord, and our response to it is testimony to our connection with something more significant. For young, talented rapper Doe Dotta, music is the stuff of life. In this exclusive, the creator of Call Me Jefe, Militant, and Act Like You Know, shares his thoughts.
Q. Doe Dotta, can you describe your childhood to us?
A. Sure. I was born in the Middle East and raised in Brooklyn. I left the Middle East an orphan and found my way in life in the streets of Brooklyn, where music became a friend and guide. I found myself drawn to rap, especially the works of Nas, Rakim, DMX, and Biggie, who were creating new music with lyrics that spoke from and to the soul. I knew I had found my calling and chose to pursue rap by mixing old-school lyrical cadences with new beats.
Q. You seem to believe in collaboration a lot. Can you tell us more about that?
A. Well, rapping is a community thing. However, music itself is an act of isolation. And once you have specific ideas, as in my case, it’s generally good to seek out performers who might bring their flavor to it and take it to a different level. My collaborations with other musicians like Loui Paso, Mozzy, and Kinetic have added a lot of value and verve to my music.
Q. What attracts you the most to hip hop?
A. For me, hip hop is an art. Making music is like painting, where every bar and rhythm corresponds to a painter’s brushstroke. It all comes from nothing and, in being brought to life, also brings its own meaning and movements. It’s the purest form of creation – an example of what philosophers have called ‘something from nothing.’ Hip hop allows me to unentangle my thoughts and feelings about myself and the world I live in. In some sense, it’s a process of contemplation about who we are and what the world is about.
