BORN IN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, DOM KENNEDY (BORN DOMINIC HUNN) IS AN ARTIST WITH A FIERCELY INDEPENDENT STREAK. WITH A STYLE THAT PAIRS SIMPLE LYRICISM WITH A KNACK FOR NARRATION, KENNEDY TOOK INSPIRATION FROM RAP LEGENDS SUCH AS DJ QUIK, 2PAC AND THE NOTORIOUS B.I.G. KENNEDY MADE HIS DEBUT IN 2008 WITH 25TH HOUR, FROM THE WESTSIDE WITH LOVE IN 2010, AND THE ORIGINAL DOM KENNEDY IN 2011. BY THIS POINT, HE HAD BEGUN TOURING ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AND INTERNATIONALLY, PLAYING A SHOW IN DJIBOUTI, AFRICA. NOT BEING ABLE TO FIND A FAIR DEAL TO SUIT HIM, THE TALENTED MC INSTEAD STARTED HIS OWN LABEL, THE OPM COMPANY, WHICH HE HAS USED TO RELEASE HIS OWN ALBUMS AS WELL AS FOR OTHERS. FROM THE WESTSIDE WITH LOVE II ARRIVED IN 2011 AND WAS A SUCCESS, HITTING THE TOP 100 OF THE BILLBOARD 200 ALBUM CHART. KENNEDY TOURED THROUGHOUT THE U.S. AND EUROPE IN 2012, AND RELEASED THE YELLOW ALBUM WITH THE LEAD SINGLE "MY TYPE OF PARTY", THIS MIXTAPE IS REGUARDED AS AN ALL TIME FAVORITE WORLDWIDE. 2013 SAW THE RELEASE OF HIS SECOND PROPER ALBUM GET HOME SAFELY BY THE END OF THE YEAR. THE ALBUM PROVED TO BE AN EVEN BIGGER SUCCESS, HITTING THE TOP 25 AND EARNING CRICITAL ACCLAIM. HIS THIRD EFFORT, BY DOM KENNEDY, WAS ISSUED IN 2015 AND FEATURED PRODUCTION BY JAKE ONE, J.LBS AND DJ DAHI, AMONG OTHERS. THE FOLLOWING FALL, HE RELEASED LOS ANGELES IS NOT FOR SALE, VOL 1. WITH A BEGINNING STORY FOR THE AGES ONLY TIME WILL TELL THE TRUE OUTCOME. FROM KENNEDY HIMSELF, "MY MUSIC HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT EVOLUTION, RESULTS MAY VARY BUT I HAVE TRIED TO REMAIN RESPONSIBLE TO WHAT I WAS FEELING AT THE TIME. I WOULDN'T HAVE LASTED ANY AMOUNT OF TIME WITHOUT THE FANS SO I THANK THEM. OPM TILL IT'S OVER."

Born and bred from the streets of New Orleans, Louisiana, enter into the game, 20-year-old August Alsina...

With the love and hustle of the Crescent City running through his veins, August is eager to follow in the footsteps of the NOLA music legends that paved his way. His recently inked deal Def Jam Recordings looks to be a great step in the right direction, but music wasn’t always in his future. 

August learned at an early age that drugs and money could make you, or break you. With both his father and stepfather battling crack addiction, August’s mother moved their family to Houston, Texas in search of a fresh start. But Houston provided no happy ending. For years a young August endured a home life plagued by drugs and violence. At just 14, he got word from New Orleans that is father, August Sr., lost his battle with drugs and alcohol. 

In an attempt to escape his reality, August took to Youtube, where he posted dozens of homemade performance videos. His clips covering Musiq Soulchild, Lyfe Jennings and others went viral, generating millions of views in just over a month. It seemed that he was finally taking his first steps toward a bright future in music, but just a year later, reality hit home when his best friend was shot and killed in the streets of Houston. As quickly as August appeared, he vanished form Youtube, back to the real world. With tensions mounting at home, 16-year-old August was kicked out. Alone, he returned to New Orleans and took to the streets, selling drugs as a means of survival. 

With his older brother also in the streets hustling, it wouldn’t be long before August learned that the addiction to money could be as deadly as the addiction to drugs. Just days before August’s 18th birthday, his older brother was gunned down in New Orleans East, another unsolved murder in one of the nations most dangerous cities. “I never expected them [the police] to find his killer”, August explains. “People die everyday in the streets of New Orleans. Unfortunately, death has become a way of life,” but not for August. His brother’s death became his motivation to not become a statistic, but to pursue his musical aspirations on an entirely new level.

Under the guidance of Noontime Unlimited (management and production company), August relocated to Atlanta in 2011 to begin carving his own musical path with his life experiences at the center of his artistry. He recently teamed up with Hoodrich/MMG’s own DJ Scream for the release of his debut mixtape, ‘The Product’, which spawned the internet and radio buzzing anti-love single, “Sucka” which features fellow New Orleans crooner Lloyd. 

Yet to reach 21 years old, with already a lifetime of experiences behind him, August is living proof that your past doesn’t have to dictate your future, and that life’s hardships can be the motivation required for success. With Grammy Award winning singer/songwriter The Dream prepping August’s debut project for release through his Radio Killa/Def Jam imprint, the path to success has been laid. Look for August to make 2013 his official coming out party.


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