Dominique Larue

With skilled female MCs on what looks like an indefinite sabbatical “it is time for a change" Ohio MC, Dominique Larue explains. Ms. Larue is definitely up for the challenge of filling the shoes of some of the all time greats. Greats, such as Queen Latifah, Lauryn Hill, and MC Lyte, all females who have shown time and time again to be competent representation for women in Hip-Hop.
Born and bred on the north side of Columbus, Ohio, Larue was greatly influenced by Gospel and R&B, but it was her older brother who introduced her to Hip Hop. Firm favorites of Larue's included A Tribe Called Quest, Fugees, Outkast, Def Squad, and Wu Tang Clan and it was in her elementary years that she realized just how influential her brothers music had actually been.
Encouraged by a school friend at the tender age of 7, Larue made her first attempt at writing a rhyme. "I will never forget that day because it was the first day of the rest of my life." And although Larue does not remember the song she and her friend wrote, if it hadn't been for that song, she wouldn't be rapping today.
Through freestyling, Larue began to make a name for herself and at 12 she knew she was going to make a career out of her passion. Riding with the moniker Intalekt and as the only female MC in High School, Larue made sure she was in the midst of any battle or cipher. "I cherished the cipher at the lunch table because I was giving everyone a dose of what I can do and I was representing for the ladies".
As a junior in High School Larue got accepted into the Fort Hayes Vocational Music program and she broke the mould by being the first MC to achieve such a place. "I could not believe that they decided to go with me, I was so scared when they interviewed me for the second time but I guess I nailed it so I can't complain" Larue recalls.
The program gave Larue a lot of insight as to how the music business is operated; she got to study different genres of music and she worked on her performance technique which allowed her to perform in and around the Columbus Metropolitan area.
It was during her Senior year at Fort Hayes when Larue met DJ BHB, a Columbus native who is the founder of the Hip Hop Expo, the longest running Hip-Hop show in the Midwest. Working with such a legend was a true honor and as time passed the two established a productive working relationship. It was BHB who helped her record her first mixtape The Feelin' Mixtape Vol. 1 Pt. 1.
"I swear if it wasn't for BHB I probably wouldn't be rapping right now because I did not have anyone else to help at the time the way he did.” Having to leave college while studying at Columbus State Community College after finding out she was pregnant, it was DJ BHB who helped her pick up where she left off while having her son. With musical direction and guidance from BHB and with her own family's support, it was easy for her to pick up the mic and get back in the booth.
As her first mixtape was a huge success it was obvious that a Part II was necessary. With BHB standing firm by her side and describing her as “an aggressive female MC with the east coast flavor of MC Lyte and the west coast fire of Rage", two impressive mixtapes to her credit, work began on an album.
“By me making original music that will make me stand out. I'm simply going against the grain just by being original.” and that is exactly what can be expected with this Columbus lyricists first album. The album titled The Plot Thickens is Larue making a point that “Hip Hop is still in existence AND it's time to make a change and bring Hip Hop back to the top where it's supposed to be. Oh yea, can't forget, female MCs can get down”
Concerned with the fact that female MCs are generically stereotyped, Dominique Larue is adamant in her belief that overplaying on ones sexuality is totally unnecessary. “Being that I am a female it is almost expected that I should sell myself as a sex symbol, I can't handle that as what makes me stand out. Me being a female will make me stand out since hip hop is a male dominated industry however it is the originality of my music that will make me out shine other artists.”
So opting to take the same approach with her image as she does with her music, the rapper known as Intalekt reverted back to her birth name, using Dominique Larue as her Hip-Hop identity tag. So when her debut album hits both the streets and the shelves it will be nothing but her own originality and creativity that establishes her as a female who has Hip-Hop in the palm of her hand.