Dominican Kev has been quietly (and hilariously) carving out a lane that’s impossible to ignore. From drumless beats to collaborations with artists who trust his ear, his work reflects years of persistence and genuine connections. In this conversation, Dominican Kev talks about recognition, heritage, misconceptions around his sound, and what it means to stay true to your craft.
You’ve been getting a lot of recognition and features lately. How does it feel to see your work resonating with so many artists and listeners?
DOMINICAN KEV: Yeahhhhhhh, ya boy about to be on Jimmy Fallon next year. Watch.
Nah, honestly…it feels incredible…because I been making music on and off since I was like 7 or 8, but life be lifeing…so, the fact that people actually rock wit the music and support it is a blessing.
What does that recognition mean to you personally, especially as a producer who’s been building consistently behind the scenes?
DOMINICAN KEV: It means the world to me. To this day, it still trips me out that other producers like Wulverine, Jazzy Lion, Skip The Kid, YFI, etc…told me I was nice…because these are producers that I think are incredibly talented telling me that I’m nice. It’s like that Spider-Man meme where he’s pointing at the other Spider-Man.
Recently, you produced records for artists like FlyG, TwoGeebs, and Action Figure 973, among many others. What was the inspiration behind those collaborations?
DOMINICAN KEV: I sent Action a pack and he sent me that “Jack Veneno Vs Carlos Colon” joint ASAP. That was the original name of the beat, too. Both me and Action are huge wrestling fans. He’s Puerto Rican. Jack Veneno was the biggest wrestler to come outta DR…Carlos Colon is a Puerto Rican wrestling icon.
FlyG, I got connected with thru my dawg, The Rebel Sky. We just started becoming maddd cool online and I sent him 2 packs…he came to me with the concept of doing a mafia type storytelling joint…and I LOVE storytelling rap records, so I was 129% wit it.
And Geebs, I sent him a couple packs…then I sent him the beat for “Still Beefing With CVS”…I specifically named the beat “Geebs Shit” because I knew he would body that. And “Hannah Bandana”…the beat for that was on my first beat tape on DSPs, “No Drums, Just Chops Vol. 1.” He was rocking with that beat heavy…and hit me about using that on the album. That’s one of my favorite beats I ever made.
When you’re producing for different artists, how do you adapt your sound while still keeping your signature intact?
DOMINICAN KEV: Honestly, I gotta get to actually know the artist first…like, we gotta crack jokes and like get mad cool witchu, but I also study discographies to make sure It makes sense to work with an artist. Don’t be talking about some “I want some beats” and there’s 0% chemistry. Boyyyyy.
You also released several beat tapes recently. How did those projects come together, and what inspired the titles and themes behind the tracks?
DOMINICAN KEV: You told me to stop being so humble. Hahahahahaha.
Nah, but that was a huge reason I started actually putting those beat tapes together, so shouts to you!
Honestly, I just had like 30 beats just laying around and I found my old Bandcamp account I made during Co-Vid….and people that thought I was just some random dude that be chronically BSing and cracking jokes on Twitter was like “yo, you be making beats?” Hahahahaha.
The titles are inspired by THC and intrusive thoughts. The theme of putting the homies saying the funniest things you ever heard before and after the beats is inspired by random conversations and inside jokes we have…and some of the voice notes be having me crying, so I ask them like “yo, can I put this on a beat?” And I don’t have control over my ADHD sometimes. Hahahaha.
Where are you originally from, and where have you lived over the years? How does your culture and heritage influence the way you approach music, from the sounds you sample to the rhythms you lean into?
DOMINICAN KEV: I’m from the Dominican factory of New Jersey, Paterson. I’ve lived all over the place. I went to high school in South Carolina. I spent some time all over Florida, but mainly the Miami and Orlando areas. I used to live in Wilkes-Barre, PA, and The Bronx not too long ago. I can do this all day.
I would say culture in general influences everything about my approach and the sounds I sample. I’ll just be outside and randomly meet a 75 year old Yugoslavia war veteran, we talking about life…and he was playing some fire…so I go straight on YouTube and try to find something that sounds like what I just heard…and then the Spanish samples, I just really enjoy old Spanish music from my parents’ times and before that. I be BUMPING!
What do you think is the biggest misconception people have about Dominican Kev, either as a producer or as a person?
DOMINICAN KEV: I was waiting for this question…as a producer, they probably think I’m lazy because of the lack of drums. If you don’t make beats, I don’t really take it serious because samples don’t chop themselves, word to Fortes. Plus, aside from my dawg Hell’z Own outta Florida…who’s making drumless Bachata? Oh, aight.
As a person, people either think I’m very rude because I’m introverted until I get comfortable around you OR that I don’t take anything serious in life because I got jokes 24/7.
Looking ahead, what do you want people to understand most about your artistry as they continue to hear your name more often?
DOMINICAN KEV: I want people to understand that just because I don’t make super drum heavy beats, that don’t mean that I’m not talented. Chopping samples is not easy because you gotta have an ear for that, feel me? You don’t gotta like it, but don’t disrespect my ear…yahmean?
Anything else you want to add?
DOMINICAN KEV: Absolutely, I have an album with my dawg Heartbreak Julio coming very very soon. And the project wit FlyG comes out not too long after. I got both a rapping album and a producer album (madddd rappers rapping over some beats you forgot about or never heard) coming out that I’m putting together.
And I got a beat with my dawg YFI on my other dawg Jazzy Lion Man’s Christmas comp, EggNog 3 on Christmas. Yahmean? Be on the lookout for those and so much more from me. I got drums on some of the beats on me and Julio album.
Aight, I’m done. Thank you so much for the interview. I really hope I get the job. Hahahahaha.
LISTEN / DOWNLOAD music by Dominican Kev: https://dominicankev.bandcamp.com
