DUO is one of the smoothest artists you will hear about in 2025. He floats between singing and rapping perfectly, and his melodies are off the charts. DUO started taking music seriously after a serious knee injury ended his football career while he was at Clark Atlanta University. It was almost a blessing in disguise, as the injury forced him to pivot full-time into acting and making music. DUO stepped into the Star Studio to discuss his musical journey so far.
Why do you go by DUO? I go by duo because actually sing and I rap. A lot of people say, what are you into? You do hip hop or R&B? And I’m like, I do both. So it’s the duality, but it came from just, like, even growing up, I was a Division I football player, and I was a theater major, so I always kind of was in two different worlds at the same time. So it was just like I always lived in that duality space.
Who are your musical inspirations? Oh, man. So growing up, it’s different pockets. So if I was on the gospel side, I would say like your Fred Hammond, your Kirk Franklin, of course. On the R&B side, I would say definitely your Usher, Ginuwine and Tank. And then on the hip hop side, Tupac, LL Cool J and Nelly. So just the people I was growing up listening to.
Why did you start acting? I just knew I always had it. Like growing up in the church, I was the kid who knew how to imitate everybody in the church who just kind of always had a creative mind. So when I got a chance to take a class freshman year from some elective, my teachers were like, man, you really are natural. I realized that I say acting is the athletic sport of emotion, so I just still had to train my craft to become great at what I’m doing.
What inspired “Dead In My Eyes?” It was just a conversation we was having. I’m all about male vulnerability and keeping it real. Like one thing about me, man, I’m not this Hollywood type that just plays it too cool. It’s probably the acting in me. I’m able to tap into the realness of what is real and stories as they happen. There’s men who do women wrong, but there’s a lot of men getting done wrong too.
You previewed your new song “Promise Ring.” When will it be released and what inspired the song? So I’m thinking it’s coming down the pipeline in March, Women’s Appreciation Month. Yeah, right on time. Following Valentine’s Day. So this one is just going back to the vulnerability. To me this is more of a story about a promise to you. I found you. You who I want to be with. And so I’m going to sit here and make these promises to you. So yeah, it’s called “Promise Ring” and it can be engagements. It could be a physical Promise Ring, but it’s more so about the overall promises, like the person you love. Just commit to them and lean in, man.
