Florida is becoming almost like an even more southern Atlanta in terms of its music scene. What I mean by this is the fact that I’m constantly discovering new artists blooming out of the Rap scene in Atlanta, and in recent months or even years, I feel as if a day can’t go by without me hearing a new name or song from an artist that I need to get in tune with. Most recently, I was put onto East Tampa artist Taleban Dooda, and although the name sounded very peculiar to me, I put my skepticism to the side and listened up.
At only 18 years old, there’s clearly room for Dooda to grow as an artist after listening to his song “Dis Dooda”, but his talents are already overly abundant and his potential is probably higher than most up and coming artists you could name off the top of your head. His voice is diverse when compared to his other Floridian counterparts with the fact that it is slightly melodious and more tuneful than most of the other artists from the state, but it has almost this Drill quality that sets him apart from his fellow Florida crooner Hotboii.
As the beat begins, different synths are used, some being chopped up to sound almost like trumpets while others are stretched out for slightly longer moments before crisp hats and claps enter the picture along with a bassline that’ll shake whatever room you’re in. As Dooda comes in for the hook, his triplet flows consume your brain and grab your attention right off the bat. The cadence he uses right away sounds extremely reminiscent of Lil Baby and it’s a flow that’s definitely recognizable, but Dooda ends up putting his own spin on it with the harmonious qualities within his voice. The Lil Baby comparison is valid, in my opinion, because he even mentions how he’s not Baby in one of the lines he spits in the hook, making sure that there’s no confusion or misperceptions.
The first thought that came to my mind was the fact that he almost sounds similar to Lil Durk which is a compliment in every meaning of the word, but his slight Florida drawl shines through loud and clear, giving him this dexterous sound that is bound to be inimitable. About a third of the way through, he ditches the triplets and gets even hastier with his words, changing his flow to provide even more wordplays that might go unappreciated because there are so many similes he uses, you might miss a few after just one listen which will prompt you to revisit this track time and time again just to make sure you can appreciate the impressive lyricism he is displaying in this hit.
Although the beat is fairly simplistic and repetitive, Dooda’s constantly rotating bars keep the track fresh throughout and show off the variety of skills he has up his sleeve, and it’s hard to believe that his artistry stops there. As he makes his way throughout this banger, he talks about being cold-hearted and not loving any of the women he gets close to while also mentioning a plethora of violent threats and overcoming the naysayers by proving how he’s going to make it big in the music industry.
Once again, although this was my introduction to Taleban Dooda, I can’t wait to see what else he has in store for us. His flows and stylistic choices set him apart from any of the other artists coming out of Florida and although his cadence is very close to that of Lil Baby’s, it’s not an easy delivery to master so his skills are still as clear as day. Also, considering he’s only 18 years old, he has so much time to truly master his flows and continuously add new tools to his arsenal, so I think his music only gets better from here. This is hard to believe because this track is already a hit in every sense of the word, so I definitely think the future is bright for the young Tampa talent. Don’t just take my word for it, though, and get in tune with Taleban Dooda on his newest single “Dis Dooda” as soon as you get the chance.