Dolla Biography

Akon label has held strong for young rapper Dolla.Atlanta born, Roderick Anthony Young Dolla Burton II was raised in a supportive environment. He started playing at talent shows and showcases before becoming involved with the rap group Da Razkalz Cru, catching the attention of R&B veterans Missy Elliot and P. Diddy. The group released the single So Fly with Elecktra, but the single did little commercial success and they were eventually dropped from the label.While at Elecktra, Dolla met big time artists like Akon and P. Diddy, who eventually took the rising rapper under their wing. Rather than promoting Dolla's voice, Diddy brought the youngster along with him during his worldwide Sean Jean Label tour, where Dolla modeled in countries around the world. A huge billboard above the Hyatt Hotel in Los Angeles featured Dolla's face and P. Diddy's style, which connected Dolla with old friend Akon. The two began working in the studio together, and before long Dolla was signed to Akon's Konvict Muzik label.In 2006 Dolla's work was featured on the soundtrack for the movie Step Up, as well as collaborating with mixtape DJ Nappy Wilson for The Beatdown Mixtape. The next year, the Young Dolla found himself recording singles in the studio to release his debut album, with singles Who the Heck Is That, with T-Pain and Tay Dizm appearing on the initial cut before Akon was added. His debut album, ATLA is due out soon, while the 2005 Long Story Short under the label Fastlife fared well in the hip-hop industry.