“XMAN” Listening Party

Legacy is something most of us hope we leave behind, and award-winning producer Zaytoven, born Xavier Dotson, is seeing his up close. His son, Xavier Dotson, Jr., known as artist Zayskii, released his first major project, XMAN, which Zaytoven produced in its entirety.

“I don’t think it’s a greater blessing than that,” said Zaytoven.

XMAN was released on October 24, 2025.

In partnership with the Atlanta-based, Black-owned media company Rolling Out, the father-and-son duo hosted a listening party for Zayskii’s XMAN on the same day of the release. Rolling Out surprised Zaytoven and the crowd by inviting his daughter, Olivia Dotson, to the stage to moderate the intimate conversation between father and son.

Family Collaboration

At the start of the conversation, Zaytoven playfully said that this could be the start of a podcast with his family.

Zaytoven has won a Grammy for his work with Usher and has worked with numerous celebrities. When asked what it’s like working with his son after collaborating with so many stars, he said most of those artists were just starting out, too, just like his son.

“Working with an artist from the ground up, that’s what I love to do,” said Zaytoven. “Working with me could just be your entry level…I think Zaytoven is a good starting point.”

Zaytoven said he began taking his son’s music career seriously when he saw how many hours Zayskii was spending in the studio. But what really convinced him of his son’s talent was seeing his son’s music improve over time. About a year and a half ago, Zayskii spent over five hours in their home studio at 1 a.m. making track seven, Slow It Down. Zaytoven was so impressed, he initially doubted his son had written all the lyrics himself.

“It gave me chills,” said Zaytoven. “That turned the light on for me. Zay for real.”

He added that he’s not working with Zayskii just because that’s his son, but because Zayskii is the kind of artist he’d give all his beats to anyway.

One day, Zayskii was in the studio with another artist, and he saw how that artist made a great song in 45 minutes. He was so inspired that he went straight home to create and record Slow It Down.

“Ever since I made that song, my music has been on that type of level,” said Zayskii.

Olivia kept the conversation going and asked the duo how they find the balance between father and son, and producer and artist. Both Zaytoven and Zayskii said it’s easy.

“To me, I don’t really feel like it’s a switch. It’s always going to be dad, son, and me. Even when we being serious, I still look at it as dad and son,” said Zayskii. “I still look at it as if, when I was younger and he telling me to say stuff in the mic.”

Although Zaytoven takes fatherhood seriously, he admits that as his kids get older, he sees them as something more.

“Being a parent, I don’t know if you call it good parenting, or what, or maybe I got soft. It’s like my kids have turned into friends. I don’t just look at them as just my child. Of course, I lead them, and I guide them on what I think they should be doing [and] help out,” said Zaytoven. “…It’s still father, son, but it’s morphed into like brothers.”

Zaytoven, Zayskii, Olivia, and his wife Steph showed the audience what a successful Black family in the industry looks like up close.

After the conversation, XMAN was played for the audience, who seemed to like what they were hearing.