Def3

Artist Information

Biography

Danny Fernandez a.k.a. Def 3 is a Regina, Saskatchewan based MC whose work has contributed greatly to the provinces Hip Hop and music scene. Since his first record, released in 2003, he has continued recording with 4 more Full length releases and numerous cameos. As a fulltime musician and artist he continues to release and perform with a highly active tour and performance schedule. His interactive and high energy performance has landed him gigs everywhere and anywhere, to all types of crowds in coffee shops, pubs, clubs, galas, award ceremonies, festivals and even headlining the Saskatchewan pavilion for the opening ceremonies at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.

He has released several music videos all landing rotation on Much Music's Much Vibe and Rapcity. His most recent "Real Talk" from the Amnesia EP is currently receiving regular play on Muchvibe. His last 2 major releases were nominated for WCMA awards for "Rap recording of the year". Both albums received top 10 spots but His album with Canadian veteran rapper Moka Only titled "Dog River" charted #1 on Charttack and earshot for college radio stations throughout Canada for 14 weeks.

Since 2006 till present he has started, organized, and led instructional workshops to all ages ranging from his work with inner city youth, partnerships with the Regina Board of education, and even graduate classes through the IMP labs at the U of R in Saskatchewan. In 2009 with the help of the Saskatchewan arts board, he recieved funding to travel throughout South America exploring recording and tracing his latin roots. He has also had the opportunity to tour extensively in many places all over the world from right here in Canada, as well as multiple tours to the United States, Europe, Japan, and South America. He has shared the stage and collaborated with many artists from a wide variety of genres such as Nas, Ghostface Killah, Michael Franti and Spearhead, K-OS, The Beatnuts, Onyx, Moka Only, Maestro Fresh Wes, Classified, Shad, Sweatshop Union, Swollen Members, Choclair, Zion I, Mystic, Cage, Del The Funkee Homosapien, Souls of Mischief, Masta Ace, and many more. He has gained international notoriety through his active touring schedule and performances at festivals such as Breakout west, The Regina Folk Festival, Sasktel Jibfest, Sasktel Summer Invasion, Juno Fest, NXNE, SXSW.

Def3 has recently joined forces with Vancouver's Sweatshop Union reigning in 2012 already with a 2 week western Canadian tour as well as a 2 week U.S tour. He is currently finishing up a several new projects to be released this year including his latest with fellow SK Super producer Factor which will be available spring summer 2012. With a heavy tour schedule this year Def3 will also be showcasing with Sweatshop Union at this year's SXSW in Austin TX as well as Canadian Music Week (CMW) in Toronto. He is currently promoting his latest release an EP with producer Mosaic titled "Amnesia" available for free download on his website at www.def3.ca. The two will be releasing a 4 part free Mixtape series a collaboration with Toronto Artist/Illustrator Logan "Celo" Miller in 2012.

Instrumentation

Def3 - Band members and size will vary depending on gig location and compensation - Vocals, Guitar, Production / DJ
Ramon Fernandez - Vocals, Guitar
Ross Bearman - Drummer
Rob Dakiniewich - Bass
Carl Bray - Synths and piano
Cristian Moya - Vocals, Guitar, Hand Percussion
Factor - Graham Murawsky - Producer / DJ
Chris Habte - DJ

Discography

Professionally released Discography:

Personal Releases

Dead Can't Bounce - " i aint afraid of no ghost" full length LP 2003 FrekSho Records

Def 3 - "Huglife" full length LP
2005 Ship Records Inc.

Metropolis Now - "Self Titled" full length LP
2006 Sideroad Records

Def3 & Moka Only present “ Dog River “
2007 Ship Records Inc. / Fontana North

Def 3 and Factor “Drumbo”
2009 Ship Records Inc. / Fontana North

Def3 x Mosaic "Amnesia" EP
2011 Ship Records Inc.

Featured Appearances

Factor - "3" "Whatup Sun"
2003 Sideroad Records

Cam the Wizard - "For The Rest of My Life" "Sideroad Trip "
2004 Sideroad Records

Factor – Heights- " ourglass"
2005 Sideroad Records

Ismaila- Mark of The Zebra - 12" and LP “ForceFeed"
2005 Freksho Records

Nolto- Red All Over – “Forum”
2006 Sideroad Records

Laugh And Cry - Sounds of Humming Hip Hop - Metropolis Now "Another Tomorrow"
2006 Hue Records (Japan Only Press)

After The Fact – Boundaries, What Could’ve been
Hue Records 2006

Factor - Famous Nights empty days 12" and LP " I Can't Put My finger On It"
2006 Sideroad Records

Pimpton – The Newer Testament “Do the Right thing”, “Ex’s and Oh’s”
Propagate 2009

No BS “ No Phukkin Clu”
Medici State 2006

Factor presents old souls vol 1 – “Old Soles” Exclusive track, “

Kay the Aquanaut – Spinning Blue Planet – “To The Last Drop” Sideroad records 2009

Selfhelp – Old Friends “The mantra”
2009 Secret Cloud

Factor - 13 Stories – “Luck Ducks”
Sideroad Records 2009

Kay The Aquanaut - Nickelodeon Ethics “ Roll Call” , “First and Fifteen”
2010 Sideroad Records

Factor - Lawson Graham – “Battle Scars”
Fake Four Inc. 2010

Ron Contour and Factor – Saffron “Shoebox”
Fake four inc. 2010

Aries “ Now and later” 2010

Evil Ebeneezer and Factor - Widows Creek "Leave the Dead"
2011Camobear Records

Links

• Facebook
• MySpace
• Twitter
• Last.fm
• Def3.ca
• Bandcamp
• CBC Radio 3

Audio

• Take Me Higher
  Listen   Download
• Movin' feat. Moka Only & Tonye Aganaba
  Listen   Download
• Chan Chan
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• I Can't Put My Finger On It
  Listen   Download
• Def 3 Old Soles
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• Stutter Step
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• Sunshine
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• Losing You Featuring Val Halla
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• I Don't Wanna Go Home
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• 17-Battle Scars feat. Def3
  Listen   Download

Video

takemehigher_master_weboptimized.mov

Photo Gallery

Press

• Featured Artist SASK MUSIC The Session Magazine [+ Show ]
  

  They say that ‘pimpin’ ain’t easy.’ Being a hip hop artist on the prairie music scene used to be mor...They say that ‘pimpin’ ain’t easy.’ Being a hip hop artist on the prairie music scene used to be more of an uphill battle, before MCs like Regina’s Def3 came along to pave the way. Let’s face it --- Saskatchewan is a far cry from places like Compton or Brooklyn. However, artists like Def3 and his peers have taken the genre and expanded it to fit within our model. And instead of trying to build a career on posing with a hard face, the new breed of hip hop artist is digging in to work harder than T-Pain without his auto tune. And as Def3 will tell you --- hard work pays off. Who’d have thought you could rhyme and be a role model at the same time?
  
  Def3 was a world traveler by the age of six, and made a leap of faith in taking the path he did -->
  CRAIG SILLIPHANT: First, a little about the man himself. Where did you grow up?
  
  DEF3: I spent most of my life moving around traveling and absorbing the environment around me. I was born in Toronto and then at the age of five, I moved onto a missionary ship called the Anastasis with my family and about 60 others from all over the world. [I] lived on it until I was 11. The company they worked for, Mercy Ships, provided free healthcare, food, and medical supplies to second and third world countries in Central America, Africa, and Europe. Then after that I moved to Texas for a year, and then to Regina.
  
  CRAIG: When did hip hop enter the picture?
  
  DEF3: I started listening to rap and hip hop when I lived in [Texas]. In my junior high school, that was what everyone seemed to be listening to. Shortly after, when I moved to Canada in 93’, that interest led to graffiti culture, which led to [hip hop]. I began with free-styling when I was 14 or 15 and starting messing around recording stuff into a portable cassette player I borrowed from my dad. Then [I borrowed] his turntable, which I later broke, along with most of his audio and stereo equipment over the years.
  
  CRAIG: That led you to making mix tapes, DJing parties, battle rapping, and opening for hip hop acts that came through town. But how did you decide to focus on music full time?
  
  DEF3: I started to teach workshops with inner city youth. That led to several other opportunities within the community and it all snowballed from there. During this time I started recording my first solo album, called Hug Life, which was basically a reflection of where I was at in my life at the time. I began getting so many opportunities within music and teaching hip hop that one day it just hit me and I took the plunge. I decided to tell my boss off and quit the job I was working, because I hated it. The first few years weren’t easy, but I just kept working at it, constantly grinding and networking.
  
  CRAIG: And then starting Ship Records really solidified things?
  
  DEF3: Once I started Ship Records Inc. it was on. My business became my life. I started it as a vessel to release my friends as well as my own music independently. I am involved in every step of the release beginning to end with writing, recording, mixing, production design, manufacturing, marketing, and booking. I have also acquired a distribution and licensing deal with Universal Music’s Fontana North for my past two records. Running a business has taught me the importance of outsourcing and maximizing your efforts. Risk is everything. Like anything, the more you know about it and the more organized your approach, the better you will do.
  
  CRAIG: Where do you get your ideas? What sorts of things do you write about?
  
  DEF3: I get my ideas from everyday life and everything that happens around me, big and small. There are so many things to write about that it is impossible to run out of subject matter. I just be honest and accept who I am. I write about things that inspire me, make me laugh, make me think, or make me happy, sad, or angry. Whatever comes up comes out. I just make sure that I am always capturing the moment, via recording or through a paint can. The world is my canvas.
  
  CRAIG: How would you describe a Def3 live show?
  
  DEF3: I would say, high energy and usually full of surprise guests. I maintain a positive message in my music and performance and I try to keep people involved, entertained, and dancing if possible.
  
  CRAIG: What major successes have you had over the years?
  
  DEF3: I’ve gotten to do a lot of awesome things through music, rocked some incredible crowds and met a lot of interesting people and celebs over the years. I got the chance to perform a few tracks with Michael Franti and Spearhead at the Regina Folk Festival in 2008. That was awesome. I also got the chance to meet and open for Nas --- one of my favourite rappers. I was given the opportunity to headline the Saskatchewan Pavilion at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics for the first three nights for the opening ceremonies. Those were epic shows. Then immediately following that, I went on a one month European tour. I was also chosen to represent Saskatchewan and perform for Michelle Jean, the [former] Governor General of Canada, for her farewell gala in August this year. I’m really looking forward to what the future brings.
  
  CRAIG: What are some of the places you’ve toured? What was one of the most memorable things you got to experience?
  
  DEF3: I’ve toured throughout the U.S., including Hawaii, Japan, Europe, and all over Canada. One of my most memorable moments on tour was when [Saskatoon hip hop artist] Factor and I were in L.A. in 2009 on the Myka 9 tour. That whole tour itself was amazing. Xzibit was executive producing a record that Factor was making the beats for, so I got the opportunity to go to Xzibit’s house for an afternoon and kick it with him. Then we went to one of Dr. Dre ‘s Studios where they recorded a song with him.
  
  CRAIG: What do you think of the Saskatchewan hip hop scene?
  
  DEF3: I think it’s awesome. There are so many talented artists with a wide variety of styles as well as educated fans. Its only weakness is lack of population, but I think this is compensated by an overabundance of support from the fans and the province itself.
  
  CRAIG: Last question --- any advice to up and coming musicians on how to build a career in Saskatchewan?
  
  DEF3: Be yourself and hard work pays off.
  

• Def3 and Factor - Drumbo [+ Show ]
  

  By Thomas Quinlan With a lot of hard work and more than a little talent, Saskatoon producer Factor ...By Thomas Quinlan
  With a lot of hard work and more than a little talent, Saskatoon producer Factor has earned the right to collaborate with underground legends like Awol One and Myka 9, yet he continues to contribute to the likes of regional MCs like Regina's Def3. Compared to Factor's production on the now-classic solo debut from Ira Lee, Def 3's partner in Dead Can't Bounce, Factor has picked up the pace with a greater emphasis on mid- to late '90s-influenced boom-bap for Def 3's solo debut. Being a more traditional rapper than many of the MCs Factor usually collaborates with, it works for Def3. The exceptions are the mellow bookend beats for "Triumph," a meaningful but boring opening track that threatens to derail the album right from the start, and "Killing Time," a jazzy, soulful cut that's exactly where it belongs - chillin' at the end of the album. As for Def3, Drumbo is a mix of message-orientated raps and braggadocio, highlighted by "Stutter Step," which should have been the opening track, fast-paced funk jam "Speed Demon" with Moka Only, and "C.H.U.G.," an ironic, new frat boy anthem. Despite a skip-worthy track or two, Drumbo is a cool collaboration that demonstrates Def3's potential even as the album falls short of classic status.

Setlist

Varies depending on Band presence and Gig Location

Basic Requirements

Calendar