Kansas City hip-hop artist Dominique Collins, AKA Domineko, is celebrating the release of his first album Aux King, a kaleidoscopic sound journey of rap and inspiring collaborations. Each of the album's ten tracks were handled by a different producer, resulting in "different sounds and directions" coexisting on one album. Domineko will be performing as part of Middle of the Map Fest 2017 on May 6th. We are exited to share an interview with the artist on Listen Local.
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Please introduce yourself. Where do you live and work?
My name is Dominique Collins a.k.a Domineko and I live and work in Kansas City, Missouri.
For your most recent album, Aux King, you worked with a different producer for each track. What was this experience like? How closely did you work with each producer?
To tell the truth I didn't get to sit down with all the producers liked I originally had planned to. Only guys I really got to sit down with were Rick Maun, Geesace and Ace Fadal. All who I consider great musical friends of mine. We all managed to create three solid pieces too. All with a different sound and direction but still managed to find the right sounds to coexist on one project.
Describe your creative process and the technology you use to build songs. What tool or app have you recently been raving about?
My creative process can be described in one word. Repetition. When I write to songs I listen to them over and over. When building albums I'll listen to the same playlist of songs for months, listening as if I'm waiting for something to change or take shape in my minds eye. I'll write the tracklist down everyday just to make it a reality in my mind. Any and every chance I get I'm formulating a plan to be a better me.
Far as apps it's funny you say that cause recently my laptop crashed so I've been running my entire brand off my phone. I use the basics of social medias to promote most days. Apps like Pages Manager really help me connect and look as polished as possible. When it comes to technologies I leave that to my engineer at Industry Soundz Studio, MAB. He uses pro tools and after all these years of staring at this program while he mixes my tracks you'd think I'd be pretty seasoned as well. Unfortunately that's not the case.
Talk about the major inspirations behind your work.
Well besides petty things like revenge, I'd say some of the major inspirations behind my work would all center around my life experiences. What I've been through and what I'm into. Video games and anime for example are some of the core things that I'm into. So I combine those things with my upbringing and blend the realities of my dream world along with the real one. That is a shallow explanation of a form of my expression but I assure you it is therapeutic. Music has healed deep scars and wounds I've obtained in my life in my 25 years of living and I am forever grateful.
What inspires you the most about KC’s hip-hop and rap community
Things like seeing people I've known since they were young kids performing these days. This just reminds me that life keeps moving. I'm still young but I'm the big homie now. Setting examples and opening doors is more prominent in my schemes and plots. I also love seeing locals really embrace the culture for what it is and really push each other for something even more. Makes me feel like I'm not the only one dreaming/fighting for something.
Domineko's recommendations from the Johnson County Library catalog:
Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami
Starship Troopers (DVD)
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli,