Dom Kennedy facts for kids

Dominic Ross Hunn (born August 22, 1984) is an American rapper better known by his stage name, Dom Kennedy. He is famous for his smooth, laid-back style of West Coast hip hop.

Kennedy has released many popular projects. His 2010 mixtape, From the Westside with Love, received great reviews. The sequel, From the Westside with Love II (2011), was his first studio album and appeared on the Billboard 200 music chart. His later albums, Get Home Safely (2013) and By Dom Kennedy (2015), were also very successful.

He is an independent artist, which means he releases music through his own record label, called Other People's Money (OPM). His 2012 song, "My Type of Party," was named one of the best songs of the year by Complex magazine.

Early Life and Education

Dom Kennedy was born in Los Angeles, California. He has described his childhood as "normal." After his parents separated, he moved with his mother to the Leimert Park neighborhood of Los Angeles.

To stay busy and out of trouble, Kennedy played baseball. He also played basketball every day from age five until he was 16. After graduating from Santa Monica High School, he went to Santa Monica College. He studied business management.

Kennedy said he studied business because he was interested in being an entrepreneur. He wanted to learn how companies work. This knowledge would help him whether he became a rapper or pursued another career.

Music Career

Getting Started

Dom Kennedy started making music with his cousin, Jason Madison. In 2008, he released his first mixtape, 25th Hour. It quickly became popular in Los Angeles. The song "Watermelon Sundae" was played a lot on local radio stations. This brought more attention to his music.

In 2009, Kennedy released two more mixtapes: Best After Bobby and Future Street/... Sounds. The title Best After Bobby was a reference to Robert F. Kennedy. For this project, he worked with famous West Coast DJs. This helped him gain fans all over the country.

Gaining Popularity

Kennedy's 2010 mixtape, From the Westside With Love, was a huge success. It was downloaded online over 100,000 times. This made him a major artist on the independent music scene. He started performing shows across the country and even in other parts of the world, like Djibouti, Africa.

He also began making music videos for his songs. Videos for "1997," "Locals Only," and "The 4 Heartbeats" helped fans connect with his music visually.

In 2011, he released The Original Dom Kennedy. With this mixtape, he wanted to show his unique sound and represent his city. That same year, he performed at the famous South by Southwest music festival.

Studio Albums and Success

In 2011, Kennedy released his first official studio album, From the Westside with Love II. To celebrate, he performed sold-out shows in West Hollywood, California. In 2012, he went on his Yellow Album World Tour, performing in Europe and the United States.

Major record labels wanted to sign him, but Kennedy chose to stay independent. He released his second album, Get Home Safely, in 2013 through his own OPM label. It featured other artists like Nipsey Hussle and Ty Dolla Sign. The album was a big success, selling over 10,000 copies in its first week.

His third album, By Dom Kennedy, came out in 2015 and was also very popular. In 2016, he released Los Angeles Is Not For Sale, Vol. 1.

Recent Work and Collaborations

Dom Kennedy teamed up with producer Hit-Boy to form a group called Half-A-Mil. They released several projects together, including the album Courtesy Of Half-A-Mil in 2017.

In 2019, Kennedy was featured on the song "Nunya" by the singer Kehlani. He also appeared in the music video for the song. He continues to release new music, including the albums Rap N Roll (2020) and From the Westside with Love Three (2021).

Musical Style and Influences

Dom Kennedy is known for his relaxed flow and clever lyrics that tell stories about his life in Los Angeles. He often mentions his neighborhood with the line, "Leimert Park what's cool."

He was influenced by legendary rappers like The Notorious B.I.G., Outkast, and 2Pac. He said that by listening to their music, he could get a feel for where they were from. He tries to do the same with his music, giving listeners a taste of L.A. life.

Kennedy's style is often compared to other West Coast legends like DJ Quik and Ice Cube. He honors their sound while creating something that is his own. His unique style has made him a leading artist in modern West Coast hip hop.

Discography

Studio Albums

Mixtapes