Dom Deshawn: “Next 2 U” featuring Ab – Produced by Nate Fox

With influences such as Slum Village, Nas, Timbaland, Missy, and Phonte, shaping his outlook on music, Dom Deshawn (born Dominique Mattox) began his musical journey with the release of, “A Work In Progress” during 2011. Followed up with, “The 23 EP” in 2013. He finally hit his stride with the 2014 release of, “Moods & Interludes”.

Dom Deshawn who has been featured on YouHeardThatNew.com, Boi-1da.Net, RESPECT-MAG.com, Hiphopsince1987.com, Hot 97’s Enuff.com and more, has just dropped the single “Next 2 U” featuring Ab and prod by Nate Fox (Donnie Trumpet & the Social Experiment), from the “Moods & Interludes” album.

During 2014, Dom Deshawn had grasped the most elusive embodiment of hip-hop music: the crafting of a perfect album. The display of skill, material, production, and timing put “Moods & Interludes” into another category altogether – and that is saying quite a lot! Hiphop’s roster over the last few years has seen loads of disposable trash, but also some truly encouraging offerings from vets and budding talents, many of which have reinvigorated the approach of their fellow artists.

I have to admit there was something different about “Moods & Interludes” – something very different from the overwhelming majority of lyrical-aesthetic contributions: The album seemed like a flawless victory for Dom Deshawn. Such high praise is usually avoided, as a rule – except for where it applies.

Nothing is more boring than an album full of beats, all sounding exactly the same, without range or creativity! The producers that feature on Dom Deshawn’s recordings actually proved to have soul, and that is why the production goes through the various moods experienced on “Moods & Interludes”. So when we extract a single, such as “Next 2 U” featuring Ab and produced by Nate Fox, from said album, we have music where the emcee has balanced all of the necessary elements: confidence and strength, subtlety and nuance, melody and message, persona and depth, pathos and inspiration, vision and timing, self-expression and audience involvement. Are those not the attributes that we hope to find in new releases?

“Next 2 U” by Dom Deshawn featuring Ab and produced by Nate Fox is a distillation of all those perspectives, minus any weaknesses. So while looking forward to seeing how high Deshawn can raise the bar next time around, I write these words not as simple flattery, but rather as a salute to a brother working his way up the ladder in a crowded genre!