Y'all remember "Nothin' But a G Thang"? Silly question. Of course you do; even if you weren't born when it dropped. Snoop and Dre helped birth a West Coast sound that was effortlessly funky and hasn't been matched since. Even if you've never been to Cali, we got a taste of what the lifestyle was all about. In the middle of rough streets, these guys knew how to have a good time and gave us one helluva soundtrack to match.
Since the '90s heyday, g-funk has come and gone, and new talents have stepped up to attempt to become the new-school purveyors of the West Coast sound. Since coming on the scene with his From the Westside With Love mixtape in 2010, no one's been repping L.A. like Dom Kennedy. He channels the energy of his forbearers while keeping a sound that's wholly his own. He's got the L.A. stories, he's got beats, but what sets him apart is the flow. Once he starts, you just know he's gonna lace the track. Silky, smooth, polished-- the most fitting description of the flow, though, is "in the pocket." Once Dom finds that pocket, he doesn't miss.
Today, we got his brand new LP, By Dom Kennedy, and in its honor, here's 10 of his nicest flows.
"My Type of Party"
Dom's biggest hit to date, and for good reason. Though Dom's party is strictly L.A.-- the clientele local and the party favors homegrown, anyone can can feel the vibes he so cooly relays our way.
"In Memory Of"
Dom's 2010 tape From the Westside With Love put him on the map as one of the few newcomers able to capture the West Coast sound in a fresh way. On "In Memory Of," Dom tells us all the ways he's 'bout to get it "like this," and we can feel the California Love in every element of his style.
"1997"
Another jam off From the Westside With Love. Dom takes us back to '97, when "I wrote my first rhyme / 'I wanna marry you' is what I told my first dime / Had my first drink, rolled my first dime / And I knew I was that nigga for the very first time." Sounds like a helluva year.
"Locals Only"
The final choice cut off From Westside With Love finds Dom doing a little storytelling while still spitting one-offs about his L.A. swag. That's what his style is all about-- never stuck in one lane, but able to deliver a cohesive track nonetheless. On "Locals Only," he paints us an L.A. vista before relaying a story about a potential romance on the train back home to Leimert Park.
"The Homies"
A ride-along ode to the clique that us outsiders wish we bang in the whip. Over an ultra-sticky production from Swiff D ("Studio"), Dom brings us back to the classic set-reppin' anthems that rocked the West Coast in the '90s.
"We Ball" (feat. Kendrick Lamar)
On The Yellow Album, Dom hooked up with another buzzing L.A. artist, Kendrick Lamar. In contrast to K-Dot's quick, unpredictable flow, Dom keeps it slow and simple, but with his confidence and timing, he's still able to rock the beat.
"New Jeeps" (feat. Asher Roth & Mikey Rocks)
Dom didn't stray far from home on his debut studio album, From the Westside With Love, II, the sequel to the tape that got his name out. Most of the tape, with production from Mustard and Scoop DeVille, was another step forward in his reimagining of the L.A. sound, but "New Jeeps" found him hooking up with Asher Roth & Mikey Rocks, both from the Midwest. Dom opens the track with ultimate swag and doesn't miss on a single bar. Yapping game is only fun to listen to when you've got a personality like Dom on the mic.
"Pleeze" (feat. Nipsey Hussle)
One of the hottest tracks of Dom's second studio effort, Get Home Safely, alongside Crenshaw's finest, Nipsey Hussle. Again, within the greater L.A. rap community, Dom doesn't stand out because of his lyrics, but the flow is always on-point. No one channels the L.A. state of mind like Dom Kennedy.
"2 Bad"
The lead single off Dom's brand new album, By Dom Kennedy, is a funky piece of romance that starts the summer off right. Once Dom hits cruise control, it's time to sit back and vibe out. You just know the bars will connect. It's normally too voyeuristic to relive rappers' first dates, but it's hard to resist when it sounds this smooth.
"Alhambra"
Dom wants to go a little deeper on By Dom Kennedy, though because of the silky flow, and the wavy synths that surround it, the content never feels overly sentimental. "Alhamabra" finds Dom contemplating his own temporary place in the rap game. If he does retire and jet off to the Spanish palace, we'll bid him farewell, and roll up a fatty in his honor.