Photos by Joann Gomez, Music Looks Like This Photography (@MLLTPhotos). Interviewby Suley Cruz (@NycSueBee)

It seems like Los Angeles, once a hip-hop wasteland, is now flourishing. Everyone from Freddie Gibbs to the ubiquitous Odd Future call the City of Angels their home. Add Dom Kennedy to that list as well. The unsigned MC from the Leimert Park area of LA has built an increasing fanbase on both coasts through a relentless touring grind and word of mouth. We spoke with Dom during the Paid Dues Festival in San Bernardino, CA this month.

Who is the original Dom Kennedy?

If you heard from the West Side With Love, that was a really great project but there was a part of me that was missing. So the Original Dom Kennedy he reminds me more of me when I was a kid. I felt like after from The West Side With Love there was a part of the music that I grew up listening to mainly the L.A. west coast whatever style you wanna call it was missing from that project. After from the West Side With Love I came a lot more into my own. So the Original Dom Kennedy is just saying this is fully me, the 1 of 1 genuine thing.

When the Original Dom Kennedy dropped 3 hrs later you had over 20K downloads with what I would consider very little promo. To what do you attribute that success?

Man! To my fans. From The West Side with Love being the project that it was and everybody listening to it and the fact that I didn’t really put out any songs after that project over time people were waiting for me to come out with new music.

Your listening party in NY was crazy, many people were unable to get in. To what do you attribute your appeal across coast?

I feel I try to represent L.A, as best I can and I feel like there’s not really not as many boundaries in music as people think, if people recognize your music as being true. The reality of it is people in NY they wanna know what’s going on in L.A. They wanna know what we doin,what we dress like, where we hangin out at. When they identify it as something that’ s real they gravitate towards it. When I was out there, people were like I’m from NY but I love what you’re doing with I love how I can feel your music. I understand where you coming from and you pay homage to the past but it feels new.

I gotta ask what’s up with Truxton’s?

Truxton’s, oh because I mentioned it a couple of times. I haven’t been there in a while shout out to Truxton’s. It’s just a spot I was going to at the time, cool little burger spot over in Westchester. Everything I do, you know what I’m sayin appears in my music because I talk about my daily activities.

What’s next for Dom?

The Original Dom Kennedy we will probably do a couple of videos off of that real soon. From The West Side with Love 2 though that’s what I’m most excited about, that’ll be out right as summer starts around may or June.

Will you be coming to NY anytime soon?

I definitely will I don’t know how soon but I will be in NY headlining real soon.

Follow Dom on twitter @dopeitsdom and check the website http://www.dopeitsdom.com.

Sikk is a Montreal based singer, choreographer, blogger, DJ (?), and downright cool chick.

Name: Sikk
Location: Montreal, QC, Canada
Website: thespacesikk.blogspot.com
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Hard Work / FutureStreet/DrugSounds – Dom Kennedy

I didn’t know who Dom Kennedy were and I downloaded the mixtape to find out. And this mixtape was my Summer 09 Tape. That lowriding bass music really made me fall for DK. And his style is undeniable. He reps the West but his musicality can melt down the snow in Canada, for sure.

Dead President 2 / The Warm Up – J.Cole

The Warm Up mixtape was on heavy rotation in my house..Seriously J.Cole came out strong so that he could stand out all them Mcs. He personally proved me he gots something new to offer. Signed in Roc Nation or not.. 2010 is your year!

Under The Vultures / Life’s Not So Sample – Malicious

Malicious is that incredibly talented hiphop rapper from Canada, Montreal to be specific. I was expecting a crazy mixtape when he dropped it, but I didn’t expect as much Quality and Rawness. Definitely the artist to watch for next year, and he has the city on his shoulders. We gotchu. And that song goes too hard. You might chock, so pay attention lol.

X.O. (Black Wall Street) – Step Your Game Up

Download

Picked X.O. and this track. Cause I keep hearing a lot of noises.. oh wait no, It’s my inner voice telling me that.. I need to watching him out. Heard about him in november and heard some new joints, so far..I think he is the New “Hit” mc .

Pretty Wings – Maxwell

Do I need to say More?

Dom Kennedy – Tell Her

Dom Kennedy is the a combination of the laid back West Coast records of the early 90s with A Tribe Called Quest. I’m not saying that Kennedy is on the same level as Tribe, but the similarities are undoubtedly there, whether it was intentional or not. The Southern California MC is yet another rapper from the Left Coast who should be making waves this year. The vibe that this dude brings makes me wish that summer wasn’t already over.

Kennedy was recently featured on the iMeem Creme de la Creme “mixtape,” along with Kid Cudi, Hollywood Holt, Mickey Factz, Pacific Division, and Kidz In The Hall. (via Discobelle)

Look for more on Dom Kennedy in the near future…

myspace.com/domkennedy

Dom Kennedy – Watermelon Sundae

DOM KENNEDY Watermelon Sundae from Jason Madison on Vimeo.