DEFARI  (September 2003) | Interview By: Nima

       Dubcnn.com had the chance to sit down and talk to Likwit Crew member Defari. He spoke on alot of different topics, such as his new release "Odds & Evens",the music industry, and more. We have both the transcript and audio for you to check and feel free to send any feedback regarding the interview to : nima@dubcnn.com


Huge thanks to Defari for taking out time to answer the questions fans wanted to know! (Interview was done by phone In September of 2003)

Questions Asked By : Nima

Defari Gave Dubcnn.com A Shoutout! Check That Here

Full Interview In Audio : Here

 

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dubcnn.com : What's up Defari, thank you for taking the time to sit down and talk to dubcnn.com. To start it off, can you tell us what inspired you to get into rapping?

Well, I wrote my first rhymes after I heard "Eric B Is President", that song was pretty much my soul and inspiration to start writing rhymes. I started off DJing, and you know, the rhyming side was always appealing to me!


dubcnn.com : I heard you're a teacher.. What did you teach?

I'm not a teacher, anymore. I haven't taught since 98. I used to teach History and Geography..


dubcnn.com : How was it to be rapping teacher?

Well, I mean I taught at Inglewood Highschool so I was pretty much just focused on that man, focused on my job while I was there.. And then the rapping thing was a whole other life, you know what I mean?


dubcnn.com : Throughout your career, you never really blew up in a way to go mainstream and sell millions of records, does that bother you?

Not at all, because I'm the King Of The Underground, and I love the underground cause it's genuwine, it's ginuwine love and respect for new, innovated music. I went around the world with Xzibit a few years ago, for his platinum success, we did summer jams, we did Europe with Eminem and Outkast and all that stuff, so.. I haven't had a record that has gone platinum, but I've experienced what the vibe is like, you know?


dubcnn.com : You are a member of the Likwit Crew, first could you list all the people that you consider Likwit members?

Yeah, King Tee, Tha Alkaholiks, Xzibit, Defari and Phil Da Agony.


dubcnn.com : What about Dilated Peoples?

Nah, Dilated Peoples is the Dilated Peoples crew..


dubcnn.com : Ok, cause you had that Likwit Junkies project, with DJ Babu!

Yeah, DJ Babu, that's Likwit Crew featuring Dilated so it equals Likwit Junkies.


dubcnn.com : And when will that see the light of day?

Yeah we got a whole album coming! We got a new single coming out next month!


dubcnn.com : Can you give us any additional information on the record?

It's self titled, Likwit Junkies. We don't have a release date yet, but I know the single is coming within the next month.


dubcnn.com : What's it called?

"Keep Doin It" and "Schemes".


dubcnn.com : Is it more of a mixtape, or a real record?

Nah, it's a real record man! Real songs, real record, it's actually a phenomenal record, because Babu gets to showcase his production talent to the fullest! He's produced every song on the record, and I'm holding down the rhymes. And I'ma have some guest appearances, we're working on that right now actually.


dubcnn.com : I'm just asking, because nowadays records take so long to come out, get forgotten about, and you kind of give up hope.. Kind of like the Golden State Project..

Well don't give up hope on Likwit Junkies, it's coming!


dubcnn.com : Fans have been wondering for the longest time, when a Likwit Crew album would finally see the light of day. Can you give us any info on that?

Thats coming out, cause we shopping it right now! It's gonna happen man!


dubcnn.com : And there were also talks on a Pico Long mixtape featuring you and Phil Da Agony... is that hapenning?

Yeah, yeah! Me and Phil got a group called Pico Long! We got about 3 songs recorded, we're just trying to figure out the best situation for that, where we can get an album together.


dubcnn.com : How do you feel about the whole mixtape scene, which kinda flooded the West Coast this year?

Yeah well, because of the success of 50 Cent, alot of guys all over the country do mixtapes. So you know, it was exciting for a minute, but now it's just kinda like everyday shit. Like I got a mixtape out that I put out before Odds & Evens, but my mixtape is different because it's a best of Defari. I took that angle, and DJ Revolution did it. My mixtape is off the chains man, cause it's got all my classics on it man! And exclusives freestyles, so it's hot!


dubcnn.com : What was the deal with the whole "Billy the Kid" thing?

What it was was, the Billy The Kids were designed to be these episodes, so like Wild West episodes, and the first album just happened to be featuring me. The rest of the albums were supposed to feature different artists from Likwit, or Dilated, and it was just an imprint that I had started, and it's still open! We're trying to figure out with who to do the next one basically, but so much other stuff became a priority in my life, that it got just kinda put on the backburner.


dubcnn.com : Now you know for some time, Xzibit and most of the camp were beefing, and I remember you dissed him in an interview also. Now the beef seems squashed, but can you give us your point of view on the story?

Yeah.. I don't have no comment on none of that.


dubcnn.com : Nothin?

Nah..


dubcnn.com : But are you on good terms with Xzibit right now?

Yeah, yeah, the whole crew is, it's all gravy.


dubcnn.com : You released your first album a few years back, do you feel your second effort Odds & Evens is better?

Yeah, ah yeah, I blew Focused Daily out the water man! *laughs* I blew it out the water man, straight fuckin submarine fuckin missile.. blew that shit out the water man! Fuck Tommy Boy and all that shit, you know, I came showin the world that this is me, this is always been me. And Odds & Evens, it outbumps Focused Daily, the songs are better, the production is better, the sonic value of it is better, it's a better album.


dubcnn.com : What were your expectations for this record when you were recording it?

My expectations was to do just that, to come with the most bangin album in the streets, THE most bangin' album in the streets. You can put Odds & Evens up against any record out right now, any fuckin cd thats out, put that shit in and then you put my album in, and watch who's shit bumps.


dubcnn.com : Is Odds & Evens going to get released worldwide? Cause alot of fans have had a hard time trying to find a copy in stores..

Yeah, I know it's in France, I know that, and it's in parts of Europe. How many copies they released out there I don't know, I don't know how many thousands they put out, but I know it's out there, cause I talked to a dude in Germany yesterday and it's out there!


dubcnn.com : You didn't word with the Alchemist neither, any peticular reason?

Nah, just timin! Nothin personal, nothin like that, just timin!


dubcnn.com : What about King Tee? He wasn't on there neither!

Yeah.. and that's just timin, just another timin' issue!


dubcnn.com : How have the sales of the album been so far?

Man, they've been really good specially locally, locally my record can't stay in the stores, it flies up outta there immediately!


dubcnn.com : So you're satisfied with the sales..

Well, I don't know.. That's a tricky question. For doin' it the way I'm doin it on the indy tip, yeah, you know.. I've had issues with the distributor, shit like that.. But to be honest with you, Odds & Evens, I think the album is too big for the people that I have work it... *laughs*


dubcnn.com : Are there any producers or artists that you haven't hooked up with yet that you would like to work with in future?

There's a gang of producers and artists and shit.. But really, I'm not even thinkin' about them, I'm all Likwit, you know what I mean? I'm trying to do my Likwit thing, I'm trying to elevate Likwit, and that's it. I'm not about ridin coattails of whoever is on top..


dubcnn.com : Will we see you featured on any albums anytime soon?

Yeah, Dilated Peoples - Neighbourhood Watch, it's coming in February, I'm on that album.. I'm on Babu's Duck Season Vol. 2... And I'll be on the next Alkaholiks album.


dubcnn.com : Yeah, I've heard about that, it's called Firewater right?

Yeah man.. they just now workin on it, so I'll get up on there somewhere!


dubcnn.com : There were also rumours of Likwit Crew members appearing on the new Hierogliphycs record, is that true?

Oh yeah? Aight, well ain't nobody contacted me, but maybe Tha Liks are gonna be on it!


dubcnn.com : Who in your eyes are the top artists in the game at this time?

Right now? Shit, 50 Cent! *laughs* He's the top artist in the game, he got a pro line line blocking for him you know! I'm like David Sanders, you know? I'm allstar, but my line is weak, you know what I'm sayin? If you know football, you know what I'm talkin bout! I'm a allstar player right now, cause Odds & Evens man, I'm tellin you, the album, the machine that is workin the album, I don't know if they can handle it, you dig?


dubcnn.com : You don't need to tell me, I heard the record myself, I know!

Yeah, I don't think they can handle the magnitude of my record, so you know, it's like I've shown my productivity, I've shown my artistry, you know? What more can I do? I need a fuckin all star line blockin for me, cause you got weak ass niggas like Chingy and shit you know? That shit is inapropriate man.. But he got a big ass label behind him, you dig?


dubcnn.com : You said 50 is on top right now, but who is the next to blow up?

The next person to blow up? Me, hopefully!!


dubcnn.com : You think it's gonna happen?

Yeah man, I think I'll definitely do my thing in a big way.


dubcnn.com : I hope so too!

I think it's comin!


dubcnn.com : What's your view on the whole Ras Kass situation, with him being locked up?

Ras Kass isn't Likwit, and I don't know nuttin about Ras Kass sitation.


dubcnn.com : So what can we expect from Defari in the coming years, do you have any plans yet?

Yeah man, I mean I just plan to really.. really I don't so much give a fuck about blowin up more than I do about gettin out a certain number of albums, longevity, you know? I been around for over 5 years, so I wanna get out between 7 and 10 albums by the end of the day. That's my goal in the game, you know? Whatever comes from that, comes from it, but that's what I wanna do.


dubcnn.com : What's your favorite Likwit album ever?

Fav Likwit album ever? Wow... That's a tall order.. My favorite one ever, man! I don't know man I never thought of that! It would have to be between Odds & Evens and Alkaholiks X.O. Experience, the last one.


dubcnn.com : What's your view on the whole happenings, with the American government, the war and such?

Yeah I think it's funny now, because Bush is really exposed, to be a complete bully and idiot and the same time, and the real war is happening now! And now after the whole war is over, the real shit is crackin, everyday in the streets of Iraq, there's something crackin, something choppin off, more troops gettin killed every fuckin day! They're thinkin about sendin troops back over there again! So you know, Bush looks like a complete fuckin idiot dude!


dubcnn.com : I agree with you...

He looks like the fuckin devil that he is, like the devil that his daddy was, you know what I'm sayin?


dubcnn.com : Hell yeah.. Oh and by the way, I have one more thing about Odds & Evens, don't you think it's funny that a video and single like Spell My Name doesn't get the attention it deserves, and meaningless tracks like Right Thurr, or whatever, tracks where each artist only changes a lil thing and calls it a new track, blow up like that!

That's exactly what I said before, that's because they have Pro Lines blocking for them!


dubcnn.com : Yeah but the people, the fans, why don't they see through that?

Because the people in America, specially the younger generation, they programmed by television and the radio man! And those are run by money, that these major labels sink into it! Unless you're on the internet or on the streets, it's not gonna be as popular to them. Television is the number one, most popular way to reach people acorss the world, man!


dubcnn.com : So basically, in today's game, skills don't matter at all?

Nah, becaues they didn't have the money to sink into my project, that they had to with Chingy, or they had to do with Bone Crusher, you know? And that's what it boils down to, it doesn't have nuttin to do wit the music man. It's got to do with the bread!


dubcnn.com : That's sad though!

Yeah it's sad, but we still musicians and we still gotta keep doin it!


dubcnn.com : I agree witcha.. Do you use the internet yourself?

Yeah, oh yeah!


dubcnn.com : Cause a brand new Likwit message board just opened on the internet! So if you wanna get down and chop it up with the fans, hit it up at www.likwitcrew-forum.com !

Yeah, that's real cool man, I'ma check that out.. But also, they can hit me up at defari.net, there you can communicate with me through the guest book, you can listen to the album, you can see the video, you can buy some merchandise, whatever!


dubcnn.com : Aight then, now as a last question: What's your favorite Drink?

*laughs* Haa.. My favorite one is probably glenlivet 18 on the rocks on the rocks!


dubcnn.com : Alright cool..!

Aight man, I appreciate it!


dubcnn.com : Thank you for taking the time to answer the questions!

No doubt man! Thanks for havin' me!