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; Photo: Kiki Vassilakis
Cesar Comanche is an unheralded lyricist who played an essential role in introducing North Carolina hip-hop to the world. The resilient and enterprising lyricist worked closely with 9th Wonder to build the Justus League, a conglomerate of local lyricists who prided themselves on craftsmanship, including Darien Brockington, Joe Scudda and Little Brother to name a few.
“People knew how much I loved music, not just rap,” said Cesar when asked what drew him to writing. “I was told I should make songs many times but I never thought I was worthy. One day in the early ’90s words and sentences started coming to my head without me calling upon them. I started writing them down in poem form. The poems later evolved into songs.”
Cesar Comanche is the Larry Johnson of rap, a solid presence on the scene who at any time could explode off the block. Much like Grandmama, he would eventually settle into what would be a magnificent career; from thunderous finisher to a more meticulous artist who understood how and when to make his move. For over a decade Cesar Comanche would look to master his craft. Never satisfied and always a student of the game, he’s slowly developed a style that is undoubtedly his.
“The main thing that does not change about my writing process is my sense of responsibility,” said Cesar. “I have a responsibility to uphold, a standard of quality to everyone who chose to be a fan of my music and a responsibility to always write with an intent to emancipate and not enslave.”
On Wooden Nickels Cesar pens a series of songs that offer a peak into the life of a burgeoning rapper; the endless grind, the late night commitments and for better or worse the type of effect it has had on his loved ones. The album is raw, featuring a young 9th Wonder who was just beginning to find his voice. It was different from other albums because it had a distinct North Carolina touch that up until that point hadn’t been heard on a large scale. Smooth, mellow but ferocious all the same.
“Amnesia” is a look back on how his life has changed since putting his work on wax. Some have stayed true and supported, others have went ghost and disappeared. Even the ones who did stay needed to be watched because in the rap game things are seldom what they seem: [LISTEN]
What makes Cesar Comanche so entertaining is his dexterity as a lyricist, he has the ability to bring it down to a slow simmer and then in an instant kick it into overdrive and burn through a beat like hellfire. His live performances are where it all unfolds; he dials up the intensity even more and leaves everything on the stage, a transformation that many lyricists struggle to make.
Cesar followed up Wooden Nickels with a grip of other slamming projects including Squirrel and the Aces. There is a deeper, fuller sound for him to work with, and Cesar accepted the challenge; weaving in and out of traffic like Muggsy Bogues in his prime. He’s focused and inspired, but also practical in his approach. And that’s what made him and the whole Justus League crew such a draw, their talent and relatable sensibilities.
“Up and Down” is life in a nutshell; the ups and downs and our sometimes wacky reactions to them. Cesar preaches endurance and understanding, a balanced approach that stabilizes the turbulence: [LISTEN]
Cesar Comanche has always moved at his own pace. For the last few years his output has been inconsistent, but he still stands on a bedrock of pristine rhymes. His words have held its value because his approach and motives have always been pure. To represent not only himself but North Carolina the way he has is why Cesar Comanche and all the Justus League crew will forever have a place in hip-hop history.
“Hip-hop culture grows in one way and rap music grows in another,” said Cesar when asked about the lyrical direction of hip-hop. “Rap music that celebrates hip-hop culture has always been at a steady, gradual trajectory. Rap music that does not celebrate the culture started at next to non-existent and exponentially started growing until it surpassed music that did in the mid ’90s.”
“The problem is when people say one is hip-hop and the other isn’t. The truth is neither is hip-hop. One honors the culture and one does not. The culture was never designed to be popular or to fit in any corporation’s business formula. That’s why when companies started understanding that, they abandoned culture and figured out formulaic music that pushed agendas just like any pop music did before could also be done with rap.”
“So here we are.”
