Meet Lawrence Dotson | Storyteller & Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lawrence Dotson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lawrence, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I pursued a creative career because at the age of six, I knew that I wanted to be in show business. I’d entertain my two sisters by acting out the preachers’ sermons on the radio. Then I did school plays, where I always had a leading role. I won trophies at theater festivals in high school. I was recruited by UCLA and graduated from the School of Theater, Film and Television. After a year of auditioning for roles in the real world, I was approached to review hip hop music for a local magazine. That led to writing for another local, and soon national magazines. For the next decade, I was a writer for the culture at the peak of the Golden Era of Hip Hop, interviewing many of the top artists of the times. The thrill of learning the stories of the people behind the music was a lot more appealing than getting rejected for an acting gig! There were a lot of extraordinary interviews, and lots of stories behind the interviews, as well.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Turning art into commerce is no easy task. I struggled as an actor, but substitute teaching paid the bills since I wasn’t landing any auditions. The digital age put most print magazines out of business in the early 2000’s, so I went back to substitute teaching. It took a few years for me to realize that most showbiz jobs were behind the scenes, so I stopped teaching and began freelancing in commercial production. I dedicated myself to doing one personal project per year right up until the pandemic quarantine. I collaborated with friends in producing short films, music videos, commercial specs, photo projects… anything where I had some creative input. I just followed my passion. I wanted to write a book about my life, so I went back to school to get a MFA in creative writing and poetry and get more immersed in the literary world. I wanted to practice photography as more than hobby. An opportunity fell in my lap to work with a content creation company called Alive Coverage. I was able to go to events like EDC and Life is Beautiful to shoot. Kamasi Washington, Megan Thee Stallion and Shaggy are a few of the artists I’ve been able to capture.

What I gained from indulging each of my artistic passions was a lot of experience in a variety of genres, and the opportunity to work with a wide network of friends and professionals. I think these are the key elements that have allowed me to successfully navigate through life thus far!

My early attempts at earning from art didn’t challenge me as much as my health did after the pandemic. When I was able to see a doctor, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer and would have to have surgery. As I was going through a grueling physical and emotional recovery, I minted and sold NFTs of rare photos of Tupac Shakur that I shot early in my journey as a hip-hop writer. One of the NFTs was exhibited at the grand opening of Nematic Gallery, the first NFT art gallery in Carmel-by-the-Sea, a city known for its rich artistic history. The drop got worldwide attention, as well as the attention of Allen Hughes, who bought the rights to use some of the images in his documentary “Dear Mama: The Saga of Afeni and Tupac Shakur”. I am planning to have a live showing of the collection I’ve titled 2Pacalypse92: 17 Shots. A skate photograph that I recently shot was included in a Getty-sponsored exhibition, LA: IN DIALOGUE. I hope to have more photography exhibitions from my collection of photographs I’ve taken of Los Angeles over the decades.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I don’t go out like I used to do. I like being in nature, someplace where I can enjoy the view or feel the ocean breeze. And I hate traffic, so I could easily entertain an out of town guest by using the Metro train system! The E Line is close to me, so a trip to the beach is easy. Third Street Promenade has lots to offer for food, shopping and visuals. The pier is close by with all its colorful wares and characters. If my guest is willing, we could bike along Ballona Creek to Playa Provisions in Playa del Rey, one of my favorite neighborhood restaurants by the shore. Another favorite spot of mine is Scotty’s on the Strand in Redondo Beach for breakfast.

After the quarantine was over, I became a guest in my own city by riding one of those double decker tour buses. For one price, you can see the main attractions of LA in one ride: Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica and Downtown. I would absolutely take someone on that voyage if they were in town!

On the weekend, we would take the K Line to Leimert Park Station and walk around the village. There’s always something happening, particularly the Drum Circle on Sundays, a tradition that goes back decades.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to give a shout out to GOD! My faith, instilled by my mother, encourages me to become better versions of myself. She also taught me patience which helps me endure the challenges in life. Shout Out to Douglas Griffin, who recognized my writing light and encouraged me to let it to shine. OG Shout Out to Grandpa Washington for showing me The Way. Big Shout Out to Keeldar Hamilton, who told me, if you want to get your plane in the air, you gotta step on the gas!

Website: www.loupyd.com

Instagram: @loupyd

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawrence-dotson-mfa-2b20a49/

Twitter: @loupyd

Other: www.intheloopmedia.com

Image Credits
Ralph L. Mariano Shea Flynn Tammy Bathke Lawrence Dotson