Introducing ‘Notes from Mr. Sandman‘ – a column slapping a spotlight on lyricists overlooked, under appreciated, or just plain criminally slept on. Or like a man named Nas once said, “I never sleep, cause sleep is the cousin of death.” Enter Mr. Sandman with what y’all missed while chasing the REM dragon.
LA-born rapper Defari is a quiet storm, a rap tsunami who no one saw coming. His meticulous flows and well-structured rhyme schemes reflect a proficiency that has gone vastly overlooked, and his conversational tone still stands as an oft-emulated rap standard. Lazy river flows are his method, the type of lyricist who doesn’t have to clown himself to get attention.
Defari is a champion of grown man rap; long before it was a popular term he was countering knuckleheads with sound logic and reason. That’s not to say that he was hellbent on being rap’s big brother, he simply recognized the real from fake and chose accordingly.
Defari’s debut album Focused Daily is a musical mantra that describes his process. Producers Alchemist and Evidence are all over it, laying down their minimal bangers for Defari to spit game over. By slowing the tempo Defari was able to pick apart the beat with a strict attention to detail.
“Never Lose Touch” is the genesis of Defari’s style. His stern demeanor and laser-like focus ensured deadeye accuracy, a methodology that he attributes to the most important person in his life, his mother: [LISTEN]
Defari’s sophomore album Odds & Evens is a lyrical chainsaw. Nearly four years had passed, but his rhyme style still held up. It was 2003 and the line between the underground and mainstream was quickly dissolving. Styles were all over the map, a few flourished while others bombed creating a disillusioned state. Too many rappers at the time were looking for a gimmick but Defari stuck to his guns and remained true to his style. His commitment and respect for the process only strengthened the stronghold he had on his fans.
Evidence took on the lion’s share of the production for Odds & Evens, and the synergy between the two reached another level. Evidence embraced Defari’s flow with a platter of beats that framed his lo-fi style to a T. Knowing what he was going to get on the production end, Defari slayed, blazing through his book of rhymes with intensity and focus.
The title cut “Odds & Evens” has Defari stretching a gambling analogy to its limits, a testament to his skills as a writer. By this time he had already established himself, and it was his way of answering all his naysayers: [LISTEN]
Defari believes that when it comes to music it’s about quality over quantity. His blunted state of mind puts him in a zen state and he approaches each album knowing that it is an extension of his legacy. His meticulous and thoughtful nature proves that you don’t have to jump and shout to get your point across. That methodology went completely against the grain and spoke to a generation of rap fans who were fed up with novelty rap. Defari was the grounding force rap needed at the time.
On “Congratulations” (off the album Street Music), Defari affirms his place in rap lore. Evidence once again lays out the beat establishing a soundscape that compliments Defari’s style. He’s given his everything, plus more. A method to the madness that shows his steadfast commitment to the culture: [LISTEN]
