Spotlight on Dom D.E.A.N. (@dom_aprilsfool)

TEMPE, AZ – Ask Dom D.E.A.N. what makes him pursue music with such a fervent passion, and he’ll be quick to point to his biggest source of inspiration: his 5-year-old daughter Talia.

Growing up in the streets of Albuqurque, N.M., Dom D.E.A.N. saw his fair share of crime. He had many friends who died before making it to their 20s, and if not for the birth of his daughter he knows he could have been just another casualty from the streets.

“She saved my life,” he said. “If I didn’t have my daughter I’d probably be dead or in jail. A lot of people from where I’m from don’t make it to 21. So my daughter is a big deal to me, and I try to do something with my music for her.”

Many of the songs on his new album, “Aprils Fool,” are inspired by real-life situations and emotions stemming from his past. But many songs are also inspired by the love he has for his daughter and the emotions he’s experienced over the past five years of making music and trying to be a good father.

The album was released in May and is available for purchase on all digital media sites, including iTunes and Spotify. The name of the album was chosen, Dom said, because he was born in April and he liked the play on words associated with the April Fool’s holiday.

“I’m a fool of April,” he said. “Ultimately the album is about me and my relationships with my family, friends, and especially my daughter. I talk about going through the music industry and struggling with that, and mostly just give people a glimpse of my life. I want people to hear my music and be able to relate to it. I want them to realize that they’ve probably been through a lot of the same situations, or maybe they have family members who are going through it. When they hear my lyrics I want them to say, ‘I know exactly what he’s talking about or feeling.’ And I want people to know that no matter how hard it gets – and trust me, I’ve gone through the lowest and worst of times – you’ll get through it. Just be humble and persistent and don’t give up on what you want.”

The first two singles from the album are “From Hurt to Pain” and “She Noticed.” Dom said the former is an organic expression of emotions associated with is daughter. He said Talia’s presence in his life helps him to stay out of trouble and keeps him in line, and the song is about not letting women and love get in the way of what’s important.

“She Noticed,” on the other hand, is a club song that’s about trying to get noticed by women when you’re at the club. He said the lyrics definitely were drawn from personal experience, but that he never really wrote anything down but instead let the song come to him while listening to the beat over and over again.

“That was kind of the first song that I felt like I could hear it in a club or on the radio,” he said. “I don’t actually write my lyrics down, I just listen to the beat over and over and then go to a recording studio and lay down some lyrics. When I write things down and try to rap I feel like I can hear myself reading, so I don’t write it down. I just let it flow. It’s more organic that way.”

Dom said he hopes his unique sound will continue to grow a fan base throughout the Southwest, where the fusion of hip-hop and California is beginning to make a name for itself but up-and-coming artists like himself.

Fans can see him live on July 22 in Albuqurque, NM. He’ll be headlining the Dom D.E.A.N. Summer Apocalypse. Following that he said he’d be going back into the studio for more recording, while working on producing some music videos for his singles. He’ll also be overseeing his record label, Independent Entourage. Those interested in more information about his music can visit IndependentEntourage.com, or follow him on Twitter @dom_aprilsfool or on Instagram @domdean47.