Finding artists that sincerely care about the quality of their music has been on a decline over the years. The quantity and flooding the market has been a trend that has become more and popular. For artists that are concerned with quantity, taking almost two years to release their next project would be completely out of the question for them. But if your name is Dom Kennedy, this would not be a problem doing. Since dropping his last project in October of 2013, Dom has returned from his hiatus and blessed us with his third studio album. By Dom Kennedy has been what fans have absolutely been dying to hear from the Leimert park native.
By Dom Kennedy caught me off guard when I first listened to it. I was so excited to hear a project from one of my favorite artists that hasn’t released a project in so long I put his work on a pedestal. I compared it to all of his previous projects that got him to the stature that he is currently at. Projects like the timeless Yellow Album, From The Westside With Love II, or Get Home Safely set the bar high for Dom; and initially I was disappointed with this newest album. I then played this album without even thinking about it and found myself nodding my head. It ended up growing on me when I didn’t force myself and had the patience to clear my head of my expectations. By Dom Kennedy has a much more calmer and relaxed pace to it than any of Dom’s other projects, but definitely easy to vibe to.
With production by the Futuristics, LDB, J. LBS and more this album comes together to mesh very well that aligns with Dom’s signature sound. As a fan I don’t think this album is his best work but I think this album is about growth. Dom stated in his album booklet that he rediscovered his purpose and apologizes if he is absent for anything else. Even being a fan I have a major issue with this project, it’s length. By Dom Kennedy is a studio album and yet it just breaks a half of an hour. Not to explicitly limit an artists creativity or define how long a project should be, I think this could have just been released as an EP. I know I will continue to revisit this album as I have done religiously with all of his projects but If you haven’t listened to him before, I don’t think this would be a strong introduction. This album is something that wouldn't be appreciated unless you are a fan.
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