Dom Kennedy's, OPM: Young Nation Compilation mixtape review

West Side get the money! We at the Best In the Mix (excluding myself) have come to the conclusion that the two cities running the lyrical game in hip-hop is Detroit and the other being California. Well this artist just so happens to be from Cali and he goes by the name of Dom Kennedy. Dom Kennedy is one of my favorite artists out if not, my favorite artist. He recently dropped the Yellow Album in June and it was a CLASSIC! That mixtape had features from Too $hort, Freddie Gibbs, and Rick Ross. Dom is a mellow artist that is about his player shit but he does not disappoint. He recently dropped a compilation album as the captain of OPM Company (Other People’s Money). This mixtape was produced by a combination of Polyester, Dom Kennedy, and Archie Davis. Archie Davis has been with Dom’s camp for a while and I love what he makes. The whole OPM clique is Dom Kennedy, Jay 305, Niko G4, Polyester, Zeke, and Joyce.

The Compilation starts off with “A real One,” by Zeke featuring Jay 305, Polyester, and Dom K. The main concept of the song is these guys looking for a real girl with of course their own standards or attributes that they want. The instrumental places you in that California mindset, as does the whole mixtape’s instrumentals. Zeke’s voice on the track is very smooth and you can tell he is trying to serenade whatever girl he is talking to, while at the same time doing it with style so you don’t get the misconception that he is trying to Beg like Keith Sweat.

The next track is “Everything You Wanted (Be Happy)” with only Dom on it. Dom comes on all of his tracks with his player shit, which makes me thinks that he might have some Detroit in him. Not to be a major cosign-er but this dude this fresh and everything he says is cool, like he could con his way into getting into heaven if he was condemned to hell. A snippet of his lyrics are, “You might can’t be my main girl/ you can smoke something with me doe/ These might not be yo first drugs/I might not be yo first love/ That’s Chanel in yo purse huh?/ Oh you need a ride to work huh?/ Them lil shorts with the booty out/ Oh it’s looking like a movie now/ I think she wanna do me now/ We did it big in the Jacuzzi BOW/ That’s how it sound when its skeeted out/ And then she asked if I can eat it out…” If you don’t like the lyrics written out, that means you need to go download it and LISTEN to it! You can catch Dom in his prime player mode with the lyrics that he spits on this track.

Another member of OPM, Niko G4, leads off “Notorious” featuring Dom Kennedy, describes in his verse of what he has now when before when his mother couldn't afford cable. Life is better now for him and he is looking back and reminiscing when his camp was plotting to get here in the game. Dom approaches his verse with apathy, making it sound so easy like he isn’t even trying to rap which is his most noted style and describes who he is as a rapper.

One of my favorite tracks on this jawn is “All We Have,” by Joyce featuring Casey Veggies and Marz Lovejoy. Joyce’s voice reminds me of the old school Monica in “Don’t take it personal (Just One of Dem Days).” This is a very smooth and subtle track describing the love she has for her mate and how their love makes her feel like a little girl. Casey Veggies if you know of his flow, just rides the beat. He simply just wants his girl to have trust and confide in him but he’s saying this while he’s in her womb.  I have never heard of Marz LoveJoy but I like her on this track. Her verse is more from a realist perspective, she doesn't sugar-coat the relationship problems she is having; and if today is goodbye, she hopes to have a better sequel. This is definitely a track with meaning and if you love someone, this is definitely a track you should play for that someone (mainly listen to Joyce’s part LOL).

This project is FIRE!!!!!! I definitely suggest you download this if you ‘re into that old school West Coast Hip-Hop sound. This is the first OPM Compilation joint, however Dom Kennedy is on a lot of the tracks but it’s okay because he is the captain of the camp and the best artist. The mixtape also features Juicy J and Tyga (Tyga isn’t a reason to get this but he actually does well on the remix to “My type of Party”). If you haven’t heard any of Dom Kennedy’s music it would behoove your eardrums to do so. The Yellow Album is a solo project that I’m pretty sure would make a listener tap into some more Dom like, From The West$ide With Love I & II, or “The Original Dom Kennedy.” Make way for the whole OPM camp because they are making major moves so don’t be surprised when they come to your city….

And they are coming to my city and I already have my ticket! “OPM TILL IT’S OVER!”