SceneNoise x XP Conversations: THE DO

For THE DO, the pursuit of difference has always been a constant. As the Saudi music scene continues to mature beyond its underground roots, the rapper and songwriter has emerged as a key architect of a smoother, more melodic revolution - one that refuses to be boxed in by traditional genres. He represents a generation of talent that is moving fluidly between the rhythmic pulse of Afrobeat and the raw, storytelling energy of the street, carving out a space that is as polished as it is authentic.

At the heart of his creative mission is the development of ‘Hobi’, a homegrown sound that THE DO believes truly resonates with the people of the Gulf. He views the creation of this genre as an act of cultural resonance. Drawing a parallel between the rise of Mahraganat in Egypt and the emergence of Hobi in Saudi Arabia, he describes it as a fresh sonic identity that addresses themes often left untouched by mainstream media while remaining intrinsically tied to local roots.

In this installment of SceneNoise x XP Conversations, we sat down with the artist at the fifth annual XP Music Futures in Riyadh, to discuss the evolution of this movement. Flanked by a collective of innovators including Adam, Sahli, Doughboy and DJ Mubarak, THE DO views this era as a period of collective exploration. For him, the creative process is a zone where innovation is born from the freedom to make mistakes and where 'joining forces' is the only way to accelerate the growth of the regional industry.

Stay tuned for more SceneNoise x XP Conversations.