Derrick Abu is the rapper preparing to take the Championship by storm

Derrick Abu is the multi-talented right-back who is also taking the music industry by storm… and the 19-year-old rapper has vowed to continue performing on both fronts after sealing his move to Southampton

• Derrick Abu completed his move from Chelsea to Southampton on Wednesday 
• The defender, also has a music career and performs under the moniker Cho$en 
• Follow MailSport on Threads here: https://www.threads.net/@mailsport

Derrick Abu is a young man with major plans and why not dream big when you have been blessed with two talents.

‘I want to do something that hasn’t been done before,’ he explained.

Abu is both the professional footballer and rising music artist who hopes to continue pursuing his two biggest interests all the way to the top.

Before joining Southampton on Wednesday, Abu spent 11 years on Chelsea’s books but also a small part of this summer in Ibiza, making a debut of a different kind when he performed live on stage to a screaming crowd for the first time as his other career as an upcoming rapper/singer continues to flourish.

‘I was nervous because they might not have known my songs, they might not vibe off me,’ he said.

Derrick Abu has made the move from Chelsea to Southampton after 11 years with the Blues

‘But as soon as I hopped onto the stage the fans gave me so much energy. I felt so welcome.

‘When I was younger I would watch videos of artists performing and say ‘I want to do that as well,’ people singing songs you’ve created.

‘It’s similar in some ways but also a completely different type of feeling to being in front of fans playing football because you’re on your own on that stage. All eyes are on you.’

Abu’s two worlds collided unexpectedly in January while playing for Chelsea’s under-21s at their Kingsmeadow home.

The right back, known as Cho$en when in music mode, smiled: ‘Normally my songs are on the playlist in the changing rooms and the boys are always banging the songs.

‘We have one specific song Outside that we played before going out, like a pre-game ritual. That one brings the energy.

‘But we had a game and then at halftime that I heard one of the beats of one of songs playing and I was like ‘no way!’ it just didn’t feel real.’

Germany-born, England youth international Abu had no idea the Kingsmeadow DJ had selected his track Reece James for the half-time playlist.

‘It was a surreal moment,’ he smiled. ‘A sick feeling. Everyone was looking at me and I didn’t know what to do with myself. I was so speechless.

‘All the boys were saying ‘that is cold’ and I was just trying to take it in.

‘At the same time, it gave me that extra boost. I had that extra bit of adrenaline. Then it was about going into the tunnel and back to focussing on the game again.’

While players having interests off the pitch is nothing new what might be changing is attitudes in football.

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Abu is also a rapper and the right back, who goes by the name Cho$en, performed in Ibiza

The idea that a players’ focus should only be on football all day, every day might be becoming outdated, certainly if Chelsea’s support of Abu was anything to go by.

They actively promoted his work, using Abu and one of his tracks in a merchandise launch last season.

Abu said: ‘Everyone had, not doubts, but second thoughts and so did I because I’m at one of the biggest clubs in the world.

‘I dropped my first song and that created a lot of steam and then Neil Bath [Chelsea’s head of youth development at the time] pulled me into his office and said ‘I’ve heard your music, it’s really good. Don’t stop. Keep doing it because this is what we’ve been trying to do with our boys but nobody has really done it so you can be the first to do it and we’re all really proud of you. Don’t stop for anything. If you need any help, anything, let us know. Just be yourself.’

‘I haven’t looked back since. He has known about it but I never knew it took his attention so I was really surprised.

‘But then these guys know everything! When he said all the support was with me it made me feel ‘ok, cool, I’m not doing anything wrong. I’m just being myself and I’ve got the club behind me as well.’’

And Abu is adamant he is far from the only multi-talented player.

‘You’ll be so surprised how many there are in this football industry but they just keep it secret,’ he said.

‘As a footballer you’re in every day but throughout the rest of the day you have so much free time and there are so many other things that are non-beneficial that people can be doing.

‘I like to get creative in my spare time and it balances out because football is stressful.’

Abu has opened up on the support he received from Chelsea and the academy over his music

Abu and his team do not allow any music-related activities to get anywhere close to interfering with his football schedule.

A typical, non-matchday might see him focus on his football and training in the morning and then return home, where he has a studio which he built during lockdown, and ‘get into that music mindset’ later in the day.

Abu’s manager Jack Balsam speaks of his client’s dedication and motivation to both of his passions.

In terms of his music that is evident in his aim to produce one song a day.

Currently he is sitting on a catalogue of around 300 tracks all complete and ready to go.

The inspiration for that work ethic, both in the studio and when it comes to balancing his two career paths, comes from his mother Eunice.

After watching her work around the clock when he was younger, doing two jobs and ensuring there was always food waiting for them on the table while raising Abu and his sister, he said: ‘My mum is one of the most hardworking people. Seeing how she’s done things, it is then ingrained in me.

‘She never really seemed to get worn out. I don’t know how she did it. I’ll never ever complain or ever say this is too much for me. Seeing what my mum has done, I can do anything.’

Abu’s ability with a ball was quickly apparent and he joined Chelsea as an under-11.

Meanwhile, he has always been into his music and performing arts, singing in his church choir and starring in school plays.

His football and music were linked earlier in his journey too when signing his Chelsea scholarship put him in a financial position to build himself the home studio so he could work on his craft.

Fittingly, a song called Life’s Changing, released when he was in Chelsea’s under-18s, was his first and when the traction really started to pick up online and in the Chelsea camp too.

He said: ‘I had some of the first-team players messaging me and hitting me up and coming into the building and telling me ‘this is sick.’

‘I thought, ‘if they were seeing who else can be seeing it?’

The answer was enough people for Abu to release his first EP last December, be booked to perform in one of the world’s biggest party destinations and keep him dreaming about just how far he can take both his music and football.

He said: ‘I’m just being myself so I’m doing them both and going day by day. I want to do something that hasn’t been done before.

Abu will continue to tackle both industries after completing his move to Southampton

‘As long as I’m motivated in both industries and happy there’s no doubt I’m going to keep chasing my dream.

‘I want to be a world class footballer and a world class artist. I want to be the biggest of both worlds. I’m not afraid to say it, that’s just the reality.

‘If I look back five, 10 years to where I am now, imagine where I could be in the next 10 years.

‘That’s what motivates me – being a star and inspiration so other kids have big dreams and think they do not have to limit themselves.

‘You can reach for as high as high as you can as long as your mindset [is right], you manifest it and stay humble about it. You can do anything you want.’

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