Benz and a Backpack

After four months of hard work and dedication, I am incredibly proud to present Detroit emcee Doss The Artist’s (@DossTheArtist) album #9Lives. Complete with 10 captivating tracks, 9Lives showcases the many sides of Doss’ lyrical brilliance: he’s fun, charming, caustic, poetic, contemplative, desensitized, thoughtful, boastful, and provocative all on the same tape. With production from Hir-O (Detroit), pJAYd (Brooklyn), and ACB (Kansas City), Doss gleams atop a myriad of engaging musical backdrops, proving beyond question that quality trumps quantity every time. Keep tabs on Doss via Twitter (@DossTheArtist) or Tumblr (theartistgrows.tumblr.com)!

Download: Doss The Artist – 9Lives (Album) || Alternate

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On Friday, DJBooth.net premiered Doss The Artist’s newest single “Higher,” a bonus track off Doss’ #9Lives tape due out next week. Peep the write up below, then head to DJBooth to listen!

Whether you’re dreaming of a long evening of “Rhythm and Dancing” or something a little more intimate—or both, for that matter—there’s no understating the importance of music for keeping the vibe going. For those looking to push their nocturnal activities to a Higher plateau of intensity, Doss the Artist‘s latest Booth feature may be just what the doctor ordered. Making its world premiere right here on our front page, the Motown rhymesayer’s latest mixtape leak finds beatsmith Hir-O flipping a sample from German Eurodance duo La Bouche’s 1994 smash, Sweet Dreams, into an exhilarating synth backdrop for Doss’ lyrical snapshots of the fast life. In a flow alternately laid-back and hyperkinetic, the emcee talks up his whip game (His Lac’s rocking “25-inch rims.”), his effortless way with women and his knack for getting said women into said whip. Are you going to be throwing this record on when you hit the town this weekend. Readers who answer in the affirmative won’t want to miss the rest of the scorching new material to be found on Doss’ #9Lives tape, due out January 27.

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Originally meant to be a surprise appearance on a video for #TheHazEP, “Take Five Pt. II” got swept up in the fervent anticipation of Doss’s upcoming project #86MilesTall. That anticipation has manifested into the gems now known as #9Lives, which can be followed at DossTheArtist.com and various blogs around the web. #QuestionMark and #360 proudly present Haz Bey’s directorial debut: Doss The Artist’s final installation of #9Lives, ushering in his latest achievement #86MilesTall. 

Hit the skip to download “Take Five Pt. II,” a lyrical gem supported by a funky Onra beat. Keep tabs on Doss via Twitter or Tumblr, and be on the lookout for the official release of #9Lives this Friday!
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I am incredibly proud to present to you Week 8 of Doss The Artist’s #9Lives Series, this week in the form of “New Gundam,” a biting track showcasing another of Doss’ many lyrical styles. With a brusque approach, Doss snaps vivid pictures with his pen over a highly digitized soundscape from Hir-O, inspired by the Japanese anime series Gundam.  Follow Doss on Twitter (@DossTheArtist) and Tumblr (theartistgrows.tumblr.com) to keep tabs on 9Lives!

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I am very proud to present to you Week 7 of Doss The Artist’s #9Lives Series, this week in the shape of “Katie Couric,” a track inspired by the former CBS anchor’s interview with Sarah Palin. Doss’ go-to producer Hir-O deftly massages Radiohead’s “Everything In Its Right Places” into a mix anchored by steady drums, stretching the perfect canvas for Doss to paint remarkably contrasting lyricism. Follow Doss on Twitter (@DossTheArtist) and Tumblr (theartistgrows.tumblr.com) to keep tabs on 9Lives! Hit the skip to download. Artwork by Falside.

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Week 7 of #9Lives arrives Monday 11/28. Get ready!

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I am very proud to present to you Week 6 of Doss The Artist’s #9Lives Series, this week in the shape of “Hand On The Button,” a Phantogram-sampled beat from the exceptionally talented producer ACB. Doss and ACB have collaborated on a number of songs before, including the very well received “Princess Peach” off Doss’ previous tape Computer Blue. With ACB’s refined production as the foundation, ”Hand On The Button” is a prime example of Doss’ well-roundedness, replete with complex wordplay and delivery, sophisticated similes and metaphors, and an earnestness that truly sets Doss apart from his peers.

“But I’m still a Question Mark Guerilla/birds on the lap, pigs on the back, bros call a ni**a Ace Ventura/ flow so damn sick it’s like I ate then threw up/ open with a bang bang, hope I ain’t interrupt.”

Download after the jump!
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Written on a Thursday, recorded on Friday afternoon at J57′s studio in Brooklyn and shot that same evening in Lower Manhattan, “China Town” is a testament to Doss The Artist’s relentless work ethic and impeccable flow. Over a zany pJAYd-produced track, Doss spits as if he were a painter during the Impressionism era, using broad and narrow strokes to paint a vivid picture of the world as he sees it. With New York City’s Chinatown as his backdrop and talented DD172 director Shruti Parekh behind the lens, Doss manages to crystalize a fleeting moment in time and lend weight to the legend of the Honda Odyssey.

Hit the skip to watch the video for “China Town” and download the fifth installment of 9Lives.

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With #9Lives and The Freakstrumental Joint on deck, Doss The Artist, Hir-O and their fellow Detroit compatriots prepare for a benefit concert going down tomorrow night (11.10.11) at The Old Miami. Expect top notch rhymes, superior beats, and high quality musicianship. Hit the skip for Hir-O and Red Pill’s new joint “We Are Not Like Them,” which got a lot of love on HipHopDX this week.

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Week 4 of Detroit emcee Doss The Artist’s #9Lives series brings about “Liquor Store,” a strongly worded, incisive track sure to induce a reaction as visceral as if you were watching The Departed. This week Doss was featured on MTVHive in a story that showcased his many styles on the mic, and “Liquor Store” proves his versatility even further.

Over a glitchy, bugged-out beat from pJAYd, Doss explores powerful themes in America’s traditions through the lens of his own personal experiences. He touches on institutional racism that begets income inequality (and all the accompanying ills of violence, incarceration and alcoholism) in the context of how he perceives his father’s legacy, his hometown, and his relationship to his country. Despite the weight of his words, hope shimmers brightly in “Liquor Store’s” final section as Doss elevates his message in a successful attempt to take his listeners higher. Keep tabs on Doss via Twitter, Tumblr, and BandCamp.

Doss The Artist: Doss The Artist – Liquor Store [prod. pJAYd]

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Week 3 of Doss The Artist’s 9Lives series comes in the form of “Cave,” a brooding song featuring production from the uber-talented Hir-O. The track begins with a simple Kid Cudi loop, but gains momentum as Doss spits purposeful words over Hir-O’s increasingly layered soundscape. To keep tabs on Doss, follow him on Twitter and Tumblr!

Download: Doss The Artist – Cave [prod. Hir-O]

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Whereas Week 1 showcased Doss and Greenlee on their bravado-filled tip, Week 2 of Doss The Artist’s 9Lives Series showcases Doss striking a more introspective tone over a straight forward and soulful Jackson 5-sampled beat from pJAYd. Navigating and combatting the forces in life that threaten to limit your success is both a monumental and imperative endeavor. Listen to Doss navigate those forces nimbly, amidst melodic samples and pulsing drums as well as words of wisdom from Samuel L and DeNiro in Jackie Brown.

Download: Doss The Artist – Never Can [prod. pJAYd]

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