Life, loss and self-acceptance inspire new music from Portsmouth artist
Portsmouth artist D Dott Leggs has released his new five-track project, Dott by Dott, drawing on personal experiences to explore regret, loss, resilience and self-acceptance.
The project marks another chapter for D Dott Leggs, who moved into rap after spending 15 years travelling around the country performing as a rave MC.
His move into rap has seen him take a more personal approach to songwriting, using real experiences and emotions as inspiration.
The release follows a successful first year in rap. All five of D Dott Leggs’ releases in 2025 reached the top two of Portsmouth’s local music charts on Express FM, with four reaching No. 1.
Aymen, Respectfully, David Eugene Clarke and Dear Son all reached the top spot, while Little Lady reached No. 2.
D Dott Leggs was also nominated for Best Breakthrough Act at the 2026 Portsmouth Music Awards.
The new project brings together five tracks, each exploring a different aspect of life and personal experience.
The project opens with Time Machine, a reflective track about looking back at mistakes, regrets and difficult periods in life and asking whether, given the chance, you would actually change them.
As the track develops, the focus shifts from wanting to erase the past towards recognising that those experiences helped shape the person he is today.
Trouble, featuring Portsmouth artist PO2, takes a darker approach, exploring the pull of the past and the strength and determination needed to avoid falling back into old ways.
Only Human, featuring Kizz, offers a softer message about accepting that nobody can fix everything or have perfect days all the time. The track focuses on the idea that everyone struggles and that trying to become a better version of yourself is enough.
Kizz is the frontman of Portsmouth hip-hop collective Word Of Mouth, adding another connection to the city’s established music scene.
Bad Days, also featuring Kizz, takes the project in a very different musical direction, drawing on a more alternative sound. The track explores how difficult periods can be used to learn, grow and push forward, while also helping people appreciate the good days when they come.
The project closes with Built Different, featuring Portsmouth duo PO2 & M1. The upbeat EDM and rap-influenced track focuses on individuality and challenges the idea that being different should necessarily be viewed as a negative.
PO2 & M1 were also nominated alongside D Dott Leggs for Best Breakthrough Act at the 2026 Portsmouth Music Awards. Although the artists found themselves competing in the same category, they have since come together creatively on Dott by Dott, highlighting the collaborative spirit within Portsmouth’s music scene.
The personal themes of the project follow on from some of D Dott Leggs’ previous work.
David Eugene Clarke was written for a close friend and music legend who passed away, while Dear Son featured his son, who was six years old when the track was recorded.
Together, the five tracks on Dott by Dott look at where D Dott Leggs has come from, what he has learned along the way and how difficult experiences can ultimately contribute to who we become.
Dott by Dott is now available to stream on Spotify and other major streaming platforms under the artist name D Dott Leggs.