‘Cocoa Hue’ is one of those titles that instantly piques interest. What does the wordplay mean? What correlation is there between the elongated oval fruit and the various shades of colour? The twelve tracks comprising DOTTi The Deity’s sophomore album brilliantly quell the mystery, presenting the title as a symbol of his innate artistic identity and the multifaceted, colourful attributes he embodies, much like how cocoa can be processed into different flavours and textures.

Ever since he rose to the spotlight with his hit single, “Forever Sweet,” a romantic record that has become a staple at Yoruba weddings since its release in 2022, and after emerging as the winner of the maiden edition of the MTN Y’ello Star music competition in 2021, his diligent approach to broadening the scope of his craft has brought him to a new artistic expression on ‘Cocoa Hue.’

Following the buzz around “Forever Sweet,” his six-track EP, ‘For You Knew Me,’ arrived, but it was on his debut album, ‘Madam Dearest,’ that he tied together the romantic musings of his breakout single into an elaborate celebration of love. He captured the mundane on “Big Shirt & Boxers” with rapper Reminisce, explored relatable moments of desire on the Wizard Chan-assisted “Hello Sisi,” and further leaned into romance on the title track, “Madam Dearest,” featuring Falz.

Now, he is drawing from his personal experiences to showcase another side of himself, two years after demonstrating to the world that he could translate their emotions into melodious tunes. On the album opener, “Yeske,” he dives straight into Afropop, taps Fuji legend Adewale Ayuba for the head-bopping “Jaiye,” melds seamlessly with multi-instrumentalist Made Kuti on “Tout Est Compris,” and lets former Big Brother Naija winner and rapper Laycon leave a groovy touch on the closer, “Otolorin.”

Moving freely between genres, whether Pop, Folk, Afropop or Fuji, ‘Cocoa Hue’  is a deliberate refusal to be confined by a singular definition of who Dotti The Deity can be.  While ‘Madam Dearest’ established his ability to translate the familiar emotions of love and desire into music, ‘Cocoa Hue’ broadens the picture, revealing an artist astutely exploring the different facets of his creativity. 

Listen to ‘Cocoa Hue’ here.