Bio

My Name is Steven Dorsey. I’m better known though, by my stage name, Top Dollar. Top Dollar is an acronym which means:The Oscillationg Performer, Devastating Others Legally, Lyrically And Rapidly. In layman’s terms, that means that I’m a versatile performer that dominates the competition swiftly with superior wordplay; no need to kidnap children of murder anyone’s mother! I was born in Brownsville, Brooklyn on May 12. I consider myself a pioneer because I was addicted since Fatback dropped! I am a hip-hop artist, pioneer, student, innovator and most of all, fan. Over the years, I’ve been influenced by many artists. LL Cool J is the reason I started writing. KRS One inspired me to use my intelligence to drop jewels, and Kool G Rap inspired me to be relentless and aggressive with the flow. Now, Jay Z, Jada Kiss, Nas, Papoose and other lyrical powerhouses keep me focused. I grew up in 336 Blake Avenue in Brownsville, Brooklyn. I was the youngest of 4 kids (I was the only boy). My mom (Lottie Dorsey) raised all of us on her own because my father wasn’t around since before I was born. My 3 sisters, Linda, Chrissy and Margaret tried to keep tabs on me in the streets, but it wasn’t easy. They were a handful themselves and with my bizarre acting out to add to the pressure of single parenthood, my mom finally sought out professional help for me. She sent me to a group home in upstate, NY. I don’t know if that helped me or not, but I sure learned alot about survival and independence. When I finally came home, I went to Eli Whitney Vocational High School. In spite of all of my wild ways, I was always academically advanced. I was reading at a 12.9 average in the 6th grade! Caught up in rap music, I wanted first to be a human beat box. I was pretty good at it, too! One day, I went to see the movie Krush Groove with a friend. I was completely hooked after seeing LL in that movie. I started writing Run DMC-style raps for me and my friend Duane a.k.a. Lil’ Rock. Top Dollar was born! When my best friend, Donald Cooke was brutally murdered over a case of mistaken identity, I snapped. I abandoned all thoughts of college and I hit the streets hard! I thought, “If a good person like Donald can die such an ugly death, what was the point of trying to live life by the book?” Even though I let the streets swallow me up, I still used hip-hop to unburden my soul. My flow became deeper, sharper, more refined. Soon, I was battling the neighborhood rappers and leaving a trail of new believers behind me. I had gotten so cocky that I was going at 2 rappers at once in some battles! It was during one of those handicap matches that I met 2 rappers who lived across the street from me, Hassan and James. After battling them, we started doing shows together for the block. Before long, we were 8 strong and growing. VOT was in the building! We soon grew into a large, tight knit family, and I was determined that we would become bigger than Wu Tang! With the help of my then manager, Flick, (who with his long-time friend, Ankhenaton, would years later create S.T.A.Y. Enterprises) and his brother Tim, I started hitting the studios hard. With the addition of Lonnie Holcombe and Renee Ye Foon, me and my management team went to work. I started doing shows wherever I could get a gig! The Days Inn Hotel, Le Bar Batt, Limelight, Wetlands, The Ark, YMCA, Rikers Island, The Brooklyn House of Detention, Willies in Harlem, The Greek Fest at Jones Beach and several others. I was having the time of my life! I had found my calling. After the birth of my first daughter, Tyquasia, I finally let go of the streets and started thinking about my future. Still devoted to the music, I started learning the business end of it. When Flick and Ankhenaton approached me with the blueprint for S.T.A.Y. Enterprises, I immediately saw the big picture and jumped on board. Through years of loyalty, perseverance, patience and hard work. We planted the seeds for a future superpower! Through all of this, my love for hip-hop and dedication to cutting edge lyricism has kept me on top the game. The Future Is Now. Are You Ready?