In today's urban world, the majority of music hails from the Dirty South. You can name hits for days. But there's one thing the South doesn't have, an up and coming artist by the name of Donté Partee. Donté was born on October 7, 1988, on the westside of Chicago, Illinois. Some may say that they chose a career in music. But that's not the case for Donté. He always felt that music has chosen him.  His father, also a singer, formed a group with his older brother and a few childhood friends in his teenage days. The group came close to a major recording deal, but the deal slipped through. Hearing this story only fueled the fire inside Donté for recognition from the world. After the sudden death of his grandfather in March 1998, Donté began writing poetry. He found himself to be a natural born writer, having his poetry published in books and winning essay contests. Over time, his poetry would grow. Dealing with a broken heart in 5th grade, Donté wrote his first song entitled "Don't Wanna See You Again." As time progressed, Donté found that he could express himself fully through his poetry and songs. By 13, Donté trained his voice to be well-excepted by his peers. There wasn't a day in school when he wasn't asked to sing by girls he admired, friends, associates and even teachers! Donté knew then that music would be his destiny. Throughout high school, Donté's voice continued to shine and his lyrics continued to blossom. Donté delt with the typical life of a high school boy, from girls, to relationships, to messy breakups. They were reflected in his songs. Despite everything, Donté continued to sing and write. By June 2006, Donté had written over 100 songs, with more in progress. After years of searching, and with the aid of his father, Donté entered a recording studio in July 2006. Donté has set off on an adventure in music with no turning back with his recent singles "I Wanna Be" and "Smile For Me" being played on multiple radio stations. With a wide range of inspirational artists, including Michael Jackson (R.I.P.) , Luther Vandross(R.I.P.), Tupac Shakur(R.I.P.), R. Kelly, Stevie Wonder, and Bobby Brown, Donté demonstates versatility within his music.  With the work of Donté's debut album, "M.R.I. (Music Releases Intensity)" in progress, and now in his junior year in college, Donté's determined to prove to the world his talent, and why his nickname is "Tha Future."