4.16.2021

Video: Taleban Dooda – “Chopstix” (Prod. by Internet Money)

The 18-Year-Old Tampa Native Shares a Cinematic Video Off His 5/14 Debut Album Fallen Angel

Critical Praise:

“At only 18 years old.. 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.” – Lyrical Lemonade

“He falls into the lane of melodic street rap that acts like YoungBoy Never Broke Again, Lil Durk, Teejay3k, and others are making, but his high-pitched vocals and limitless subject matter set him apart.” – Earmilk

The Video:

Taleban Dooda is cutting a blazing path through a bustling Florida scene with his angelic tenor. Reveling in his kingpin aspirations, Dooda starts to build an empire with “Chopstix,” his new video single. Populated with demonic vox and sinister stabs of organ from Internet Money, “Chopstix” finds Dooda adopting a slow-moving, stuttering flow, using sporadic bursts of wild melody to keep the opps on their toes: “He better watch how he move, 7.62s knock him outta his shoes/They know we breakin’ the rules, we the ones puttin’ the bass in the boom.”

In the video, directed by Joshua Valle, Dooda gives a glimpse into his illicit organization, as he embraces his inner Tony Montana takes care of business in all senses of the phrase. “Chopstix” is the latest energetic visual from the Tampa native’s upcoming debut album Fallen Angel, following “Trappin Ain’t Dead,” the Helluva-produced Detroit-style anthem with a standout guest spot from 42 Dugg.

Bursting with invention and earworm hooks, Fallen Angel gives a home to recently released highlights like “Chosen” ft. T9ine, a gospel-influenced anthem that earned praise from Pitchfork and HipHopDX (who named the song one of the Best Hip-Hop Songs of 2021 So Far) and counts 3 million total streams, and the tuneful “No Eater,” released last month and featured prominently on Spotify’s Fresh Finds playlist. Embodying the pain and triumph that accompanies the struggle of making it out the hood, the new album capitalizes on a growing momentum that started when Dooda’s debut single “Tru Colors” (included on Fallen Angel as a bonus track) caught fire upon release last January. Featuring additional appearances from Yung Bleu, Dee Watkins, and OMB Peezy, Fallen Angel releases on May 14th via Green Light Music Group/Rostrum Records.

Taleban Dooda has been steadily building a fanbase over the past year, displaying a natural melodic ability that helps him stand out among street rappers in Florida and beyond. He scored street hits in the first half of the year with “Tru Colors” (over 3 million total streams) and “2 In Da Morning” (1 million views), and turned heads in the fall with standout singles like “Dis Dooda,” which Vice named as one of the 24 Best Songs of September. Stay tuned for more releases from Dooda in the run-up to his debut album, and his first-ever full length project, Fallen Angel.

Watch “Chopstix”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DJl0dnUfR0

Buy/Stream “Chopstix”: https://smarturl.it/TDoodaChopstix

Fallen Angel tracklist:

1. Demon Time
2. Finish Him
3. Broken Soul
4. Chosen feat. T9ine
5. My Bruddas feat. OMB Peezy
6. Backwards
7. Heart Turned To Ice
8. Sinning
9. No Libs
10. More Than Average feat. Yung Bleu
11. Stay Dangerous feat. Dee Watkins
12. Trappin’ Ain’t Dead feat. 42 Dugg
13. Dis Dooda
14. Ready For War
15. Chopstix II feat. Tory Lanez
16. Come Back Again
17. Tru Colors (Bonus)

Fallen Angel album artwork

Please contact Michelle or Kevin for more info.

The Background:

Taleban Dooda always had a voice–a combination of distinctly Floridian style and irresistibly catchy melody, has made the 18-year-old rapper one of the most exciting new rap voices coming out of the South. Hailing from East Tampa, Dooda had few options to avoid the violence that lurked outside his door. When he injured his knee in his 9th grade year, ending his football dreams, Dooda turned his attention to music. He began by recording himself covering other people’s songs — inspired by his love for artists like Bruno Mars, John Legend, and Sam Smith — before moving on to his own original compositions. Influenced by artists like NBA Youngboy, Polo G, and NoCap, Taleban Dooda decided to become a rapper.

For Dooda, 2020 was all about consistency, as he continued to drop a steady stream of strong singles throughout the year. In September, he released “Dis Dooda” — which VICE named one of the best songs of the month and Lyrical Lemonade highlighted on their site — and followed that up in November with the TM88 and ATL Jacob-produced “Finish Him.” Now, Dooda has his eyes set on the upcoming release of his debut album. With all this momentum, and all of Florida behind him, he doesn’t plan to slow down any time soon. “I’m just trying to keep dropping music,” he says. “I ain’t trying to take no breaks.”