Dominique Larue

Tim Fulton 0:11Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Confluence Cast presented by Columbus Underground. We are a weekly Columbus-centric podcast focusing on the civics, lifestyle, entertainment, and people of our city. I'm your host, Tim Fulton. This week I sat down with hip hop artist and rapper Dominique Laroux. We talked about how she got started, how she creates her work, the business of her work, dealing with depression and anxiety, venues to check out, and a sampling of her music. Just a heads up that there is some explicit language in this episode of the Confluence Cast. You can get more information on what we discussed today in the show notes for this episode at theconfluencecast.com. Also, the Confluence Cast is on Patreon. Find out how to support this podcast on our website, theconfluencecast.com, or at patreon.com/confluence. The Confluence Cast is sponsored this week by Art Makes Columbus, Columbus Makes Art, featuring stories about our city's incredible artists, stories full of inspiration, challenge, passion, and success. For videos, articles, an up-to-the-minute calendar of events, and an artist directory, visit columbusmakesart.com, the resource for all things arts and culture in the capital city. Enjoy the interview. Sitting down here with Dominique Laroux, musician and rapper, Columbus born and raised. Dominique, how are you?

Dominique Larue 1:41I'm well. I'm well. How are you?

Tim Fulton 1:43I'm doing well.

Dominique Larue 1:44Good.

Tim Fulton 1:45How did you become a rapper?

Dominique Larue 1:46Happenstance.

Tim Fulton 1:47Okay.

Dominique Larue 1:48Um, I was in the second grade and I was talking on the phone-

Tim Fulton 1:52So this goes way back.

Dominique Larue 1:53Oh, yeah.

Tim Fulton 1:54All right.

Dominique Larue 1:55I was, uh, talking on the phone with my friend, um, and you know, we would spend hours on the phone. And one day she was just like, "Let's make up a rap."

Tim Fulton 2:05Okay.

Dominique Larue 2:05So I was like, "Okay." So we, like, wrote the rap over the phone, and she gave me my first rap name, D Money.

Tim Fulton 2:11Okay.

Dominique Larue 2:11Yeah. And, um, and ever since then I just was, was rapping. Yeah, so.

Tim Fulton 2:18And how, when did you sort of become involved in the, in the, the scene then?

Dominique Larue 2:23Probably-

Tim Fulton 2:24That was a little bit later I imagine.

Dominique Larue 2:26For sure.

Tim Fulton 2:27Okay.

Dominique Larue 2:27You know, obviously through school, you know, rapping at school. That's a thing. That was a thing.

Tim Fulton 2:32Where'd you go to elementary school?

Dominique Larue 2:34Elementary school I went to Linden Park IGE.

Tim Fulton 2:36Okay.

Dominique Larue 2:37And then middle school I went to, uh, Mifflin Middle.

Tim Fulton 2:40Yeah.

Dominique Larue 2:40And then high school went to Beechcroft. So Beechcroft, you know, banging on the tables-

Tim Fulton 2:45Mm-hmm

Dominique Larue 2:46... at lunch- lunchtime, you know what I mean? But when I went to Fort Hayes-

Tim Fulton 2:49Mm-hmm

Dominique Larue 2:50... um, which I was the first rapper to get in.

Tim Fulton 2:52Okay.

Dominique Larue 2:52Yeah.

Tim Fulton 2:52'Cause this was in vocal performance.

Dominique Larue 2:54Uh-huh.

Tim Fulton 2:55Okay.

Dominique Larue 2:55Yeah. I came in there with like a stack of rhyme books, you know, and, um, and they accepted me, which was great. I did have to play piano.

Tim Fulton 3:03Okay.

Dominique Larue 3:03They was like, "You just can't sit around and write raps." You know, you know, rapping is not really, it's frowned upon. You know what I mean? It's a lot of like, "Oh, that's not a real talent." It's like, "Okay, well let me see you do it."

Tim Fulton 3:12Right.

Dominique Larue 3:13'Cause it's real- it really is a real talent.

Tim Fulton 3:14Absolutely.

Dominique Larue 3:14Like, a lot of people can't go into a booth and lay a rap.

Tim Fulton 3:17Well-

Dominique Larue 3:17You know what I mean?

Tim Fulton 3:18It's certainly something that-

Dominique Larue 3:19And sound good

Tim Fulton 3:20Right. Well, it's certainly something that requires a certain amount of, of practice and repetition and work-

Dominique Larue 3:25Right

Tim Fulton 3:25... just like music or anything-

Dominique Larue 3:27Exactly

Tim Fulton 3:27... any art that's trained.

Dominique Larue 3:29Exactly.

Tim Fulton 3:29Right.

Dominique Larue 3:30Um, so through Fort Hayes though, which was an incredible experience, um, I played with the band.

Tim Fulton 3:36Mm-hmm.

Dominique Larue 3:36And, um, you know, we performed all over Columbus, like, like remember the Vets Memorial?

Tim Fulton 3:43Yeah.

Dominique Larue 3:43Performed there. The Palace Theatre. Like, a lot of places downtown. A lot of places that you really wouldn't even see rappers performing in for real.

Tim Fulton 3:51Okay.

Dominique Larue 3:52Um, and then we also, we put together our own events. So we sold tickets-

Tim Fulton 3:57Mm-hmm

Dominique Larue 3:57... and we would invite our family members out. So it was tight.

Tim Fulton 3:59Well, 'cause that's a big part of that, at least in the, the music side of it, I was right across the hall doing vocational theater, but a big part of it is sort of the business of it, right? Is how do you deal with contracts? How do you, uh, set up an event? How do you promote your event?

Dominique Larue 4:15Right.

Tim Fulton 4:15How do you promote yourself-

Dominique Larue 4:16Mm-hmm

Tim Fulton 4:16... and make yourself a marketable asset?

Dominique Larue 4:18Yes. Absolutely. So we got, we, we were able to do all of that. And then, um, I met BHB-

Tim Fulton 4:25Okay

Dominique Larue 4:25... uh, who does the Hip Hop Expo. I think it's like 25 years now. Easily the longest running show in the Midwest.

Tim Fulton 4:33Okay.

Dominique Larue 4:33Um, but I got in with BHB, so he did a lot of, uh, open mics with Capacity, that's what it used to be called. Now it's Transit Arts.

Tim Fulton 4:41Okay.

Dominique Larue 4:41Um, did a lot of open mics with them. And BHB was actually the first DJ that I've ever rapped with 'cause I was always playing with a band.

Tim Fulton 4:48Okay.

Dominique Larue 4:48Um, so and that was, that's going into like my senior year when I linked up with BHB. So, you know, uh, towards graduation I was still, uh, doing shows with BHB and I started recording with him, um, then soon after I got pregnant. Um-

Tim Fulton 5:03Okay

Dominique Larue 5:03... so after I had my son, BHB, he used to come, come to my house and like record me, so.

Tim Fulton 5:09Okay.

Dominique Larue 5:10Yeah. That's why-

Tim Fulton 5:11That's nice.

Dominique Larue 5:11Yeah. And he would, the thing, what B would do, he would, uh, he would have shows, obviously gigs all over the place, and he would throw me on stage.

Tim Fulton 5:19Okay.

Dominique Larue 5:20Even, even though I wasn't supposed to be performing.

Tim Fulton 5:22You weren't billed.

Dominique Larue 5:23Uh-uh.

Tim Fulton 5:23You were, that wasn't your show.

Dominique Larue 5:24Not at all, at all.

Tim Fulton 5:25Right.

Dominique Larue 5:25Like, there would be times where a sound man is like, "She's not supposed to be rapping, but she's really good. We'll let her keep going." Yeah.

Tim Fulton 5:33And so is it something that you're, 'cause you're not going up with a backing track that you're familiar with, right? It's some, because it's got a steady beat so you're able to just sort of go up and do-

Dominique Larue 5:42Well, I could do that, yeah.

Tim Fulton 5:43Okay.

Dominique Larue 5:43But B will actually play my songs.

Tim Fulton 5:45Oh, okay.

Dominique Larue 5:45I don't rap to them.

Tim Fulton 5:46Got it.

Dominique Larue 5:46Yeah.

Tim Fulton 5:47Got it. So that was your first time getting familiar with sort of the scene, right?

Dominique Larue 5:51Right.

Tim Fulton 5:51Like, before it was always just, like you said, banging on tables at school-

Dominique Larue 5:55Mm-hmm

Tim Fulton 5:55... and, and free styling a little bit and-

Dominique Larue 5:58Mm-hmm

Tim Fulton 5:58... bringing in some of the stuff that you had previously written. Talk about- learning about that scene and what it was like. It sounds like you had some good mentors and folks to guide you in it.

Dominique Larue 6:08Yeah, I was lucky for real. Um, going into it, like, um, I used to play... I remember one time, um, Monari invited me out to Old Fields on High back when it was called Old Fields, and I think now it's, uh, Space Bar.

Tim Fulton 6:21Mm-hmm.

Dominique Larue 6:21Uh, and, um, and I was, like, 17, had no business-

Tim Fulton 6:26Okay

Dominique Larue 6:26... being in that bar at 17, but I was there. I did it. Uh, but we rapped with the band that he was with. I think it was Fly Paper.

Tim Fulton 6:34Yeah.

Dominique Larue 6:34Yeah, so that was pretty tight. But it was stuff like that, like that's, to me, that's just, you know, from what, obviously, he's inviting me out because of I'm his student.

Tim Fulton 6:45Right.

Dominique Larue 6:45You know what I mean? Um, but that's dope to have that type of entrance into, like, the Columbus scene through somebody like Monari.

Tim Fulton 6:53Right.

Dominique Larue 6:53You know what I mean? Or even BHB. Um, so, uh, that's, that's really where it started and, and how I started, you know, building my contacts, like, with the other rappers out here.

Tim Fulton 7:04Mm-hmm.

Dominique Larue 7:04Um, and rappers that, a lot of us, not all, when I think about rappers that's still rapping since high school, not that many. But at that time, though, we was all still, you know, doing it-

Tim Fulton 7:16Right

Dominique Larue 7:16... or whatever. So, you know, dealing, going, going with them, um, obviously with BHB, um, and just, you know, I, meeting the people that he dealt with. Um, so I was kinda, I was lucky for real.

Tim Fulton 7:31Yeah.

Dominique Larue 7:31Yeah.

Tim Fulton 7:31Well, to see the people, to work with the folks that were making sort of a career out of it-

Dominique Larue 7:36Absolutely

Tim Fulton 7:36... not just sort of showing up at the hip-hop night at Bernie's on Sundays-

Dominique Larue 7:40Exactly

Tim Fulton 7:40... and doing, you know.

Dominique Larue 7:41Yeah, I did a couple of those, too. I think the fir- the first time I went to Bernie's, ooh, I know I was definitely graduated by then. And obviously the Sundays was so long ago, but-

Tim Fulton 7:51Right

Dominique Larue 7:52... it was so funny 'cause a lot of people was there that I just met. I never, like, I never knew Blueprint. I didn't know Paz.

Tim Fulton 7:57Mm-hmm.

Dominique Larue 7:58Um, like Metaphor, Catalyst, like, and these, and these all my people now, you know what I mean?

Tim Fulton 8:04Right.

Dominique Larue 8:04So, um, at the time it's like no women-

Tim Fulton 8:10Okay

Dominique Larue 8:11... really rapping or no women that these, these rappers respect.

Tim Fulton 8:15Okay.

Dominique Larue 8:16You know what I mean? So I remember when I went up there and performed the song, um, and just, like, after I performed everybody's just like, like stuck, like-

Tim Fulton 8:27They were dumbfounded

Dominique Larue 8:28... oh, shit.

Tim Fulton 8:29Right. Yeah.

Dominique Larue 8:30This girl is good.

Tim Fulton 8:32With that, I wanna give the listeners sort of a, a taste of, of your music to validate that.

Dominique Larue 8:39Okay.

Tim Fulton 8:39And we're gonna play Royal Scam off your recently released EP, EIF, which is short for Everything Is Fine. This was the first song that you recorded in a while.

Dominique Larue 8:50Yes.

Tim Fulton 8:50I think seven, eight months.

Dominique Larue 8:51Yes.

Tim Fulton 8:51Audio unit to the backing track.

Dominique Larue 8:53Yeah.

Tim Fulton 8:53But let's listen to Royal Scam.

Dominique Larue 9:01Yeah. Bring it right back. Bring it right back. When I talk shit, I mean it like that. Mean it like that. What am I saying? Yeah, I need the right rash. Matter fact, I need Anita to sing about that. Uh. Sing about it, yeah. And for real, I need a nice bag for me and my lads. Roll the weed on my lap. Let's get money. Let's reapply that. Secure shit for me and my bag. Please rewind back. Where it first started, Larul worked the hardest. AU Music the first regardless. Curtains called it. Fuck it, I'll take the burden, all of it. Put the shit on my back, it's worth it, all of it. Till we surfing in Parliament. Yeah. Make it make sense. Say it again. Say we ain't thin. Okay, we ain't friends. I'm just saying you should speak plain. Hey, I'm patient. Good things come to those who stay waiting. That's me. Look, watch me align the vision. Drink water, mind my business. My position is to make sure we get money by the minute and everybody to recognize it when I am finished. But if I'm gone before my time, God forbid, it gotta be prepared for anything that I consider a potential threat. And if not, know I'm riding with you. I'd do anything I gotta do for my nigga, right? And tell everybody take notes. I am dealer Larul, don't act like you ain't know. I'm here for a reason, and that's to paint roads. Provide the soundtrack to your journey, case closed. And if you got something to say, well, tell them we can run it today. Just don't come in my way. You was younger the days. You had no direction till I came and mothered your wave. I gave you the boost on my dude. You don't want it with me. Oh my God. Uh. Okay, okay, I got a chip on my shoulder. When I get like this, for all you niggas it's over. Trying to put me through this rigamarole, this dumb shit. I gotta get rid of you cold, cut to the fridge with the door shut. You unseasoned, uncouth, come through. If you want truth, you could never son Ru. I'm with whatever, get it on the one, two. Then we open up the sunroof, you are done. Poof. What up, Jack? Let me tell them how I really feel. I mean really feel. Know these niggas feel me still. Been right here since day one. I am the same one. Still here right when the rain comes. Put me in the middle of the cipher with flame ones. I mean coming off the top, that's how I stay young. They like, "Damn, how that blame come off the same tongue?" What can I say? I'm the best. That's how the game's won.

Song Sample 11:24You have a joint, a-

Dominique Larue 11:25Yeah, nigga

Song Sample 11:25... a joint of weed, ain't ya? A joint of weed. You have better language, better action, more activities, and more individual parties going on. You have better parties, better social life. It's better-

Tim Fulton 11:40Again, that was Royal Scam off of EIF, Dominique Larue's most recent EP. So talk about sort of was it simply your talent that- ... validated you to, let's call it the boys club of the rappers in the hip-hop scene in Columbus?

Dominique Larue 11:56Absolutely. They'll tell me.

Tim Fulton 11:58Okay.

Dominique Larue 11:58You know, and I, I mean, I believe in myself as a rapper anyway, like-

Tim Fulton 12:01Okay

Dominique Larue 12:01... okay. Like I, I, I honestly, I do understand, you know, why, um, a lot of not just men, but women too, um, have these preconceived notions when it comes to female rappers and-

Tim Fulton 12:12Mm-hmm

Dominique Larue 12:12... automatically think that they're not good because there's a lot of female rappers that aren't good.

Tim Fulton 12:18Okay.

Dominique Larue 12:18You know? But there are a lot that are great.

Tim Fulton 12:21Yeah.

Dominique Larue 12:21You know what I'm saying? And a lot of it is, I always get, "Well, there aren't any. You know, all I know is Nicki Minaj and Cardi B." And I'm like, "Well, you're obviously not paying attention."

Tim Fulton 12:30Right.

Dominique Larue 12:30"Because there's a lot of us out here that are fucking good." Um, but I don't, I, I mean, I don't care. I mean, I, I've had, I've had a dude tell me, and this has been years-

Tim Fulton 12:41Mm-hmm

Dominique Larue 12:41... but I had a dude tell me that he didn't wanna hear me rap at all.

Tim Fulton 12:44Okay.

Dominique Larue 12:44He said he, he-

Tim Fulton 12:44Like he had never even heard it

Dominique Larue 12:46... never heard me.

Tim Fulton 12:47Okay.

Dominique Larue 12:47He knew I was gonna be trash. And when I rapped, he apologized to me for the rest of the night.

Tim Fulton 12:52Okay.

Dominique Larue 12:53Yeah. And then, like, I, I've definitely, like, surprised people. They like, "Oh, shit, you rap? Oh my God, you're really good."

Tim Fulton 12:58Yeah.

Dominique Larue 12:59"I, I wasn't expecting that," you know? And I'm like, "Good." You know, at this point I don't, I don't take offense to it. Um, but it's definitely my skills.

Tim Fulton 13:06Okay.

Dominique Larue 13:07For sure. Like you can't deny it.

Tim Fulton 13:10Where are sort of the venues that are, that are hosting rap and hip-hop at this point in Columbus?

Dominique Larue 13:17Um.

Tim Fulton 13:17That's a bad sign.

Dominique Larue 13:18Uh, well, there are a lot of them, but you may have asked me too fast.

Tim Fulton 13:22Okay.

Dominique Larue 13:22I know, uh, Rehab Tavern does, Skully's does, Trism does, Club Voodoo does.

Tim Fulton 13:29Okay.

Dominique Larue 13:29Strong Water does.

Tim Fulton 13:31But they're doing regular nights.

Dominique Larue 13:33You talking about regular nights?

Tim Fulton 13:35No, I'm talking about regular nights or willing to host. Do you remember the whole, I'm not gonna call it a debacle, but ComFest was called out for basically not hosting much hip-hop-

Dominique Larue 13:45Mm-hmm

Tim Fulton 13:45... and rap a couple of years ago.

Dominique Larue 13:46Mm-hmm.

Tim Fulton 13:46And then they very, you know, made a sharp turn-

Dominique Larue 13:49Mm-hmm

Tim Fulton 13:50... and made sure that they were doing that sort of booking, and I didn't know if it was something that was extending to the scene now that people are like, "We're not really a hip-hop venue, so we're not gonna host it." It sounds like there are plenty of places to play at-

Dominique Larue 14:02There are plenty of places

Tim Fulton 14:03... that you can book.

Dominique Larue 14:04A lot of times, though, you can, um, what I've also been seeing, like within the art scene, the art scene and the hip-hop scene has been coming together a lot, which is great.

Tim Fulton 14:13Mm-hmm.

Dominique Larue 14:13So a lot of times you can turn a art space into a venue.

Tim Fulton 14:17Right.

Dominique Larue 14:17You know, depending on the event. So in my mind, honestly, no, not even my mind, like when, when I'm immersed in and involved in, like hip-hop is thriving in Columbus, um, in my opinion, like from what I see, and the people that I follow, like are, that are constantly, constantly, constantly making moves.

Tim Fulton 14:36Mm-hmm.

Dominique Larue 14:36So I'm like, yeah, it's out here. You know, if you- but if you not checking for it, you know what I mean, you not gonna see it.

Tim Fulton 14:42Right. Are there good ways to get exposed to it? Is it primarily just finding out about a show on Facebook? I'm out of that scene, so-

Dominique Larue 14:50Yeah

Tim Fulton 14:51... what, what are the ways to find out about it?

Dominique Larue 14:53Um, that's a way. I think I'm like... I think I'm the only hip-hop artist a part of Columbus Makes Art, though.

Tim Fulton 14:58Okay.

Dominique Larue 14:59Yeah. But, um, um, that's a way, Facebook, online. Um-

Tim Fulton 15:04Well, and there are a couple of sort of festivals that are integrating art and hip-hop.

Dominique Larue 15:10Right.

Tim Fulton 15:10Certainly 2X2.

Dominique Larue 15:10Well, 2X2, yeah.

Tim Fulton 15:11Right.

Dominique Larue 15:122X2 is probably, like, one of the your best bet, you know. Uh, obviously ComFest. Um, I don't think they're doing Independence Day Fest anymore.

Tim Fulton 15:21Mm-mm.

Dominique Larue 15:22Um, which is sad-

Tim Fulton 15:24Mm-hmm

Dominique Larue 15:24... 'cause I really did enjoy that fest. Yeah, I mean, when you ask me these questions, I'm like, damn, is there, I got... I mean, ob- obviously me, me by default because I'm always looking and checking and-

Tim Fulton 15:35Right

Dominique Larue 15:35... I already have, like, okay, I know this artist, so then they might put me onto this other artist and that art-

Tim Fulton 15:41Right

Dominique Larue 15:41... you know what I mean? Like, that's kinda how it's been for me. Like, I follow these people. I'm friends with these people. I look at events all the time.

Tim Fulton 15:48Mm-hmm.

Dominique Larue 15:48You know, I get invited to these events all the time, so yeah, that's, I mean-

Tim Fulton 15:53It's real, you have to-

Dominique Larue 15:54I'm a good guide. I myself am a, a good guide.

Tim Fulton 15:56So follow you on social media.

Dominique Larue 15:58Yeah.

Tim Fulton 15:59Got it.

Dominique Larue 15:59Right.

Tim Fulton 16:00And certainly we'll link to your profiles in the show notes. Talk about the jump from doing shows to doing recorded music, and sort of how you navigated that a little bit.

Dominique Larue 16:14Well, that's a good question because I used to be trash at recording. Like, recording was a whole, it's a whole nother animal.

Tim Fulton 16:22Right.

Dominique Larue 16:22You know? Um, so when I was younger, I used to always write raps without beats.

Tim Fulton 16:27Okay.

Dominique Larue 16:27So when I would try to put it to a beat, it wouldn't make any sense. Um, I remember, like, frustrating producers, like, "I see what you're saying, but your delivery is not there."

Tim Fulton 16:38Okay.

Dominique Larue 16:38So I had to work on my delivery.

Tim Fulton 16:39'Cause it didn't line-

Dominique Larue 16:40It took a long time

Tim Fulton 16:40... it didn't line up, basically.

Dominique Larue 16:42At all.

Tim Fulton 16:42Okay.

Dominique Larue 16:42I had to work on my delivery for a long time. Like, even, like it was discouraging even. Then I realized, okay, I have to write to beats. Like, that's-

Tim Fulton 16:51Mm-hmm

Dominique Larue 16:51... the best way to do it. I'm gonna write to beats. So, um, doing that and focusing on, you know, my aggression and how I'm gonna deliver, um, this, this verse-

Tim Fulton 17:02Mm-hmm

Dominique Larue 17:02... you know what I mean, helped me. And, and practice, practice. But it, it took a, it took some time. It probably took me a couple years, I think, until I was, like, really, really, like, okay, this is, this is what I'm doing now.

Tim Fulton 17:12Mm-hmm.

Dominique Larue 17:13I can, I can record.

Tim Fulton 17:14Right.

Dominique Larue 17:14You know what I'm saying? Obviously there's been a lot of growth since then.

Tim Fulton 17:15And so was the talent the, and I'm just wanna translate it a little bit, was the talent you believe you had, sort of the writing of it and, you know, the being clever and, and rhyming-

Dominique Larue 17:26Mm-hmm

Tim Fulton 17:26... and yeah, you could certainly perform it, but you weren't sort of working with that external input very well.

Dominique Larue 17:34Exactly.

Tim Fulton 17:34Like, you weren't working, you weren't, first of all, writing to the beat.

Dominique Larue 17:37Right.

Tim Fulton 17:37And so you learned that you had to do that.

Dominique Larue 17:39Yes.

Tim Fulton 17:39And again, the practice aspect of it.

Dominique Larue 17:42Yes. Um, like, you know, when you rapping you have to be in the pocket, you know? If you're not in-

Tim Fulton 17:45What does that mean?

Dominique Larue 17:46... like, like, on beat, basically.

Tim Fulton 17:48Okay.

Dominique Larue 17:49Like- Sometimes, like you could just tell. Like you listen to a song and some- like if somebody's out of pocket, it's like you're not riding the beat right. Like-

Tim Fulton 17:56Okay

Dominique Larue 17:56... that's kinda like the terminology that we use. Um, and you can, you can hear it and it-

Tim Fulton 18:01Right

Dominique Larue 18:01... sounds bad.

Tim Fulton 18:01It just sounds o-

Dominique Larue 18:02Yeah

Tim Fulton 18:02... it sounds like a band that's not playing together.

Dominique Larue 18:04Right.

Tim Fulton 18:04Right.

Dominique Larue 18:05Exactly. So working on that was important, understanding that, what it meant. 'Cause you know what I mean? I r- I remember, um, one of my friends, and this is, I think I was like 18, 19 years old, and he's like, he's like, "You gotta surf. You gotta surf on the beat." And I'm like, "Surf?"

Tim Fulton 18:21Surf?

Dominique Larue 18:21What the fuck does that... But I know what it means now. It's like basically ride a beat. Like, like-

Tim Fulton 18:25Okay

Dominique Larue 18:25... surfing, like you, you flowing on a beat. You know what I'm saying? So now I understand it. Now I, I can, you know, I say it sometimes. But yeah, I was just like, "Surfing? What the fuck is... Like what does that even mean?" Like yeah. But it, it, um, it took some time. I mean, even now there's still growth-

Tim Fulton 18:44Okay

Dominique Larue 18:45... you know, within my music. You know, even now I don't sound the same way I sounded five years ago, or three years ago, two years ago, a year ago, you know? Um, it just depends on the, the time, you know, like, uh, how I feel in that moment.

Tim Fulton 18:59Mm-hmm.

Dominique Larue 18:59You know? So like now, like I can say like the way I feel now creatively is like naturally what comes. Like I'm on like... My music has, a lot of my lyrics are conversational.

Tim Fulton 19:12Mm-hmm.

Dominique Larue 19:12I'm, I'm talking to people. Let me sit down, let me let, let me talk to you. Like I kinda, I call like I'm on some player shit, like, you know, schooling-

Tim Fulton 19:20Okay

Dominique Larue 19:20... people.

Tim Fulton 19:20Yeah.

Dominique Larue 19:20You know what I'm saying? Like, kinda like on that, but feeling good though. Like, let's have a good time.

Tim Fulton 19:25Right.

Dominique Larue 19:26You know? Yeah.

Tim Fulton 19:27On that note, let's listen to another track. This is Everything Is Fine, which is off of the EIF, also Everything Is Fine, EP. Uh, this is the title track from the EP. I don't wanna say anything more about it, just take a listen to Everything Is Fine.

Dominique Larue 19:43Each time we meet up. Yeah. Okay, baby. Okay, baby. I say LaRue, yeah. I say LaRue, yeah. Say what it do, yeah. Hey, hey, look. Hey. They say LaRue, yeah, you should take it easy. No. But I don't give a fuck. I know this shit ain't made for TV. Okay. My life is on display. I know your shit, it ain't that squeaky. No. I know why they all mad. They mad that I don't break as easily. Oh. Oh yeah. You looking funny in that light. Yeah, okay. I know your type. Keep it funky, yeah, on sight. But that's not what you wanna. No. That's not your persona. Let me boost my serotonin. I might move to Arizona. I might. I might. I tell them everything is fine. Don't worry 'bout nothing. Get that worry off your mind. Off your mind, yeah. I gotta tell them how I feel. Okay. Gotta, gotta tell them though. Baby gotta keep it real. If I don't bring a toy, then I tell that nigga chill. Yeah. Then I switch it up like crazy. Yeah, I know you know the deal. You know the deal. Guess what? I ain't like you so you know we gonna build. We gonna build. If you shake, give you a call. Hey. 'Cause you know I will. I will. I will. I tell them everything is fine. Don't worry 'bout nothing. Get that worry off your mind. Off your mind, yeah. I tell them everything is fine. Don't worry 'bout nothing. Get that worry off your mind. Off your mind, yeah. I know you see what you like. You see me. When you think about it, you like, "She, oh, she tight." You say you like the way I roll my weed. Yeah, a'ight. Yeah, I know what's on your mind. You want me tonight. Okay, okay. Now you say that I'm fly. Yeah, you say I got style. Why you come to my new place? Stay here a while. Why you take me to outer space? The moon named Io. But I'm on some player shit, so on Tuesday I know, I know. I know. I tell them everything is fine. Don't worry 'bout nothing. Get that worry off your mind. Off your mind. Uh, uh, I gotta tell them how I feel. If you feel what I feel, say R-I-P Dolla Bill. Money, money, yeah, yeah. White folks on welfare. Black folk need healthcare. Donald Trump like, "Hell yeah." Coming through, no warning, bitch. Killer bees, I'm swarming shit. Say you got a new crib, girl. Cardiff, housewarming gift. Shape-shift, transforming shit. Her lips form on my dick. I stick it in and split. I dip, Uber or Lyft. I'm lit. You catch my drift? I love hitting it backwards. Missionary be too passionate. She catching my chain reaction. I'm seriously living these bachelor fantasies. My bitch, she come with me so we can see how we doing penalties. Apparently I be, I see, I boss up, I be fine, I be, I be our MVP. The young OG, the greatest ever, Cash Eileen. I'm catching checks and cashing out. Woo, yeah. Bitches all in they feelings. Bitches all in they feelings. I just thought we was building. I'm just focused on millions. So I barely got time, yeah. Just keep this in mind, yeah. Everything will be fine, yeah. I tell them everything is fine. Don't worry 'bout nothing. Get that worry off your mind. Off your mind, yeah. I tell them everything is fine. Don't worry 'bout nothing. Get that worry off your mind. Off your mind, yeah.

Tim Fulton 22:54Again, that was Everything Is Fine off the EIF EP. Sitting down here with Dominique LaRue. Talk about what you write about. I hear reference to your son in the lyrics. I hear reference to depression and anxiety. I hear reference to just being confident in yourself, which, you know, sort of seems like, uh, an alternate idea to that anxiety and depression. I don't actually believe that it is.

Dominique Larue 23:19Yeah.

Tim Fulton 23:20Uh, what do you, what do you rap about?

Dominique Larue 23:22Mm-hmm.

Tim Fulton 23:23Right now. 'Cause I know it's evolved from what you've said.

Dominique Larue 23:26Right. Yeah. Right now, uh, like I said before, it's, it's more so like I've been calling it player shit. Conversational, sit down, let me talk to you, let me explain some things to you. Talk about how, how good I am and how much work I put in to get to, to the position that I'm in. I've kinda, I kinda don't talk, uh, I haven't been talking that much about depression, anxiety that much.

Tim Fulton 23:46Okay.

Dominique Larue 23:47Um-

Tim Fulton 23:48Well, certainly there's a TED Talk, it's like two years ago now.

Dominique Larue 23:51Mm-hmm. At that time I was fully immersed in, yeah. Like about my album that I'm putting out- Which was captured from 2015 to 2017.

Tim Fulton 24:00Okay.

Dominique Larue 24:00It was, it was... It, it, it is about depression and anxiety and dealing with it. And I still talk about it, and I'm even more so talking about building myself, loving myself again-

Tim Fulton 24:11Mm-hmm

Dominique Larue 24:12... forgiving myself, things like that. Um, that's kind of what I'm talking about. But I mean, I can... I'm still going through depression and anxiety, make no mistake, but-

Tim Fulton 24:21Okay

Dominique Larue 24:21... I just, I don't know. Like, I, like, I remember I was, I was writing this song, and I'm like, "I really don't want to talk about being sad." You know? Like, I don't- that's not really the space that I wanna be in-

Tim Fulton 24:34Okay

Dominique Larue 24:34... right now. Um, so... But I'm sorry, I did cut you off with the TED Talks that I did.

Tim Fulton 24:39No, not at all.

Dominique Larue 24:40It was cool.

Tim Fulton 24:40I was just gonna say that we're gonna link to that in the show notes so that you can sort of see that, and there's also a live performance in there-

Dominique Larue 24:46Yeah

Tim Fulton 24:47... uh, that you can check out. So how does a song start for you? Is it just the, the lyrics? Is it someone giving you a beat and saying, "Go with this"? How does that work for you? The actual-

Dominique Larue 24:59Um-

Tim Fulton 24:59... creation process.

Dominique Larue 25:01Right. So normally it's, it's the beat.

Tim Fulton 25:04Okay.

Dominique Larue 25:04Normally give me the beat, I listen to the beat, the vibe the beat gives me, and then I write. Um, sometimes I do write without beats. Like, if I think of so- a couple lines or a idea, I'll jot it down.

Tim Fulton 25:16Mm-hmm.

Dominique Larue 25:16But normally the beat has to be sent to me first.

Tim Fulton 25:19Okay. And then is it something where you're, I assume you're able to work with a producer and sort of say, "Okay, I want... I've got this much going for, for this, and then let's go into the chorus a- again," and-

Dominique Larue 25:31Yeah

Tim Fulton 25:31... and that's how that... So you're working directly with somebody.

Dominique Larue 25:35Right. Well, if I'm in the studio, mostly a lot of times I'll write on my own.

Tim Fulton 25:39Okay.

Dominique Larue 25:39Lately I've been writing the hook first.

Tim Fulton 25:42Okay.

Dominique Larue 25:42It used to be the other way around for me, but you know, sometimes you, you know, you playing around with a beat, you think of different cadences, like how you gonna deliver it.

Tim Fulton 25:50Mm-hmm.

Dominique Larue 25:51Um, and then, "Oh, wow, that sounds like that could be a nice hook." Yeah. Like, right. So that's, that's kinda how it, how it's been coming along for me. Sometimes, like I wrote this verse, but the way I start off of the verse, it sounds like a hook.

Tim Fulton 26:05Okay.

Dominique Larue 26:06But I kept it as a verse because I wanted somebody else to write the hook.

Tim Fulton 26:10Okay.

Dominique Larue 26:10Yeah, but it definitely starts off like it's like, wow, that could be a hook right there. Um, so it varies. Like, there's really no rhyme or reason. Like, there's no, like, certain way, like, okay, I have to have this first and then I have to do this first. My one friend, uh, who we working on a song together, he writes bridges, and I love bridges. I'm like, "Where are bridges?" Like, songs don't have bridges anymore.

Tim Fulton 26:30Right.

Dominique Larue 26:30But I feel like the bridge is my time to shine. It's, it's the best part of the song. It's like that's when I dance the hardest on the bridge. So I'm like, I'm so happy to be writing a bridge.

Tim Fulton 26:41Mm-hmm.

Dominique Larue 26:42It's like it's such a great part of the song, so. Yeah, like I say, there's no, there's no rhyme or reason to how I create. It's just whatever.

Tim Fulton 26:51Can you talk about sort of the business aspect of it?

Dominique Larue 26:54Um, so I, I mean, I definitely manage myself.

Tim Fulton 26:56Okay.

Dominique Larue 26:56I've had managers, but now I'm managing myself. I'm actually going to school. I'm going back to school for business management.

Tim Fulton 27:03Oh, wow.

Dominique Larue 27:04Yeah. Um, but having a business acumen in this b- in, in this business is very important.

Tim Fulton 27:10Okay.

Dominique Larue 27:10And having all your ducks in a row, like, I don't know, publishing, that's so important. A lot of people don't know anything about publishing. I'm like-

Tim Fulton 27:16Yeah

Dominique Larue 27:17... you putting out these raps and you don't know nothing about a performance rights organizations. Like, you don't know about ASCAP, BMI. Like, how do you expect to be... I mean, you, like, okay, so you can, you can distribute your music on Spotify, Apple Music, and all those things.

Tim Fulton 27:30Right.

Dominique Larue 27:30And, and whoever you distribute it through, they'll pay you, but you, you can al- you also are supposed to submit those songs for your publishing, and then that's money too.

Tim Fulton 27:39Right.

Dominique Larue 27:40And then if you place a song on a TV show or a movie, video game, commercial-

Tim Fulton 27:45Right

Dominique Larue 27:45... that's residuals that you get as well, and you get that through your, um, your performance rights organization. Um, and you know, you have-

Tim Fulton 27:53And you've had some success there, right?

Dominique Larue 27:55Oh, absolutely. Yeah. I've placed music on, um, TV shows, movies, video games, commercials, all of that.

Tim Fulton 28:01That's awesome.

Dominique Larue 28:02Yeah. So, and I'm, like, building up my own licensing company.

Tim Fulton 28:06Okay.

Dominique Larue 28:07Um, in or- well, I'm doing it through AE Music.

Tim Fulton 28:09Okay.

Dominique Larue 28:10Um, but um, I was just talking to the producer yesterday, like, okay, obviously build up the, the catalog, meaning no samples.

Tim Fulton 28:17Okay.

Dominique Larue 28:18Have, have instrument, like, s- music for yourself, but also for other artists-

Tim Fulton 28:23Mm-hmm

Dominique Larue 28:23... so, 'cause it's all, it's for everybody.

Tim Fulton 28:24Right.

Dominique Larue 28:25And to, to make a, to make it successful, like, you have to bring successes to other people as well, or people don't believe you.

Tim Fulton 28:30Right.

Dominique Larue 28:31Oh yeah, I see you doing it.

Tim Fulton 28:31Well, you need to be a resource for them.

Dominique Larue 28:33Right. Exactly. So, you know, and I, I was explaining that to him, which he already knows. But yeah, what I see is we've been working with different producers, and I'm like, "Yo, like, we can do this. Let's do that." And I'm like, "What? You don't even have your, your BMI or ASCAP?" I'm like, "You know what? Honestly, I could take all of that."

Tim Fulton 28:49Mm-hmm.

Dominique Larue 28:50I really-

Tim Fulton 28:50You're not safe. You're not protecting yourself.

Dominique Larue 28:52Yeah.

Tim Fulton 28:52Right.

Dominique Larue 28:52Right. I could do that, but I'm not though, because that's just not, I don't, I don't do business like that. You know what I mean? I'm all about transparency.

Tim Fulton 28:59Right.

Dominique Larue 28:59I want you to see exactly what you getting. That's not the, that's not the reputation that I wanna have.

Tim Fulton 29:03Mm-hmm.

Dominique Larue 29:03Um, especially if I wanna, for me to build a successful business, in my opinion, you know, I know a lot of people are shady, whatever, whatever, but-

Tim Fulton 29:10Right

Dominique Larue 29:10... I'm not that person. Um, so, uh, education matters-

Tim Fulton 29:16Yeah

Dominique Larue 29:16... so much. So I would like to do workshops in the future, you know, to teach people about BMI, ASCAP-

Tim Fulton 29:23Just talking through it, right

Dominique Larue 29:24... ASCAP. Yeah. Like, get, get your business together. Like, you... People come to me all the time like, "Yeah, you know, I wanna do this and third." Okay. Well, who, who, who's your pro? Who you go through? No? You don't know nothing about that?

Tim Fulton 29:36Right.

Dominique Larue 29:36Okay. Well, I need you to read about that and understand the import. I had a producer tell me one time, "Well, as long as you just credit, credit me for it, then I'm good." Really?

Tim Fulton 29:46Sure. I'll take your money.

Dominique Larue 29:47Right.

Tim Fulton 29:47Right.

Dominique Larue 29:47That's what I'm saying. I'm like, do you understand, like- The credit, that's not, that don't mean, that doesn't mean any... Sometimes your music, first of all, sometimes your music can be played on a TV show. A lot of times they don't put the name in the, in... Somet- well, depending on the show, sometimes they do.

Tim Fulton 30:01Right.

Dominique Larue 30:01Most times they don't put the name in the-

Tim Fulton 30:03At the end of the credits.

Dominique Larue 30:05Right.

Tim Fulton 30:05Right.

Dominique Larue 30:05Right. So, so I'm like, yeah, like, the education of it, um, is important. Also, like, we have a studio, so running the studio, the day-to-day, like, being, like, managing and administrating and stuff like that, like-

Tim Fulton 30:18Keeping the schedule, making sure everybody's paying their bills.

Dominique Larue 30:20Exactly.

Tim Fulton 30:21Right.

Dominique Larue 30:21And I'm at a point in my life where, you know, I had a nine-to-five. I don't have one now, so it's like I'm working for myself now, so it's im- like, I have to be diligent, you know what I mean? Like, I can't be a slouch in this business, 'cause I wanna be successful with it. I wanna work for myself. Like, I was laid off from my job. Laid off from my job, you think they care about that I have a family? No.

Tim Fulton 30:41No.

Dominique Larue 30:42They don't care about me, so it's like I care about me. I care about me. So it's like, all right, Dominique, this, this is what we gonna do. Like, not only that, like, I am even getting into more of a managerial, I'm playing more of a managerial role-

Tim Fulton 30:56Mm-hmm

Dominique Larue 30:57... with some artists that I'm working with. But I'm, I don't feel like I'm there yet. I'm just really getting my feet wet and understanding how it works. But I do have goals that I've set with managing.

Tim Fulton 31:06Right.

Dominique Larue 31:07You know? So.

Tim Fulton 31:08That's awesome.

Dominique Larue 31:09Yeah. There's so many different ways to make money in this business. Like, don't put all your eggs in one basket. I tell people that all the time.

Tim Fulton 31:14Diversify.

Dominique Larue 31:14And the thing about licensing that is so dope is licensing is black and white. It's either you have the song that we want or you don't.

Tim Fulton 31:22Right.

Dominique Larue 31:22It's simple. And what-

Tim Fulton 31:24Well, and just making sure you're discoverable, right?

Dominique Larue 31:27Oh, absolutely.

Tim Fulton 31:28And being, being in the right place at the right time-

Dominique Larue 31:29Absolutely

Tim Fulton 31:29... being active.

Dominique Larue 31:30Having, having the connections, having, having the, um, put you in this position for a music supervisor to hear your music.

Tim Fulton 31:36Right.

Dominique Larue 31:37You know? I mean, I luckily have built relationships with music supervisors that love my music and that play my music all the time, you know? So it's things like that. And I know that Columbus, 'cause there, there's a lot of opportunities in Columbus, like even with TED Talks. I didn't know TED Talks was here, you know?

Tim Fulton 31:53Right.

Dominique Larue 31:53Uh, Columbus Makes Art is, or Art Makes Columbus is great, you know what I mean? Like, I didn't, I didn't know about that. And even, uh, all the things that they ha- all the doors that they have, uh, opened up for me.

Tim Fulton 32:04Mm-hmm.

Dominique Larue 32:05I didn't know that these things existed. But it's just, I- I... you gotta leave. You have to leave. You can't stay here.

Tim Fulton 32:14Okay.

Dominique Larue 32:14You can't. Columbus is a great city. It's a great city to, to build your foundation in-

Tim Fulton 32:19Mm-hmm

Dominique Larue 32:19... 'cause there's a lot of opportunities here. But there's... you, you have New York and LA. You-

Tim Fulton 32:23You at least have to reach out and communicate to that.

Dominique Larue 32:25Exactly.

Tim Fulton 32:26Right.

Dominique Larue 32:26And it, and it's so important to rub shoulders with these people that are playing your music.

Tim Fulton 32:29Yeah.

Dominique Larue 32:30So that's why I'm like, "Okay, let's take these trips. Let's go meet the people-

Tim Fulton 32:33Right

Dominique Larue 32:34... that are playing my music on Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta."

Tim Fulton 32:37Right.

Dominique Larue 32:38You know? So yeah.

Tim Fulton 32:39I wanna play one more track off your most recently released EP, Sunny. This is dedicated to Ness Words, who passed away last year. Again, this is Sunny off the EIF EP.

Dominique Larue 33:01Yeah. Perfect timing. They say that pressure busts pipes, but it left a diamond. These scars mean I'm strong, nigga, yeah, let's rewind it. I was at my bottom, but love, I was next to find it. And see, I lost my best friend, oh, it left me blinded. Why did you see the veil? Why you step beside it? You said it's gonna be okay, I can't recognize it. I won't accept it, you not coming back, never mind it. And never mind I, in his wake, I left a mess of my own. PTSD with superpowers just to control. Even the theft of my phone, see, I was dead to the bone, but somehow still here. Hey, yes, it's my homies, my fam, and my friends. I mean, yes, it's been lonely. Hey, Ness, you my roadie, my road dog, my homie. I miss you, you taught me to activate myself, to go on, to go on, and I'm going, I'm going, I'm gone. Sunny. Yesterday my heart was filled with rain. Sunny, you smile at me and really ease the pain. Baby, it's okay. And I just move at my own pace. Get this money, baby, I don't play. Get this money, honey, I don't play. You tell me, "Get this money," honey, I don't play. This is my life, my movie. Look at all this fuck shit, this how God do me. And if there's not a God, then who dealt these cards to me? I couldn't wait to grow up, somebody lied to me. Hey, and I agree. I gotta ask for vitamin D. I gotta find me where to live, baby, find some peace. I might lean on my son then cry asleep. I may take a little trip so I can breathe. It feels like I'm suffocating. I realize I was tripping and I wasn't making any sense until I looked at it another way and opened my eyes, and you're right here. Your love's the greatest. Sunny. Yesterday my heart was filled with rain. Sunny, you smile at me and really ease the pain. A beautiful sky, sunny day. Everyone should have this sunny day today. It's very sunny, a day well done, and people know how animals love the sunny days. Dogs like to roll on the grass while the sun is up. And people, they love the sunny days. It's beautiful. The night sky, the night sky's beautiful too. All the days get, get better and better and better. Sunny. Yesterday my heart was filled with rain. Sunny, you smile at me- Oh, the dark days are done, and the bright days are here. My sunny one shines so sincere. Sunny one so true, I love you

Tim Fulton 36:13And again, that was Sunny, uh, sitting down here with Dominique Larue. We talked a little bit about some of the stuff that you see in Columbus, the Columbus Makes Art campaign. What are the other things that folks should check out in Columbus?

Dominique Larue 36:28Other artists?

Tim Fulton 36:29Yeah, other artists to check out.

Dominique Larue 36:30So artists that I love right now is J Swiffa, uh, Sarab, Dom DeShon, um, Joey H, uh, Ron Phoenix, OG Vern, uh, Lambo Vango, King Ease, uh, Weezy, uh, Renee Dion, uh, P Black, although he doesn't live in Columbus anymore, but he made his rep here, so-

Tim Fulton 36:57Okay

Dominique Larue 36:58... it matters.

Tim Fulton 36:58Yeah. We'll, we'll claim him. We'll claim him.

Dominique Larue 37:00Yeah, absolutely. Um, those are some of the artists, some of the artists that I really enjoy in Columbus that make a lot of moves out here.

Tim Fulton 37:10What would you like to see happen in Columbus that you're not necessarily seeing? Do you get - do you feel like you're getting enough support from venues? Do you feel like there's enough support from the general public in terms of people actually coming out to shows?

Dominique Larue 37:26I think for me, myself-

Tim Fulton 37:28Mm-hmm

Dominique Larue 37:28... I am getting support-

Tim Fulton 37:30Okay

Dominique Larue 37:31... from venues for me, myself, but I also see other artists who are not.

Tim Fulton 37:35Okay.

Dominique Larue 37:36Um, and a lot of it stems from these venues don't want to p- book hip hop artists.

Tim Fulton 37:42Okay.

Dominique Larue 37:42And it's that s- that same stigma of, well, you know, the crowd-

Tim Fulton 37:47Mm-hmm

Dominique Larue 37:47... is gonna be violent, and it's like, no. I know, I know people that, that, that has, uh, like Dom DeShon for example, he has the Wicked and Divine, which is an incredible showcase that he does.

Tim Fulton 37:58Okay.

Dominique Larue 37:59And it does big numbers. Um, an- oh, another place, Summit. Summit on-

Tim Fulton 38:02The Summit, yeah

Dominique Larue 38:03... cam- campus b- books a lot of hip hop artists. But, um, I definitely, um, would like to see venues, uh, be more open towards booking hip hop artists.

Tim Fulton 38:16Mm-hmm.

Dominique Larue 38:16More hip hop artists, um, because I, I talk to people a lot, and they have trouble getting shows-

Tim Fulton 38:23Mm-hmm

Dominique Larue 38:24... at these places. No, no responses, stuff like that, and a lot of times you gotta nudge people. You know what I mean? Whatever.

Tim Fulton 38:29Or show up to the venue.

Dominique Larue 38:31You got that plug.

Tim Fulton 38:31Right.

Dominique Larue 38:31Oh, yeah, and I'm a pull up kind of a gal. I will pull up on you like, "Yeah, so I've been sending you these emails, and you've never responded, so what's up?"

Tim Fulton 38:38Right.

Dominique Larue 38:38You know, "You wanna know who I am? Boom, boom, pow." Like, I have my, I have a full resume for you.

Tim Fulton 38:43Right.

Dominique Larue 38:43Um, oh, Two Truths is another place too.

Tim Fulton 38:46Yeah.

Dominique Larue 38:46Um, I really like Two Truths a lot.

Tim Fulton 38:48Cool.

Dominique Larue 38:48Um, but yeah. That's what I would like to see. You know, don't give me - and no, and I'm not, uh, knocking the venues that always book hip hop like-

Tim Fulton 38:55Right

Dominique Larue 38:55... Two Truths. You know what I mean? But there are other venues that are really good venues with nice sound systems that will not return an email, or they try to play you like they don't know you. It's like, okay. I mean, I've had people even name drop me like, "Yeah. Well, Dominique Larue was there. I was there when she was there, blahdy blah." You know what I mean? But like I say, I'm like, "Bro, I will pull up."

Tim Fulton 39:16Right.

Dominique Larue 39:16No questions. Do not test me. For real. Um, but, um, I personally feel like the scene is thriving, like from what I see, and I know being an artist is all about - it's, it is a lot of smoke and mirrors.

Tim Fulton 39:36Mm-hmm.

Dominique Larue 39:36It's like, you know, the illusion, like, oh, they're making moves, making moves, but you talk to them, they're like, "I am stressed, and here's why." You know what I'm saying? So it's like, um, I do understand if there's more than meets the eye, like there's more going on-

Tim Fulton 39:50Right

Dominique Larue 39:50... that is really difficult for them to pull off what they're pulling off, but I'm like, you're doing it though, so let's-

Tim Fulton 39:55Yeah

Dominique Larue 39:55... talk about that. Let's - one thing I would like to see more from artists is believing in yourself, and I know that you do.

Tim Fulton 40:02Mm-hmm.

Dominique Larue 40:02But you, when I say-

Tim Fulton 40:03You wouldn't get up there and do it

Dominique Larue 40:03... I see you great. I see that you're doing great. "Oh, I'm trying." Nah, come on, bro. You're doing. There's a difference.

Tim Fulton 40:09Right.

Dominique Larue 40:09There is a difference, and I see it, and I know if I see it, other people see it, whether or not they're gonna say anything. You know? So yeah, own it. Claim it. You know what I mean? That doesn't make, that doesn't mean that you're cocky. It doesn't mean that you're arrogant. That means that you believe in what you got. Like, you, you supposed to believe in what you selling anyway. H-how, how you gonna make me wanna buy it if you don't believe in it? I'm gonna be like, "I don't know," 'cause you don't know. So it's like I like to say, swag your way to the top. Believe in yourself. Be confident in yourself.

Tim Fulton 40:37Good.

Dominique Larue 40:38Yeah.

Tim Fulton 40:39Well, on that note, people can check out your, uh, release show at The Basement coming up on September 21st for the album I'm Smiling Because I Hate Everything.

Dominique Larue 40:47Yeah.

Tim Fulton 40:47Dominique, thank you so much for your time.

Dominique Larue 40:49No worries. Thanks for having me.

Tim Fulton 41:02Thank you for listening to the Confluence Cast presented by Columbus Underground. Again, you can get more information on what we discussed today in the show notes for this episode at theconfluencecast.com. Please rate, subscribe, share this episode of the Confluence Cast with your friends, family, contacts, enemies, your favorite hip hop artist. If you're interested in sponsoring the Confluence Cast, get in touch with us. We can be reached by email at info@theconfluencecast.com. Our theme music was composed by Benji Robinson. Our producer is Philip Cogley. I'm your host, Tim Fulton. Have a great week.