Stop Sleepin: Dom Kennedy

The soundtrack to summer time cookouts, pool parties, and riding down the block with the windows down & top back has graciously been given to us by Dom Kennedy.  Taking his listeners to his home town of Leimert Park L.A. with a refreshing West Coast flow, the fly dressed sneaker head introduced us to his style when he jumped on the Sneaker Pimps tour back in ’07.

Now having released a follow up mixtape FutureStreet/DrugSounds to his L.A. classic 25^th Hour, it is time for Dom Kennedy to enjoy his time in the hip hop spot light.   The track off 25^th Hour that put Kennedy’s music on every L.A. summer time party playlist is “Watermelon Sundae.” (This video for that single shows us what an ideal day in L.A. looks like! )

After establishing himself as a standout L.A. artist with 25^th Hour, Dom Kennedy used the FutureStreet/DrugSounds mixtape to gain fans nationwide.  A standout track on this mixtape  is “Menace Beach,” where Dom Kennedy takes us into his childhood.  He uses this track to tell us about his cousin, Dom’s childhood role model, who was mixed up with the L.A. scene aka drugs, gangs, etc.  The song has a sick bass heavy West Coast beat which Dom goes hard over…(PAUSE)  I think you’ll agree that this track should be the theme song to Grand Theft Auto: Leimert Park!

Despite having two critically acclaimed mixtapes, some of Dom’s best work comes out in his freestyles where he flows effortlessly over the beat with an impressive amount of confidence on the mic, and a charisma that draws fans from all backgrounds.  This personality coupled with Dom’s passion for fly kicks/clothing, partly shown by his association with NikeTalk.com, is exactly what led to Dom’s co-sign from The Hundreds. (One of hip hop’s premiere clothing lines)

With the following freestyle, Dom Kennedy questions hip hop and why so many artists feel that they have to fit into a certain stereotype.  He challenges the idea that hip hop can be classified as one sound or set of beliefs…In fact hip hop needs to be explored to the fullest because like Dom states in this freestyle there are no rules to the hip hop game:

If that wasn’t enough for you to jump onto the Dom Kennedy band wagon, the first 1:25 of this video for “Everybody Knows Us” featuring Pac Div and Carter explains exactly why Dom Kennedy is a name you should know:

Dom uses his verse on this track to reflect on where his life is at now…boasting on his skillz and talking about his style.  He also makes great comments on the current state of hip hop…pointing out how ignorant and backward a bunch of the hip hop culture has become.  His smooth flow over the cold piano keys makes you loose track of time. He could spit on this track forever, and I would stay glued to his every word.  Commenting on hip hop stars and their lifestyle Dom Kennedy says:

“Best car, nicest house all that shit they writing about, never meant shit to me, what the fuck you so excited about, Maybachs, phantoms, damn these is our anthems, I used to look up to stars, but dog now that I am one, I used to want a lot of hoes, Now bitch I can’t stand one, I used to like to go to shows, but now shit I can jam one!”

A rapper with a positive message about the current state of hip hop culture is an undeniably powerful force, especially if he can make the type of fun party music that Dom Kennedy has produced with his first two mixtapes.  It is Dom Kennedy’s goal to inspire future artists to be great, and I hope they are listening!