Fresh off the release of ‘From the Westside with Love Three,’ the LA rap luminary looks back on his independent beginnings before hinting at what’s to come.
Dom Kennedy is a product of the early 2010s blog era where rappers were defined by the record labels or imprints they claimed. While many of his contemporaries became cornerstone figures in burgeoning rap super crews, the Los Angeles native opted for a different route. Instead, he hunkered down in the South LA neighborhood that raised him and laid the foundation for OPM (otherwise known as “Other People’s Money), his label and lifestyle brand that stood as a beacon of independence in a rapidly changing music industry.
Eleven years later, a lot has changed in rap, but a few things have stood the test of time. On From the Westside with Love Three—the latest installment in Dom’s seminal album series—the Leimert Park legend proves that there’s a stark contrast between stagnation and remaining steadfast. The storytelling is just as vivid, and the production still sounds tailor made for a sunny drive down La Cienega boulevard. Still, everything feels more polished, and Dom’s commentary is noticeably sharper.
He proves as much on “Valet,” a standout cut where Dom raps, “And we realer than we ever been. I get the biggest cut when the record spin.” The line lands like quality rap bravado at face value, but coming from Dom, it’s more of a subliminal mission statement; by betting on himself and his team he’s made sure that OPM takes home the biggest piece of the pie.
Dom sat down with Billboard following the release of his latest studio album to talk about the new release and rap’s renewed outlook on independence before dropping a few gems for up-and-coming artists who are looking to find their footing in today’s industry.
The following was edited for length and clarity:
Billboard: Let’s start with Westside With Love Three. Why was right now the perfect time for you to continue the series?
Dom Kennedy: It wasn’t nothing I planned out, honestly. I never thought about doing Westside With Love Three until about a year and a half ago. I was working with Hit Boy real heavy. We was working on some joint music together, then I started making solo songs again, and they had a certain feeling to them.
I just started working on it quietly for six, eight months before I even told anybody what I was working on. It was inspired by working with Hit-Boy and making music that I felt put me back in that same mindset that I had when I made the first one. It just felt authentic. It wasn’t forced. That was the spirit I was in, so I just embraced it, honestly.
B: In another interview, you said that this latest installment was your favorite from the series. In your mind, what sets this project apart from its predecessors?
DK: Maturity, first and foremost. I have songs that I didn’t use because I understand now what I like to hear from myself over time. Not just things that might get played one time and be like, “that’s cool.” I was looking for more value from the music and more longevity.
On [From the Westside with Love Two], I had that same will, and drive, and spirit, but I hadn’t had enough trial and error to know what would age well over a long period of time. It’s [just] more polished, all the way around.
B: Let’s take a step back and talk about OPM in those early days. I read that you turned down seven or eight different major label deals in favor of starting your own imprint. Why did starting OPM feel like the route that was right for you at the time?
DK: Man, I just wanted to be a CEO more than an entertainer, more than a rapper, especially in those days. I was willing to put it all on the line to be a CEO, to share the information and the lessons I learned through my company.
Signing with a label never gave me that opportunity. I got close to signing deals with certain labels a couple of times, but then it just became too much of a compromise. When you get into negotiations, you could even like some of the people at the office, the A&R, whoever’s going to be responsible for running your project. But then, at the end of the day, you get the paperwork, and you realize you’re signing away everything.
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B: Where did that mentality come from? Was there someone that you saw growing up that influenced you to have that ownership mindset?
DK: A lot of people. Shit, people that own businesses in the street, my family. I grew up with people that had liquor stores, owned apartment buildings. It wasn’t [always] the most glamorous shit, but that had a big effect on me.
If you’re talking about music, I was inspired by the CEOs of the rap game. I was inspired by Master P, J Prince, Dame Dash, and Jay-Z. That was the space I saw myself in—I never wanted to just be an artist.
B: Were there specific skills you developed that other artists may not have had to because you were doing it all on your own?
DK: Engineering, marketing, writing for other people, working with PR. Running a full-fledged label is really what we do, all the way down to distribution. We was one of the first people to do direct business with Best Buy when we dropped Get Home Safely in 2013. I learned how to maneuver in those spaces by being independent.
None of those [were] things I was good at, or even knew how to do coming in. So now, I work with other people, and I could executive produce anybody’s album. That was the point because OPM’s going to have artists for the next decade.
B: There’s a lot of overhead involved with being an artist whether you’re talking about paying for studio time, paying for your marketing or scheduling a tour. I’m curious, what’s your philosophy when it comes to managing the finances that come with working in a creative space?
DK: It’s always expenses. As an artist, as a business owner, you’ve got to find out what those are and stay on top of that. If you’re making $100, and you’ve got one person that’s getting 20% [and another] person getting 10%, make sure you’re coming away with a good chunk of that $100 bill [too].
[Say you] get $100 a show. By the time your $100 check comes, there could be $5 left because everybody else is getting paid, and you’re still covering all the expenses.
B: Where do you see the OPM label going next? Are there other areas that you want to expand the label and the brand into?
DK: I’ve got a book that I’ve been working on, a couple of film things. I actually documented the whole process of [creating] Westside with Love Three. Me making it, working with producers, struggling in the studio, I filmed all of that.
[On the label side] we’re working on our first film. It’s a documentary about OPM, and really just a celebration of independence and showing our proof of concept.
B: If you could boil it down to three tips, business-related or otherwise, that you’d give to an up-and-coming artist that’s trying to model their career after yours, what gems would you offer up?
DK: I would say to learn patience. Mastering patience and timing is key.
Second, learn how to control your emotions. For some people, that’s easy. There are things that won’t go your way that you thought [would], but it’s about how you deal with [those moments].
And third, man, you’ve got to be able to create something out of nothing. If all you’ve got is your best homeboy, and he’s got a will to make beats, and you all don’t know Timberland, Jermaine Dupri, or [DJ] Mustard, you’ve got to be able to make a song with your homeboy that Timberland might listen to.
He might have 100 wack beats, but you’ve got to find number 101 and make it into a song that y’all can get some money and do a show with. I say all that to say, look inward. You’re going to have to get in that mirror and figure out how to create something out of nothing, truly.