DaVinci
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DaVinci

San Francisco, California, United States | SELF

San Francisco, California, United States | SELF
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"DaVinci: 'The MOEna Lisa' (Mixtape)"

After treating us to plenty of early samples, including "Cheeba" and "Nothin Finna Stop Me," breakout Bay Area rapper DaVinci finally releases his new mixtape, The MOEna Lisa, via SWTBRDS. Straying from the usual hyphy theme heard from San Francisco, the project boasts lofty and polished production across a 15-track selection, providing the perfect compliment to the MC's impassioned lyricism, which takes both optimistic and pensive approaches. Freddie Gibbs and Main Attrakionz round out the tape's guest list. - Prefix Magazine


"DaVinci Drops Free New Album The MOEna Lisa, Continues to Be Underrated"

Regular readers will doubtless know DaVinci, the under-appreciated Fillmore District rapper whose work has long stood out among the eager crop of local MCs. Over two records so far -- 2010's The Day The Turf Stood Still and last year's Feast or Famine -- DaVinci painted a portrait of his changing 'hood while proving himself one of the most vivid and versatile rappers in the Bay. Today he's back with new album The MOEna Lisa, the final chapter in a trilogy of sorts -- and he's posted it for free download on the usual platforms.

What to expect? First and foremost there's DaVinci's gravelly, agile voice and imaginative lyrics, which deal with topics that are less bleak and more celebratory here than on past records. You gotta love some of his rhymes, like these from "Cold Piece of Work":

All I see is dinner, I'ma grab me a plate
Cheesy macaroni, shrimps salad, and steak
Hey though, me and my n***as we don't play though
And if I say it's gravy they'll mash your potato

But DaVinci's new record also features a host of hot Bay Area producers from the SWTBRDS collective, so expect some seriously thick and funky beats. One early highlight for us is the slow and soupy grind REL built for "Paper Power Pussy," which just gets more three-dimensional the louder you make it.

One thing's for sure -- a new DaVinci album is nothing to pass up, especially when it's free. Give it a listen below. - SF Weekly


"DaVinci "Cheeba" [ft. Ammbush, Main Attrakionz, and the Jacka]"

Resembling close to a cult-rap version of the Re-Up Gang, DaVinci, Main Attraktionz, and relative unknowns Ammbush and the Jacka go to work on "Cheeba" over some seasonably morose bass stabs and cloudy vibrations, courtesy of producer Keyes. Da Vinci continues his recent tear, easily winning the technical battle, and Main Attrakionz will always sound good over clammy beats-- but the real surprise here is Ammbush. Though his rapping skills aren't worth a damn, the Oakland artist is reminiscent of Rosco P. Coldchain, the Re-Up Gang associate who always worked well with assists. In his no-nonsense opening verse, Ammbush quickly references Mario Andretti, Freddie Krueger, Biggie, Jason Voorhees, and Clark Kent, with the kind of eclectic icon worship that should appeal to fans of the song’s titular escape route. - Pitchfork


"DaVinci "Nothin Finna Stop Me""

You don't usually come to the gruff-voiced, stoic Bay Area rapper DaVinci for "flashy". His stock and trade has been formally tidy rap, full of old-school East Coast virtues: crisp beats, writerly bars, detailed narratives. On"Nothin Finna Stop Me," though, DaVinci seems to be having fun, chuckling audibly to himself as he leans on punch lines like "twist a cabbage like an egg roll" and "My money come quick like virgin sex." He still peppers the lyrics with his bits of street reportage-- "Young niggas eighteen walk around with grey hair"-- but they swirl together with the jokes and the beat, a generous spread of funk horns that producers Block Beattaz smear with some speaker-obliterating low end. - Pitchfork


"DaVinci: "Nothin Finna Stop Me" (Prod. Block Beattaz)"

The last we heard from Prefix favorite DaVinci he was rhyming with Main Attrakionz on their hyphy anthem, "Do It For The Bay." Now the San Francisco MC is prepping a new LP, The MOEna Lisa, due for release Nov. 6 via SWTBRDS. Its latest sample, "Nothin Finna Stope Me," finds DaVinci linking up with Block Beattaz, the production team behind the bulk of Stalley's Savage Journey to the American Dream mixtape, who supply a polished, percussion-heavy instrumental to soundtrack his empowering lyrics. This one's a certified hustle anthem. - Prefix Magazine


"Hear DaVinci's Swaggering 'Nothin Finna Stop Me'"

One of SPIN's 5 Best New Artists for October, San Francisco MC DaVinci maintains "one foot in the decades-old tradition of confessional, slightly askew Bay Area gangsta rap and the other planted firmly in of-the-moment, grabs-from-whatever Internet street rap." His Feast or Famine set from last year made our 50 Mixtapes You Need Now list, and his new LP The MOEna Lisa is looking like an essential of 2012. As the young rapper presciently titles this Block Beataz-produced song in swaggering Bay-speak, "Nothin Finna Stop Me." - Spin Magazine


"Main Attrakionz: "Do It For The Bay" F. DaVinci"

Main Attrakionz have put out a number of high (emphasis on the high) quality projects in their young career -- notably the Mishka-backed 808s & Dark Grapes II, which boasted the A$AP Rocky collaboration, "Take 1/Leaf" -- but now Squadda B and Mondre M.A.N. are ready to take their talents to the big leagues with the release of their official debut album, Bossalinis & Fooliyones, on Oct. 22.

Fresh to digital screens today, here's the accompanying video to the misty Harry Fraud-produced, DaVinci-featuring "Do It For The Bay," the lead single from their upcoming LP. Being from the Bay and making a song referencing the Bay, it would only make sense to shoot the video in the Bay, and voila, that's exactly what Main Attrakionz have done. - Prefix Magazine


"Main Attrakionz: "Do It For The Bay" F. DaVinci"

Main Attrakionz have put out a number of high (emphasis on the high) quality projects in their young career -- notably the Mishka-backed 808s & Dark Grapes II, which boasted the A$AP Rocky collaboration, "Take 1/Leaf" -- but now Squadda B and Mondre M.A.N. are ready to take their talents to the big leagues with the release of their official debut album, Bossalinis & Fooliyones, on Oct. 22.

Fresh to digital screens today, here's the accompanying video to the misty Harry Fraud-produced, DaVinci-featuring "Do It For The Bay," the lead single from their upcoming LP. Being from the Bay and making a song referencing the Bay, it would only make sense to shoot the video in the Bay, and voila, that's exactly what Main Attrakionz have done. - Prefix Magazine


"DaVinci, “In My City” MP3"

“In My City” is the first single from San Francisco rapper DaVinci’s forthcoming album The MOEna Lisa, named after Fillmore district where he grew up. Al Jieh of the Drums N Ammo production crew provides a subtle, twinkling beat and, with the hushed discretion of a street transaction, DaVinci whispers: I’ll get you what you’re lookin for, tell me what you need. The track is a firm reminder that he’s well paid; according to the song, a chunk of his profits are spent filling up at Gussie’s Chicken & Waffles on Fillmore and Eddy street. Download “In My City” and check out the tracklist for The MOEna Lisa, which drops October 17th, below.
- Fader


"DaVinci, “In My City” MP3"

“In My City” is the first single from San Francisco rapper DaVinci’s forthcoming album The MOEna Lisa, named after Fillmore district where he grew up. Al Jieh of the Drums N Ammo production crew provides a subtle, twinkling beat and, with the hushed discretion of a street transaction, DaVinci whispers: I’ll get you what you’re lookin for, tell me what you need. The track is a firm reminder that he’s well paid; according to the song, a chunk of his profits are spent filling up at Gussie’s Chicken & Waffles on Fillmore and Eddy street. Download “In My City” and check out the tracklist for The MOEna Lisa, which drops October 17th, below.
- Fader


"5 Best New Artists for October '12"

DaVinci

Who: San Francisco rapper with one foot in the decades-old tradition of confessional, slightly askew Bay area gangsta rap, and the other planted firmly in the of-the-moment, grabs-from-whatever Internet street rap of say, Main Attrakionz. With last year's Feast or Famine EP, DaVinci climbed out from under an uncharacteristic, NYC boom-bap obsession to apply his tongue-twisting introspection to a broader, more varied collection of beats. Recent mixtape XLIX teases toughness with moments of poetic confession, and prepares listeners for next month's album proper, The MOEna Lisa.

File Next To: G-Side, Raekwon, Scarface

Where To Start: The Freddie Gibbs-assisted we're-gonna-make-it anthem "MYOB," off The MOEna Lisa, out 11/6 on SWTBRDS. - Spin Magazine


"DaVinci f. D-How the Money Mayka, “Let Em Know” MP3"

Seals and Croft’s “Summer Breeze” isn’t a particularly unusual track to sample. But producer Al Jieh, of DaVinci‘s Drums N Ammo production squad, has an ear for detail and texture and lush production aesthetic, which sets his beat for “Let Em Know” apart from the typical one-track-jack.”Let Em Know” is being released alongside another great track, Ammbush‘s “Doper,” on the upcoming SWTBRDS crew tape Amongst Wolves. - Fader


"50 Mixtapes You Need Now"

#13. DaVinci
Feast or Famine

Comfortable and confident, the San Francisco MC switches up his usual Bay Area slap sound for a smoother G-Funk ride. - Spin Magazine


"DaVinci feat. Tenille – ‘Paying For My Past’ (Video)"

At the risk of sounding like a pastry connoisseur, everything San Francisco's DaVinci cooks up just oozes quality. Engineered to perfection and shot in understated high definition, EP highlight 'Paying For My Past' comes to life even more so with this typically epic video. The cinematography on this is just excellent too. - Southern Hospitality


"Video: DaVinci f. Tenille, “Paying for My Past”"

DaVinci just raps, dude. With “Paying For My Past” the SF MC kicks mad introspective retrospects and still finds the breath to mock inferior rappers for their cum stain albums that never drop. Singer Tenille makes it sound definitively ’90s with the type of lesser-Sade chorus moves that might’ve occupied the second half of a middle period O.C. album. - Fader Magazine


"DaVinci: "Beer, Bitches, & Bullshit" F. Roach Gigz & C Plus (Video)"

Former Prefix Artist to Watch DaVinci let his hair down, so to speak, on his latest project, Feast or Famine. It features a more light-hearted and carefree version of the Fillmore, Calif. rapper who caught our attention with brutal street narratives. He's just as skilled writing tongue-in-cheek odes to his vices, though, such as "Beer, Bitches, & Bullshit." To be fair, he probably got some inspiration from off-the-wall Bay Area spitter Roach Gigz, who kills it here with his animated guest appearance. Erick Lee and Chad Ross bring the foolishness to life here in their video, which is appropriately draped in a purple haze. - Prefix Mag


"DaVinci: "Beer, Bitches, & Bullshit" F. Roach Gigz & C Plus (Video)"

Former Prefix Artist to Watch DaVinci let his hair down, so to speak, on his latest project, Feast or Famine. It features a more light-hearted and carefree version of the Fillmore, Calif. rapper who caught our attention with brutal street narratives. He's just as skilled writing tongue-in-cheek odes to his vices, though, such as "Beer, Bitches, & Bullshit." To be fair, he probably got some inspiration from off-the-wall Bay Area spitter Roach Gigz, who kills it here with his animated guest appearance. Erick Lee and Chad Ross bring the foolishness to life here in their video, which is appropriately draped in a purple haze. - Prefix Mag


"Hear This Now: Fillmore Rapper DaVinci's New, Free Feast or Famine EP"

There's been a lot of attention lately given to the Bay Area's more out-there rappers, like Kreayshawn and Lil B. But plenty of locals are making slightly more conventional -- albeit no less worthy -- hip-hop . After dropping a solid album last year, Fillmore District MC DaVinci is back today with a free EP called Feast or Famine. With guest appearances from such local notables as DJ Platurn, Roach Gigz, and Nio tha Gift, Feast or Famine is probably DaVinci's strongest work yet. His gravelly flows are smooth and imaginative, the beats are fresh and engrossing, and none of the tracks on this eight-song EP overstay their welcome. While his last effort, The Day the Turf Stood Still, focused on the impacts of gentrification on his Fillmore neighborhood, Feast or Famine deals with ghetto life itself, and what DaVinci says is the all-or-nothing nature of success.

After the jump, grab a free download of Feast or Famine and find a video of DaVinci discussing the new project. - SF Weekly


"DaVinci: 'Feast Or Famine' (EP)"

Previous Prefix Artist to Watch DaVinci caught our attention, and then some, last year thanks to his killer free album, The Day The Turf Stood Still. Packed with a gruff flow, honest lyrical approach, and eclectic production, the project easily landed on our list of 2010's best free albums/mixtapes. It also ensured that we would be all over whatever he had coming next, which ended being an EP by the name of Feast or Famine.

The EP is a slightly more upbeat project compared to the The Day The Turf Stood Still, which centered on DaVinci discussing the gentrification of his native Fillmore District in San Francisco, Calif. For example, standout track "Beers, Bitches & Bullshit" features the throaty MC kicking his feet up with Sacramento newcomer C Plus and San Fran hypeman Roach Gigz. Elsewhere, DaVinci gets even more chill on G-funk-y weed anthem "Smoke the Night Away," which has some personal narrative touches, too. - Prefix Mag


"Video: DaVinci, “D.R.E.A.M.”"

Leave it to DaVinci to make a raw song about cooking crack into a warm, personal meditation on working to live. The key here is his voice, which is an unremarkable rasp. We mean that in the best sense though—he has a point and an emotional thrust behind that point, and he is very good at being direct. It’s hard to pull off this kind of rapping without coming off as boring, but if you’re talented enough, it’s pretty enviable. DaVinci’s Feast or Famine EP is available for completely free right here.

- Fader


"Watch: S.F. Rapper DaVinci on Life in the Fillmore and His Excellent New EP"

Last month, Fillmore District rapper DaVinci released what will likely end up being one of the best S.F. rap records of 2011: the free Feast or Famine EP. It's too early to formally issue such high praise yet, but Feast or Famine is eight tracks of smooth rhymes from a San Francisco native to who tells the stories of life in his neighborhood straight, backed by beats from some the most creative producers in local hip-hop.

Today, DaVinci released a five-minute video showing snippets of his life in the Fillmore and the making of the (free) EP. It's a revealing look at one of S.F. rap's rising stars, and you can check it out after the jump.

- SF Weekly


"DaVinci - Feast or Famine EP Review - 8.0"

In the internet era, standing out from the hip-hop crowd often requires youthful immediacy, extreme novelty, and a willingness to throw anything at the wall in hopes that something sticks. This isn't a bad thing-- a lot of times, it's what makes keeping up with hip-hop so exciting. But confident artists, artists with a strong sense of self, should be celebrated for adhering to modest ambitions. If anything, in order to have a career that lasts these days, this kind of long-term consistency will become a necessity to combat the hype-backlash loop. Bay Area rapper DaVinci's new Feast or Famine EP, which follows last year's The Day the Turf Stood Still debut, is a release that refines an existing formula, relying on a distinctively wistful production aesthetic and the kind of rapping that feels like a labor of love, from an artist who sees hip-hop as a career.

Party-rap single "Beer, Bitches, & Bullshit" is an immediate standout, although atypical of the record's sound: Over chugging production, DaVinci is joined by scene-stealing Roach Gigz and rapper C-Plus for a song about drunken misadventures. But the bulk of the record has a glossy, carefully-crafted professional sheen. As on his previous record, his vocals are proficiently musical. He has a sixth sense for rhythm and rhyme patterns, which largely overcomes a vocal style that otherwise operates as a detached flatline. As on The Day the Turf Stood Still, his lyrics offer a lot to close reading, if you're that type of rap fan. His worldview is thoughtful and nostalgic, affecting a nuanced sense of melancholy one moment balanced with hopefulness the next.

This is a step up from his previous release primarily because of the production. Where The Day leaned on the predictable reliability (and ideological baggage) of classic boom-bap to frame DaVinci's lyrics, Feast or Famine has a more consistent, unique production style. In keeping with the relaxed pace of his music, the beats are svelte, all smoothed edges and rolling momentum. It conveys the immersive thrill of speeding down the highway with the windows up, the same feel of comfort and control, observing the passing images of an inescapable world outside. The record has a warm, welcoming feel but doesn't shy away from the kinds of real-world dilemmas of the thoughtful street rap archetype. It's an introspective, therapeutic quality, like the internal monologue of a person reflecting privately on the tangled problems he's been forced to confront.

The album's climactic moment epitomizes this contradiction between lush comfort and the ugliness of the outside world. With a propulsive bassline and muted trumpet samples, the incredible "Paying for my Past" refers briefly to a life of drug dealing ("I used to hide my bundle in a laundromat lint trap...") but primarily zooms in on the uglier side of drug addiction, a world where you most viscerally confront your past decisions on a regular basis. DaVinci's expressionless vocals help balance the emotive content of his words and the immediacy of the production, packing a wistful emotional punch.
- Pitchfork


"Co-Signed Hype: DaVinci"

Had a certain San Francisco rapper not written a song called, “Ghosts of Fillmoe,” the title would’ve been perfect for DaVinci’s debut record. 27-year old John DeVore sounds haunted. Not in the ectoplasmic Edgar Allen Poe way, but via the dead friends, ancestors, and memories that infect his consciousness and surroundings. Instead, his album is called The Day The Turf Stood Still, a knowingly ironic twist on his neighborhood that refuses to stay static.

The historic hub of San Francisco African-American culture, the Fillmore District was once the site of jazz clubs that hosted the likes of Etta James and Duke Ellington, and the place that birthed regional legends like Andre Nickatina, San Quinn, and Messy Marv. It’s also shrinking. As DaVinci points out on his record’s standout single, “What You Finna’ Do,” liquor spots turned into coffee shops. Condos sprung up next to public housing, and the area’s residents were either priced out, or cashed in and purchased homes in Oakland, Hunter’s Point, or elsewhere. Though there were brief stints in San Jose and Oakland, DaVinci never left, staying tethered to his increasingly narrow turf, hustling to get “Ben” (the title of his second single, one that cleverly flips the old Michael Jackson rat ode).

Cinematic is the prevailing cliche that springs to mind when discussing the record. Courtesy of from Bay Area vets DJ Ammbush and Al Jieh, the production veers towards breaks and orchestal classic soul loops, diced and disembodied and matched perfectly with DaVinci’s rough-hewn blunted flow. But cinematic isn’t the right word. Utilizing old news broadcasts and clips from the 2001 PBS Documentary, The Fillmore, DaVinci applies the neutral eye of a skeptical documentarian. He refuses to brand the gentrification as evil or good, watching with eyes both sober and stoned, reminiscing without nostalgia or glamorization of a childhood with an incarcerated father, surrounded by drug addiction and poverty. But the story isn’t so different from thousands of rappers — what is is DaVinci’s facility with words, honesty, and ability to sketch his own compelling story against the changing backdrop of a neighborhood in flux. It’s hard-nosed, raw, and without compromise, and its one of the best rap records of the year thus far. The best kind of haunting (no Liam Neeson).
- Jeff Weiss


"DaVinci: Prefix Artist to Watch (P.A.W.)"

Representing the Fillmore District of the Bay Area, DaVinci stands staunchly in California's hip-hop middle ground. In 2010, it seems like every MC emerging from California is either a blog-friendly act or still on the hyphy tip. Refreshingly, DaVinci is neither. He recalls the earlier days of Jay-Z and Scarface -- particularly the latter, when it comes to his throaty cadence and flow.

And that is not a round-about way of labeling DaVinci as a '90s revivalist. Rather, he provides an updated take on the lyrical depth and styles of those aforementioned MCs with a Left Coast bent. That boils down to a hefty dose of storytelling and braggadocio mixed with witty wordplay and metaphors among tales of his trails and tribulations in Fillmore. Clear examples of that occur when he spits such clever bars as "When bread rise, I smell profit/ Don't make me dead guys for dead guys in my pocket" with a dose of venom.

Particularly engrossing is DaVinci's in-depth look at the issue of gentrification in his Fillmore neighborhood. While it's always been a hot-button topic, it's not one that typically resides in the bars of today's rappers. But that's exactly what you get on grimy narrative "What You Finna Do?" off his The Day The Turf Stood Still debut. (It was released earlier this year on Sweetbreads Creative Collective.) DaVinci guides you on detailed account of a walk through Fillmore. Gone are the liquor stores, which were replaced by coffee shops, and gone are the drug dealers, who were scared away by security cameras and a strong police presence. It's a revealing look at what's happening within some of America's struggling cities.

What DaVinci ultimately succeeds in doing is bridging gaps. He put out an album that older heads and younger listeners both can appreciate. He portrays inner city life in a way that provides us with an experience we would likely never live ourselves. And he does it with a socially aware tone, so even his most greed-driven, thug-centric rhymes can appeal to conscious-rap fans.
- Prefix Magazine


"DaVinci: Prefix Artist to Watch (P.A.W.)"

Representing the Fillmore District of the Bay Area, DaVinci stands staunchly in California's hip-hop middle ground. In 2010, it seems like every MC emerging from California is either a blog-friendly act or still on the hyphy tip. Refreshingly, DaVinci is neither. He recalls the earlier days of Jay-Z and Scarface -- particularly the latter, when it comes to his throaty cadence and flow.

And that is not a round-about way of labeling DaVinci as a '90s revivalist. Rather, he provides an updated take on the lyrical depth and styles of those aforementioned MCs with a Left Coast bent. That boils down to a hefty dose of storytelling and braggadocio mixed with witty wordplay and metaphors among tales of his trails and tribulations in Fillmore. Clear examples of that occur when he spits such clever bars as "When bread rise, I smell profit/ Don't make me dead guys for dead guys in my pocket" with a dose of venom.

Particularly engrossing is DaVinci's in-depth look at the issue of gentrification in his Fillmore neighborhood. While it's always been a hot-button topic, it's not one that typically resides in the bars of today's rappers. But that's exactly what you get on grimy narrative "What You Finna Do?" off his The Day The Turf Stood Still debut. (It was released earlier this year on Sweetbreads Creative Collective.) DaVinci guides you on detailed account of a walk through Fillmore. Gone are the liquor stores, which were replaced by coffee shops, and gone are the drug dealers, who were scared away by security cameras and a strong police presence. It's a revealing look at what's happening within some of America's struggling cities.

What DaVinci ultimately succeeds in doing is bridging gaps. He put out an album that older heads and younger listeners both can appreciate. He portrays inner city life in a way that provides us with an experience we would likely never live ourselves. And he does it with a socially aware tone, so even his most greed-driven, thug-centric rhymes can appeal to conscious-rap fans.
- Prefix Magazine


"DaVinci’s Blame Game"

“Blame Game.” Named worst song to play on Valentine’s Day for 1 year and counting. Aided by producer, Al Jieh, San Francisco’s DaVinci unfurls a tense ghetto narrative, turning Kanye’s tale of relationship woes into a bleak but inspirational message of uplift. Most importantly, he raps like he’s seen enough pain to write a Scarface song. It’s all in the details.. “See dope fiend Archie/leaning over on a parch bench/nodding off of H/got my motherfucking heart drenched.”

And whether it’s “Druqks” or songs about the debilitating effects of drugs, Aphex Twin stays winning. - Passion of the Weiss


"Prince Aries, DaVinci, SanQuinn, and Matt Blaque Take a Ride in "Clean Ass Whip""

We told you last week about the new mixtape from Bay Area hip-hop DJ Prince Aries, titled Clean Ass Whip. (The short version: It's a local rap mixtape, and it's good.) Today arrived the video for the mix's title cut, a flush, laid-back rhyme featuring S.F. rappers DaVinci, SanQuinn, and Matt Blaque that makes us really wish we owned any kind of whip -- clean-ass or not -- to ride in.

Our car envy exploded after a few views of this video, which has DaVinci and crew "rolling around" S.F. in a gorgeous '69 (?) Chevy Malibu convertible and posturing proudly beside their beloved assemblages of sheet metal. (Also featured: A maroon Impala with gigantic rims and a Corvette.)

Wait, you didn't think S.F. rappers owned cars? Turns out, they do. Clean-ass ones, even, which they drive with great satisfaction around this fair city of ours. (Sigh.) But seriously, enjoy this: - SF Weekly


"Fillmore MC DaVinci on the Mixed Bag of Gentrification, and Why His Music Isn't Throwback Rap"

Easily the most surprising and refreshing hip-hop record to come out of the Bay Area this year is the first album from DaVinci, The Day the Turf Stood Still. Not only did that record revitalize this writer's faith in local hip-hop, but praise for the massive debut has come from all across the critical spectrum. The Fillmore MC, born John DeVore, is certainly deserving of full credit, but one can't help but wonder how much making Turf available for free has helped its success. Regardless, DaVinci's articulate flows and classically minded beats stand out on San Francisco's music scene.

Tonight at 330 Ritch, DaVinci will saddle up onstage for a night of brilliant, live hip-hop music. He's joined by Brooklyn rap veterans Tanya Morgan, with the hot, young MC Freddie Gibbs headlining the show. In anticipation of that performance, we were able to have a quick but illuminating conversation with DaVinci. The rapper expounded on a huge focus of his Turf record -- gentrification -- explained why he wanted to give out that album for free, and spoke of what's coming up next.

One of the biggest things that has seemed to set you apart from most hip-hop artists is that you gave your debut album, The Day the Turf Stood Still, out for absolutely free. What prompted you to go that route?

I wanted to give my album out for free so that fans worldwide could have easy access to my music, and so I could earn my fans' trust in the long run.

That record seems to be based largely around the gentrification of your neighborhood, the Fillmore District. In the years that I've lived in San Francisco, I've seen the landscape transformed by high-rise condo buildings, chain restaurants, and refurbished landmarks. Where do those kind of changes hit you the hardest?

I wouldn't say the album is about gentrification, per se. It's about my life, and thus about the neighborhood that I was raised and live in. And because gentrification was so rampant during my life in the '80s and '90s, it is a dominant theme. Gentrification was on my mind kinda heavy at the time we recorded the songs, so it showed up through out the album. The hardest part about seeing half of the hood transformed is adapting to the new surroundings that they've tailored to cater to non-native Fillmore residents. Instead of our nieghborhood record stores and barber shops, there are overpriced cafes, pet shops, and boutiques that don't even want us as patrons.

Do you see any redeeming qualities in those changes?

Yes and no. Yes, because [the] Fillmore was a slum in the early '90s, and as they started to renovate it -- one housing project and vacant lot at a time -- the murder, homelessness, and crime rate lowered some. So that's cool. But no, because the problem now is the people who are originally from Fillmore can't afford to live in the new expensive condos and renovated apartments. Not to mention [that] the jobs they used to have at the black-owned businesses ain't even there no more. So we were all forced to either move or break our backs to stay. So you gotta ask yourself, who were these changes made for? For us or for new residents, so that we can be more easily replaced?

Let's talk about the music on Turf. You've gone completely past the sounds of Bay Area hyphy music, or any Top 40-type production, and stuck to a more classic, sample-based hip-hop sound. Was that a decision to not sound like the 'average' Bay Area MC or just a natural outcome of your personal influences?

Nah, that's the thing, we didn't even try to make it sound different. This album came to be what it is because myself and my producers just happen to have our own sound. [My producers] Al Jieh, Ammbush, and Big D, had good chemistry; everyone involved felt like we needed to put an album together that has a cohesive sound. We just wanted to do what we felt [like], to see what we would come up with. That said, a lotta folks trying to box it into a sound, trying to say it's just like other "sample-based" rap or it's a throwback sound, but even then, it's really not. If you listen to the drums they use, it's a lot different because it ain't just dusty snares, but it's hand claps, rim shots, and 808s tucked in and shit. It's a lotta synths and live instrumentation -- it makes it sound current.

What are some of your personal favorite tracks on Turf? What is it about those songs that set them apart?

"Idle Mind," "Aristocrat," and "Ben" just to name a few. I like each song for their own reasons, but those songs are probably the most personal. I share some experiences that most of my homies didn't even know about.

How has the local response been to your record? Any moments standout from your live performances in the Bay Area?

It's been a lot of love nationally and across the board since the album dropped. Given that this was an album you had to let soak in after a few listens, it's always good to see people at the shows who know the words to my songs already. That shit is - SF Weekly


"DaVinci: "Round Me" (Video)"

Since releasing their instrumental album last month, the West Coast collective producers known as Drums & Ammo have been churning out videos pushing the self-titled release. The way they have been doing it, though, is to not just throw an instrumental track out there. Rather the guys have made videos for any track on Drums & Ammo that made its way onto an MC's album. "Round Me" is the latest example and stems from DaVinci's fantastic 2010 record, The Day The Turf Stood Still. Apparently producer Al Jieh really wanted to make a video for the track back then, but it just never happened. Luckily for him and us -- let's face it, "Round Me" is ill -- they were able to change that recently. - Prefix Magazine


"Southern Hospitality Presents: Lunice feat. ST 2 Lettaz & DaVinci - ‘Get Her High’"

When his hip-hop production debut, instant classic Bus Stop Jazz, which featured rapidly rising Bay Area duo The Jealous Guys, was playlisted on radio shows from San Francisco to London and spun by opinion formers the world over, Montreal's most animated producer, dancer and DJ was more than keen to get back behind the boards for another banger.

This time around Lunice F. Pierre II enlisted critically-acclaimed rap heavyweights ST 2 Lettaz of Huntsville, Alabama's finest twosome G-Side and San Francisco Thorobred representer, the mighty DaVinci to let loose over a track that draws heavily from his background as an electronic soundscaper.

On 'Get Her High' Lunice layers synths upon overlapping synths, injects fizzes and slaps before slapping you round the ears with a donk. He channels that trademark Lunician energy throughout, even stepping inside the track itself, dancing through the music in an epic makeshift third verse.

ST and DaVinci equally feel right at home, deep in their favourite zone, with tales of couch to bedroom excursions, nut stains, Boosie fades and trees for days.

Needless to say, fire it up. - Southern Hospitality


"Davinci, “Pangea” MP3"

As a warm up for his forthcoming Feast Or Famine EP, SF spitter Davinci goes left, pulling a Ghostface entire-track beat jack move on Dexter Wansel’s so-futuristic fusion classic “Rings Of Saturn.” He even steps into Wansel’s Life On Mars artwork for his own cover.

- Fader


"The DaVinci Code"

The co-signs of Maurice Garland, Noz and Burn One go a long way. About two weeks ago, the three tweeted the praises of an artist from Cali named DaVinci. Seeing as how these three have never led to disaster as far as music is concerned (still working on getting Mo’ on the pro-LeBron bandwagon), a point was made to give this guy’s music a true run through.

Which was a great decision, too. As far as new life out west is concerned, Nipsey, Jay Rock and Fashawn are the most visible. They represent a resurgence in a coast who has been yearning for respect since the fall of Death Row some fourteen years ago. Pretty soon, Vinci may find himself knocking on the doorstep of success and potential. The beautiful thing about his art is the effortless combination of bars and beats. They’re both ominous. Not exclusively the trunk rattling, gangbanging vibes often heard from the West. From the first few listens, one of the San Franciscoresident’s best qualities proves to be his storytelling. Like the old head in the barbershop who has experienced so much that when he speaks, listening isn’t optional– it’s mandatory.

On his debut project, The Day The Turf Stood Still, you’ll hear the evils of the streets mixed with the beauty of the paper chase. It sounds like something straight out of a modern day Shakespearean play. The music isn’t overbearing. Rather, it’s the audio equivalent of taking a shot of strong liquor that doesn’t burn on the way down.

Co-signs could be thrown around this guy until Pac comes back or Snoop claims Piru, but the point has been carved out. Ultimately, you’re going to have to decide yourself how you view dude’s music. In my eyes, you shouldn’t be disappointed. One thing is for sure, though, DaVinci is going to do his part. Now, if the Warriors could ever figure out how to play defense and the 49ers find a halfway decent quarterback, San Francisco would definitely be back on the map. - The Smoking Section


"DaVinci: “Slide Through” (Prod. By SMKA)"

The Bay meets Georgia clay on DaVinci’s contribution to the third volume of SMKA’s 808 Experiment series. Since this isn’t his first trip down south, The Fillmore, San Franciscorepresentative sounds right at home over slinky synths and a bassline made for making the turf do anything but stand still. Added to that is a laid-back, half-sung hook that immediately puts me in the mind of frequent SMKA collaborator Aleon Craft.

DaVinci’s typical production actually skews more east coast underground than the East Bay slaps associated with his home region, so hearing him rhyming over something even more unexpected is a testament to his versatility. Vinci also has a reputation for gritty conceptual pieces like “Ben” and “Idle Mind.” While I wouldn’t exactly say this he’s off the clock on this one, the very serious Bay area soldier is a little more at ease on this track. Still aware of his surroundings and the dangers that lurk within them, on Slide Through, if only for a moment, DaVinci is on some player shit. - The Smoking Section


"DaVinci: "Blame Game" (Video)"

It's looking like 2011 is going to be another solid year for DaVinci, who we profiled last year as a Prefix Artist to Watch after he blew us away with The Day The Turf Stood Still. He's got an EP, Feast Or Famine, and a full-length, The MOEna Lisa, due out this year. And to get us ready for those projects, he shot this quick video for the track "Blame Game," which samples the same track that Kanye West used for his "Blame Game" on My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. While Yeezy got all proggy with his tune, DaVinci and producer Al Jieh deliver a "backs against the wall," gritty street anthem. If this track is any indication of what he has in store for the EP and LP, we're in for even more greatness from the Fillmore, Calif., native. - Prefix Magazine


"DaVinci: Raw & Timeless"

COMING FROM THE INNER-CITY DISTRICT OF FILMORE (OR AS IT IS AFFECTIONATELY CALLED BY THE LOCALS, FILLMOE) IN SAN FRANCISCO, DAVINCI, ALONG WITH HIS CREATIVE PARTNERS AT SWEETBREADS [SWTBRDS], HAS BEEN QUIETLY BUT CONFIDENTLY BUILDING A BUZZ AND GARNERING ACCOLADES FOR HIS FIRST FULL-LENGTH FREE ALBUM, THE DAY THE TURF STOOD STILL. WITH HIS NEXT PROJECT, THE MOENA LISA, IN THE WORKS AND A TRAJECTORY THAT LOOKS SET TO REDEFINE THE BAY SOUND ACCLAIM THOUGHT THE TIME RIGHT TO CONNECT WITH THE MC AND SPEAK ON INFLUENCES, LOST MESSAGES AND THE SWTBRDS RECORDS CAMP.


What’s up DaVinci, what’s going on right now with you?

Chillin' at the crib watching the 49ers get their first win of the season. As far as the music goes, traveling doing shows, and also, me and our in-house production team Drums & Ammo (Al Jieh & Ammbush) are in the studio working on my next project too. It’s coming out ridiculous.

So your first joint with Sweetbreeds, The Day The Turf Stood Still came out a minute ago how has the response been with it?

The response has been crazy. We released it in March, and I've been busy with shows and shit ever since. Everywhere I go people tell me they can't stop listening to it and how much they're feeling the album on a personal level. That keeps me hyped about putting my music out.

The issue of gentrification on What You Finna Do has been well covered, are there any tracks that you think touched on an issue close to you that has been over looked?

There’s a song on the album called Idle Mind. Its about how some kids are left to make decisions for themselves too soon. I talk about what it was like for me growing up in Fillmoe (The Fillmore District of San Francisco). The pitfalls of an inner-city misguided youth and how to live with the decisions we make to survive.

Tell us about the situation at Sweetbreads, how’d that come about, is that an association that has come about by just like minded individuals just connecting, or did someone reach out to the other?

Sweetbreads Creative Collective (SWTBRDS) is something the homie Al Jieh started along with Ammbush and a few other folks back in 08-09. But I've been working with Al Jieh since we were younger, we've known each other for like 7 years. We were all doing our own things at the time though, and Al & Ammbush was like, we should do an album and really push it. They knew how to get music heard, so I was with it.

For the three videos out there from your album for the records Concrete Jungle, Ben and What You Finna Do, you worked with director Marcus Ubungen, can you speak on that relationship?

I have known Marcus for about 6 years prior to us shooting the videos. He grew up with Al, and Al introduced us years ago. He used to be a photographer and stayed in contact with everybody for the past 5 years and now he shoots videos so he's one of our in-house directors. He's apart of our camp too.

Are there any more free albums in you or is the next release set to be a traditional record store joint?

Giving away the album for free didn't sit right with me at first, but after seeing how many people are more likely to download music if it’s free rather than for sale, I might have to give fans the option to buy, or download for free again. My goal is still the same, to earn the fans trust, so we'll see!

Ammbush has obviously had a heavy hand in the production side of things with Turf did that come about through Sweetbreads, or was it there before that.

Definitely. Al introduced us about 3-4 years ago. We were usually all in the studio at the same time and Ammbush had a lot to do with the overall cohesive sound and how the album was arranged. He's like the mentor of our click.

As an artist now really coming into his own how does something like the closing of Fatbeats across the US play into your confidence to make money off of the traditional music formula?

It almost crushes it to be honest. That was one of the last few mom and pop record stores standing. But for every loss there is a gain. On the other end, you have brand new ways of making money like ringtones, digital sales etc, that didn't exist before. You still have merch, shows, and shit too.

A lot of reviews make reference to your album being akin to the sound of ‘90s New York. Why do you think this is and do you think it’s an accurate description.

I don’t think it’s an accurate description at all. I think somebody might say that because of my choice of production, but even then they're only saying that because there's a lot of samples. Really listen to it though, and you'll hear the heavy West Coast influence in the drums, bass lines, etc. Also, my rap style doesn't sound like what people would expect from the West Coast, or at least from West Coast artists as of late. They say I'm more lyrical and conceptual, so maybe that's it. I mean, 90s NY was a huge influence on hip hop in general, so all artists in 2010 are a product of that sound in a w - Acclaim Magazine


"DaVinci: "Pangea""

It's been a minute since we previously heard from former Prefix Artist to Watch DaVinci, who landed on our radar and stayed there after the release of last year's The Day The Turf Stood Still. It was a gritty, microscopic, and altogether riveting look into the world of his hometown of Fillmore, Calif. And since then, he has been pushing that album with a slew of tour dates while also working on its follow-up, the Feast or Famine EP. While it's still not clear when we'll hear the EP, DaVinci has provided us with a glimpse of what to expect with "Pangea." The track represents an interesting turn for the rapper, who typically sticks to street-ready, grimy riders.

But on here, he gets his jazz-rapper on as he spits over an unaltered version of keyboardist Dexter Wansel's "Rings of Saturn." The result is something so organic that it makes you wonder why DaVinci hasn't been rapping over jazz jams from the jump. His smoky drawl is the perfect complement to Wansel's galactic journey and it leaves you with images of a smoky jazz club filled with skilled players and a well-dressed MC. - Prefix Magazine


"DaVinci: "Pangea""

It's been a minute since we previously heard from former Prefix Artist to Watch DaVinci, who landed on our radar and stayed there after the release of last year's The Day The Turf Stood Still. It was a gritty, microscopic, and altogether riveting look into the world of his hometown of Fillmore, Calif. And since then, he has been pushing that album with a slew of tour dates while also working on its follow-up, the Feast or Famine EP. While it's still not clear when we'll hear the EP, DaVinci has provided us with a glimpse of what to expect with "Pangea." The track represents an interesting turn for the rapper, who typically sticks to street-ready, grimy riders.

But on here, he gets his jazz-rapper on as he spits over an unaltered version of keyboardist Dexter Wansel's "Rings of Saturn." The result is something so organic that it makes you wonder why DaVinci hasn't been rapping over jazz jams from the jump. His smoky drawl is the perfect complement to Wansel's galactic journey and it leaves you with images of a smoky jazz club filled with skilled players and a well-dressed MC. - Prefix Magazine


"DaVinci's Urban Renewal"

In San Francisco, money is in the air. The town is a hub of arty decor and scenic charm, but unless you are financially well heeled, San Francisco's considerable draws aren't really open to exploration.

It's a place of extremity and contradiction, where slick professionals and homeless vagrants negotiate the same streets, the socioeconomic gap widening ad infinitum. Thankfully, we have DaVinci — a 27-year-old rapper who continues to redefine Bay Area hip-hop's parameters — to articulate the issue.

"When you go anywhere in the world and say you're a rapper from San Fran, people's first thought is Fisherman's Wharf and Rice-A-Roni," DaVinci said. "Until they hear my music, watch my videos, or take a walk with me through the streets I grew up in and realize their perception is all wrong."

Whatever the archetype of a Bay Area rapper is, DaVinci scarcely fits it; in fact, with his swift, elegiac rhymes, his chief influence might be Queensbridge emcee Nas. It's a comparison that DaVinci welcomes. "I think East Coast rap influenced my style in terms of flow and how I approach the music conceptually," he said.

This is what makes him so exciting: DaVinci typifies a new class of street-savvy artists who skew local but couldn't be further removed from the manically free-associative psychedelia of "based" rappers like Lil B. Aesthetically, DaVinci is more conservative, but his boom-bap-oriented hip-hop works because it integrates just the right touch of sly humor. Witness how he flipped Michael Jackson's 1972 song "Ben" into a head-nodding anthem about countin' stacks. (Get it, Ben? As in, Ben Franklin?)

But he didn't always have much to laugh about. DaVinci grew up in the once-celebrated Fillmore district, where poverty and tense race relations informed an overt sense of unease among residents.

"While I was growing up, Fillmore was a predominantly black community — made up of everything from pimps, dope dealers, hustlers, and prostitutes to working, middle-class people," he said. "The high crime rate led redevelopers to come in and tear down half of the projects and build expensive condos. In other words, broke black people can get out, and whoever got enough money can move in."

Years before Bay Area hip-hop saw a groundswell in momentum, DaVinci was just an anonymous kid struggling to understand and broaden his worldview. Local rappers like San Quinn and JT the Bigga Figga were heroes in Fillmore, but it was a very blinkered kind of success. Few people checked for these guys outside of the 415. Chalk it up to public misconception.

San Francisco might be one of the nation's more affluent cities, but seeping through the cracks is a desperation that tourists and their privileged ilk handily ignore.

DaVinci has a decidedly different conception of the city by the bay, and he says it's borne out in statistics. "Rapping about poverty and the 'hood is only cliché to those who see it as entertainment — as make-believe," he said, pointedly. "The conditions of my people are real, and if that's cliché to you, then you won't ever get it."

Whenever he discusses the strife of the Fillmore, DaVinci seems cross and defiant, as if troubled by skewed impressions of his city that abound in the popular imagination. For the last decade, he has attempted — often tryingly — to reshape his hometown's image. That's a heavy burden no matter how much regional pride one bears.

DaVinci started rapping in 2001 and cut his first mixtape a year later. At first the reception to his guileless, perceptively low-key street-rap was lukewarm and DaVinci grew frustrated. "I got tired of my music collecting dust," he says now.

It wasn't until the spring of 2010 that he really found his niche. Recognizing that most listeners consume their hip-hop virally, DaVinci allowed fans to download his debut album, The Day the Turf Stood Still, without charge. Soon everyone was paying attention: Unfailingly hip publications like XLR8R and Pitchfork Media wrote about DaVinci with all the starry-eyed enthusiasm of a film critic reviewing Black Swan.

"My folks ... came to me with a strategy to utilize the web to distribute a project," he said. "The Internet provided me the outlet I was looking to find for years."

Even without the luxury afforded by a computer, though, DaVinci would likely still find a way to be heard because he is an incisive, commanding, thrilling presence. People with his talent don't go ignored, even if they came up on the margins.
- East Bay Express


""The Day The Turf Stood Still" Album Review"

Young rappers releasing their first album can take a lesson from Davinci. On his debut the Fillmore District San Francisco emcee keeps the songs short and to the point. First impressions have truly become everything in music these days with artists being lucky to have even one album see wide release. Davinci makes the most of his opportunity and delivers a tight set of street Rap that while not showing a wide array of styles nevertheless displays a mastery of most of the ones presented.

After a brief intro the album kicks off with its title track and de facto mission statement. The song makes clear over its rollicking beat that the listener is in for a whole lot of tough talk and “state of the hood” narratives with almost-too-clever lyrics like “Don’t make me dead guys for dead guys in my pockets.” Another example of this lyricism occurs on “Real Niggaz” (“Flash heat like menopause / Flash heat, ya man’ll pause”) and on “Concrete Jungle Juice” (“In haters’ mouths and on the nerves like cavities) but they come off more like throw-away jokes and it’s hard to hold their borderline cheesiness against Davinci. For several songs after the title track, the album just continues to improve. “What You Finna Do” is essentially the story of the last man alive in the hood and it boasts a great creeping atmosphere over which Davinci keeps his voice at just above a whisper spitting pointed lines like, "Republican’s dream, a street nigga’s nightmare.” This is also directly discussed in “Aristocrat” where, over a simple beat fleshed out with pianos, Davinci puts his head down and focuses on one of his favorite targets: the people who want to push him out of his city. The theme of these two songs, and much of the album, is an important one and can best be summed up by the sampled orator at the tracks opening: "Urban renewal means negro removal." Davinci returns to this idea throughout the record so even when the track may be less than captivating there is always the sense that vital topics are being considered and addressed.

Luckily, the album contains far more captivating tracks than not. One such track is “Ben,” which opens and closes with two legends, Michael Jackson and Jay-Z. Between those two sampled guest spots is a pretty interesting concept song addressed to Davinci’s self-proclaimed “best friend”: Ben Franklin or, more accurately, the picture of the great statesman that adorns the one hundred dollar bill. Using journalistic detail in lines like “Fresh out of grammar school 'for I ever held a tool / My jeans was faded, rockin’ dirty slanted shoes,” the song is a fascinating example of how so many people worship and find their worth in inanimate objects, holding them so dear that they become like a person.

Unfortunately, after that inspired opening run of songs the album stalls out. The middle section containing "Whipslash," "Round Me," and "Do What It Do" is serviceable but the production is too uniform. Sure the songs knock to a reasonable degree and DaVinci spits convincing turf talk but there aren't a ton of memorable lines and his delivery stays in the same basic range throughout. Besides those three the most disappointing track on the album is “Ghetto to Mars,” an unsuccessful sex jam and space jam in one with faux-deep lyrics and jazzy production flourishes.

The Day The Turf Stood Still closes on a good note as Davinci becomes more playful and shows some vocal dexterity. This is most observable on “Long Chain,” which contains an unexpected Odetta sample and features the emcee speeding up and slowing down his flow to good effect. “All I Have” features the album's spryest beat and horn stabs combined with some of Davinci’s best lines, “Back in high school I used to cut class all day / Purple in my locker stinkin’ up the hallway" and “When I'm broke I feel like robbin' everybody / Pull up the club and start a problem at the party” being two examples. Two more late album highlights are “It’s On Now,” which may have Turf's best production: staggeringly heavy drums accented with jangling chains and synthesized horns and choral voices. On “Idle Mind,” Davinci goes into detail about the path he has traveled from youth to today, “Cooked Top Ramen and quarter keys in hell's kitchen / Wishin’ the man upstairs would listen.” Featuring crying guitar lines and ominous drums it's the darkest track on the album, touching on some real nihilistic stuff like the way people can lose all respect for life.

With his debut album Davinci has displayed both the talent and the strategy of a veteran. He has kept his songs easily digestible and kept his themes clear. Listening to The Day The Turf Stood Still only a few times will give the listener a clear picture of Davinci’s worldview. The only thing that’s really missing is variety. Hopefully on his next release DaVinci will let the cool, tough pose down a little bit and really cut loose, letting his emotions overtake him. But it is certainly saying so - HipHopDX


"Fillmore Rapper DaVinci's thoughtful 'hood parables""

The song "What You Finna Do?," released earlier this month by Fillmore District rapper DaVinci, opens with a vocal sample from the 2001 PBS documentary The Fillmore. It condenses the gentrification process the area underwent from the 1960s into one slogan, lamenting, "Basically, after the urban renewal, it was basically Negro removal." As the gloomy beat kicks in, DaVinci starts to rap, eventually coining his update on the situation: "Down the corner of the street used to be the spot/Till they replaced all the liquor stores with coffee shops." The rest of his debut album, The Day the Turf Stood Still, released in both free download and retail versions this week, repeats the motif. It's no surprise, considering the changes he witnessed on his block.

"My grandmother came to San Francisco from Texas in the 1950s," he says. "She bought her home, a three-apartment unit, for $15,000 and paid it off before she passed away in 1996." Around this time, he started to see the reshaping of his 'hood. The usual signifiers of impending gentrification were all in play. Drugs and crime were up. Property values were down. The Fillmore's proximity to downtown made for potentially high rents. Then came the wrecking balls, turning housing projects to rubble and providing a very physical cue for an exodus of black residents. As he recalls, "The newer people offered those who were living there the opportunity to sell their houses, move out, and make a profit. It didn't sound like such a bad idea — by that point, half the neighborhood had already moved." But his family stayed, retaining the title to their home and bolstering their roots in the area.

Today, the 27-year-old DaVinci makes music shot through with local pride. He's been releasing mixtapes since 2002, plus 2007's "street" album, Butter and Gunz, executive-produced by San Quinn. He sees his debut album as a fitting contribution to the Fillmore's rich musical heritage. In the 1960s, jazz greats Count Basie, Etta James, and Duke Ellington used the area's clubs as their musical playground. During the rapper's own coming of age, it saw the formation of a hip-hop scene boosted by its insularity. The sound of the block was king. As DaVinci recalls: "You couldn't tell me anything about who the best rapper in the mainstream was — we'd listen to cats like San Quinn, JT the Bigga Figga, and D-Moe the Youngsta. Together, they were like the Roc-A-Fella [musical empire] of the Fillmore at the time. Looking at them, I saw that hip-hop could come out of Fillmore and be respected."

Being engulfed by this wave of self-sufficient rappers helped shape DaVinci's outlook. San Quinn, who lived two blocks away, could sometimes be found hustling with DaVinci's pops. JT released records on his own Get Low label at 18; his independent moves fostered DaVinci's expectations of the music industry. He's adamant that running after major labels "isn't even in the picture." And, true to his independence, DaVinci's album eschews the gangsta sheen of his elders in favor of relaying street parables over rugged, melancholy beats. It's a blend that suits his breathy timbre well and ensures the album rewards listeners who prefer carefully wrought lyrics over a quick hook.

It isn't a commercial sound, but DaVinci is confident he has wide appeal. Last month, he journeyed to New York City on a mission to boost his profile by meeting with online media outlets. Back home, he's looking at the positive side of the Fillmore's metamorphosis — caffeine-connoisseur neighbors included. "When we'd perform shows, it used to be all family who'd come, but now it's college students," he explains, before joking, "That's good, 'cause you can charge them more!"

Then he adds, "I think the new mix of ethnicities is the best thing that's happened to the Fillmore. Now it's not just a place where only black people know about the music that's coming out of here. That's a good change."
- SF Weekly


"DaVinci: A young cat straight out the Fillmoe sidesteps the hyphy hype--and gives it all away"

Just a couple years ago, you couldn’t chuck a thizz pill a few feet in the Bay Area without hitting a hyphy-rapping newjack. While there are plenty trying to recreate that carefree vibe, others realize there are realer issues to discuss. Rapper DaVinci (a.k.a. John DeVore) represents San Francisco’s neglected Fillmore district. His debut album, The Day the Turf Stood Still, looks at gentrification and the changing faces of black communities, while reminding fans what raw rhymes and gritty beats sound like. Skinny-jean dance-rap this is not.


Tell us about The Day the Turf Stood Still. Why the title? What do you explore with it?
I came up with the title because I wanted to base the theme of the album around how the face of black communities nationwide has drastically changed over the years. I touch on gentrification and exactly how the people who are most affected by it have been forced to respond... I was born and raised in Fillmoe [San Francisco’s Fillmore District], which was once considered the black Mecca of the West Coast. In the '60s and '70s, this was one of the only places on the West Coast where black people could come and actually have ownership. It was 95% black-owned homes and businesses. The crack epidemic hit so hard in the '80s and '90s, Fillmoe was looked at as a slum. That was the era that I grew up in. From the '90s until now, I've seen our population shrink every year. This was fuel for me artistically.


You rap a lot about economic survival, so why the hell would you offer Turf as a free download? The goal is to get paid, right?
Yes! The goal is to get paid, but, realistically, I realize I'm a new artist. Our goal at this point is to be viral. We just want people to hear the album, to earn their trust. We felt like the best way for people to hear it is to give the consumer the option to buy, or download it for free. The money will come later down the line. We believe in long-term fan investment.

How would you describe your sound? I’ve heard people say you’ve got an east coast flow, and your music’s definitely not hyphy, which most folks assume of Bay Area hip-hop.
I think people probably just say that because my choice of production and I'm a little more lyrical and conceptual than most rappers from the Bay. I describe my style as thorobred—it’s deep, dark, rough, smooth, sharp, slick, and specific.


A lot of rappers try to collaborate with better-known MCs and producers, yet you’re pretty much the only voice on the record, with most of the production handled by SWTBRDS in-house producers Al Jieh and Ammbush. Why is that?
We stuck with our in-house production just because we wanted the album to have a cohesive sound. So many albums these days are all over the map, but if you listen to all the classic albums from any genre of music, it’s always one or two producers, like one production team. My producers... don’t try to force a certain sound or a certain type of song either, which I think, in the end, made the album what it is. In terms of features, we didn't want to force anything, or get features just for political or business reasons. A lot of people do that these days and their album looks more like a compilation. This isn’t about politics or business, this is about my music.

- XLR8R


""The Day The Turf Stood Still" Album Review"

Young rappers releasing their first album can take a lesson from Davinci. On his debut the Fillmore District San Francisco emcee keeps the songs short and to the point. First impressions have truly become everything in music these days with artists being lucky to have even one album see wide release. Davinci makes the most of his opportunity and delivers a tight set of street Rap that while not showing a wide array of styles nevertheless displays a mastery of most of the ones presented.

After a brief intro the album kicks off with its title track and de facto mission statement. The song makes clear over its rollicking beat that the listener is in for a whole lot of tough talk and “state of the hood” narratives with almost-too-clever lyrics like “Don’t make me dead guys for dead guys in my pockets.” Another example of this lyricism occurs on “Real Niggaz” (“Flash heat like menopause / Flash heat, ya man’ll pause”) and on “Concrete Jungle Juice” (“In haters’ mouths and on the nerves like cavities) but they come off more like throw-away jokes and it’s hard to hold their borderline cheesiness against Davinci. For several songs after the title track, the album just continues to improve. “What You Finna Do” is essentially the story of the last man alive in the hood and it boasts a great creeping atmosphere over which Davinci keeps his voice at just above a whisper spitting pointed lines like, "Republican’s dream, a street nigga’s nightmare.” This is also directly discussed in “Aristocrat” where, over a simple beat fleshed out with pianos, Davinci puts his head down and focuses on one of his favorite targets: the people who want to push him out of his city. The theme of these two songs, and much of the album, is an important one and can best be summed up by the sampled orator at the tracks opening: "Urban renewal means negro removal." Davinci returns to this idea throughout the record so even when the track may be less than captivating there is always the sense that vital topics are being considered and addressed.

Luckily, the album contains far more captivating tracks than not. One such track is “Ben,” which opens and closes with two legends, Michael Jackson and Jay-Z. Between those two sampled guest spots is a pretty interesting concept song addressed to Davinci’s self-proclaimed “best friend”: Ben Franklin or, more accurately, the picture of the great statesman that adorns the one hundred dollar bill. Using journalistic detail in lines like “Fresh out of grammar school 'for I ever held a tool / My jeans was faded, rockin’ dirty slanted shoes,” the song is a fascinating example of how so many people worship and find their worth in inanimate objects, holding them so dear that they become like a person.

Unfortunately, after that inspired opening run of songs the album stalls out. The middle section containing "Whipslash," "Round Me," and "Do What It Do" is serviceable but the production is too uniform. Sure the songs knock to a reasonable degree and DaVinci spits convincing turf talk but there aren't a ton of memorable lines and his delivery stays in the same basic range throughout. Besides those three the most disappointing track on the album is “Ghetto to Mars,” an unsuccessful sex jam and space jam in one with faux-deep lyrics and jazzy production flourishes.

The Day The Turf Stood Still closes on a good note as Davinci becomes more playful and shows some vocal dexterity. This is most observable on “Long Chain,” which contains an unexpected Odetta sample and features the emcee speeding up and slowing down his flow to good effect. “All I Have” features the album's spryest beat and horn stabs combined with some of Davinci’s best lines, “Back in high school I used to cut class all day / Purple in my locker stinkin’ up the hallway" and “When I'm broke I feel like robbin' everybody / Pull up the club and start a problem at the party” being two examples. Two more late album highlights are “It’s On Now,” which may have Turf's best production: staggeringly heavy drums accented with jangling chains and synthesized horns and choral voices. On “Idle Mind,” Davinci goes into detail about the path he has traveled from youth to today, “Cooked Top Ramen and quarter keys in hell's kitchen / Wishin’ the man upstairs would listen.” Featuring crying guitar lines and ominous drums it's the darkest track on the album, touching on some real nihilistic stuff like the way people can lose all respect for life.

With his debut album Davinci has displayed both the talent and the strategy of a veteran. He has kept his songs easily digestible and kept his themes clear. Listening to The Day The Turf Stood Still only a few times will give the listener a clear picture of Davinci’s worldview. The only thing that’s really missing is variety. Hopefully on his next release DaVinci will let the cool, tough pose down a little bit and really cut loose, letting his emotions overtake him. But it is certainly saying so - HipHopDX


""The Day The Turf Stood Still" Album Review"

As readers of Shaquille O'Neal's twitter could tell you, the right medium really allows a person's personality to shine through; for whatever reason, 140-character-capped courtside iPhone interjections seemed to convincingly balance Shaq's life philosophy and knowing humor better than his rap records ever could. Play to your strengths, focus on what really matters, and you can make your message connect-- whatever the medium. DaVinci's debut record, The Day the Turf Stood Still, has been building an unusual amount of buzz for a Bay Area street rapper, particularly for a record that sounds like a conservative New York rap release. It's full of classicist NYC breakbeat loops and dense raps from an artist with a dry, static demeanor. It contains almost no aesthetic daring. But rap heads are buzzing about it for a reason, and that has a lot to do with not only DaVinci's skills as a rapper but his overarching sense of purposefulness-- he knows how to make you care.

DaVinci grew up in San Francisco's Fillmore district, in the shadow of his Bay Area heroes like San Quinn and Messy Marv. He also arrived at a time when Bay Area rap has been flourishing, thanks to dynamic personalities (The Jacka, Husalah) and a shift in production styles from the classic West Coast Mob Music to the more omnivorous, populist approach of producers like DJ Fresh and the Mecanix. The Bay had begun to reinvent itself by reinventing New York, just as the latter city's national hip-hop profile had dimmed. DaVinci's record does feel like a part of this mutated New York movement, but in a distinct way. Turf is a firmly underground record, with none of the expansive choruses or crisply engineered synthesizer samples that characterize new Bay hip-hop. Additionally, DaVinci's lyrics push towards traditional concrete narratives, a retreat from contemporary Bay rap's more persona-driven styles.

On first listen, to a rap fan unfamiliar with the Bay Area sound, DaVinci's record might sound like yet another rehash, another NY rapper who still can't get over the day Swizz discovered his Casio. But The Day the Turf Stood Still feels like an attempt to do something unique within the Bay's insular world, all while retaining the new Bay's characteristic cannibalizing of different moments in rap history. While his aesthetic isn't ambitious, his wider goals as an artist, his views on the world outside the music, seem like the kind of thing that fans of rap from all corners might find appealing. The Day the Turf Stood Still is strongly rooted in a sense of place-- specifically, his family's Fillmore origins. "What You Finna Do"s ambling noir is the most explicitly political, a gangster's ennui in the face of gentrification's corruption of San Francisco's Harlem. But the most fascinating track is "Idle Mind", which succeeds despite its embrace of one of underground hip-hop's most regrettable clichés-- the twist-ending story. Despite that, it remains emotionally rending, a testament to DaVinci's ability to get a lot of mileage out of a limited template.

Hang out with some older jazz musicians and you'll hear them describe younger players-- often highly fluent, well-rehearsed ones-- with one dismissive phrase: "he ain't sayin nothin." There are some acclaimed rappers today who fall easily into a similar category, relying heavily on street pedigree, class, or cultural signifying, or an overemphasis on tongue-twisting technical expertise. Charisma and creativity, musicality and personality, and particularly the idea of having something worth saying-- all more abstract criteria, admittedly-- can easily be shortchanged by those looking for the next hyphy to change the world. DaVinci's biggest strength is that while he embraces the aesthetic conservatism of 90s New York, a measured, uninterrupted monotone with a clearly-articulated cadence, he doesn't let that be the end itself; it's just a medium to convey a higher cause, to establish a rapper whose personality builds gradually from the content of his lyrics. This approach to music works so well, not in spite of his musical choices, but also not because of them; it works because his personality, as little outward swag as it demonstrates, feels true.

— David Drake, April 23, 2010
- Pitchfork Magazine


""The Day The Turf Stood Still" Album Review"

As readers of Shaquille O'Neal's twitter could tell you, the right medium really allows a person's personality to shine through; for whatever reason, 140-character-capped courtside iPhone interjections seemed to convincingly balance Shaq's life philosophy and knowing humor better than his rap records ever could. Play to your strengths, focus on what really matters, and you can make your message connect-- whatever the medium. DaVinci's debut record, The Day the Turf Stood Still, has been building an unusual amount of buzz for a Bay Area street rapper, particularly for a record that sounds like a conservative New York rap release. It's full of classicist NYC breakbeat loops and dense raps from an artist with a dry, static demeanor. It contains almost no aesthetic daring. But rap heads are buzzing about it for a reason, and that has a lot to do with not only DaVinci's skills as a rapper but his overarching sense of purposefulness-- he knows how to make you care.

DaVinci grew up in San Francisco's Fillmore district, in the shadow of his Bay Area heroes like San Quinn and Messy Marv. He also arrived at a time when Bay Area rap has been flourishing, thanks to dynamic personalities (The Jacka, Husalah) and a shift in production styles from the classic West Coast Mob Music to the more omnivorous, populist approach of producers like DJ Fresh and the Mecanix. The Bay had begun to reinvent itself by reinventing New York, just as the latter city's national hip-hop profile had dimmed. DaVinci's record does feel like a part of this mutated New York movement, but in a distinct way. Turf is a firmly underground record, with none of the expansive choruses or crisply engineered synthesizer samples that characterize new Bay hip-hop. Additionally, DaVinci's lyrics push towards traditional concrete narratives, a retreat from contemporary Bay rap's more persona-driven styles.

On first listen, to a rap fan unfamiliar with the Bay Area sound, DaVinci's record might sound like yet another rehash, another NY rapper who still can't get over the day Swizz discovered his Casio. But The Day the Turf Stood Still feels like an attempt to do something unique within the Bay's insular world, all while retaining the new Bay's characteristic cannibalizing of different moments in rap history. While his aesthetic isn't ambitious, his wider goals as an artist, his views on the world outside the music, seem like the kind of thing that fans of rap from all corners might find appealing. The Day the Turf Stood Still is strongly rooted in a sense of place-- specifically, his family's Fillmore origins. "What You Finna Do"s ambling noir is the most explicitly political, a gangster's ennui in the face of gentrification's corruption of San Francisco's Harlem. But the most fascinating track is "Idle Mind", which succeeds despite its embrace of one of underground hip-hop's most regrettable clichés-- the twist-ending story. Despite that, it remains emotionally rending, a testament to DaVinci's ability to get a lot of mileage out of a limited template.

Hang out with some older jazz musicians and you'll hear them describe younger players-- often highly fluent, well-rehearsed ones-- with one dismissive phrase: "he ain't sayin nothin." There are some acclaimed rappers today who fall easily into a similar category, relying heavily on street pedigree, class, or cultural signifying, or an overemphasis on tongue-twisting technical expertise. Charisma and creativity, musicality and personality, and particularly the idea of having something worth saying-- all more abstract criteria, admittedly-- can easily be shortchanged by those looking for the next hyphy to change the world. DaVinci's biggest strength is that while he embraces the aesthetic conservatism of 90s New York, a measured, uninterrupted monotone with a clearly-articulated cadence, he doesn't let that be the end itself; it's just a medium to convey a higher cause, to establish a rapper whose personality builds gradually from the content of his lyrics. This approach to music works so well, not in spite of his musical choices, but also not because of them; it works because his personality, as little outward swag as it demonstrates, feels true.

— David Drake, April 23, 2010
- Pitchfork Magazine


"DX Next Artist: DaVinci"

In the music of Paris, The Coup and others, the Bay Area was once an epicenter for politically-gangsta Rap. These were outfits that had something to say, and a fist to assert it. Within the new generation, Fillmore District's DaVinci seems to embody this same tradition. He's well-aware of where he comes from socially and musically, and the tattooed rapper places those in messages that are still tangible to hustler-survivors.

DaVinci doesn’t act oblivious to the concerns of his community and sets forth a dynamic lead to direct those energies in the lab. Heard on this year's The Day The Turf Stood Still release, DaVinci’s confident lyrical style captured commercial and rugged Hip Hop fans alike. DXnext hits the Fillmoe' with one of its strongest lyrical representatives in close to a decade.

The Specialty of Fillmore: "Basically, I’m in Fillmore and it’s a lot of things that stick out about this area that inspire my music. When I was coming up, every family and person had their own hustle whether that was a nine-to-five, hand-to-hand hustle or your mom having a garage sale on the weekends. Everyone mad sure to have their own means of making a living and that’s one thing that I adapted to early on. When I was eight, I was one of those kids going door-to-door selling candy, candles, and coloring books. Fillmore is the hustling side to San Francisco. It’s a multi cultural environment."

Beyond The Trends of the Bay: "I’m not concerned with the fads. I usually just go into the studio and try and make the type of music that I feel like making. I generally try to surround myself with people that do the same thing, like my producers. We just come up with the ideas and go to the studio to knock them out. It’s really just that simple. I don’t want to speak to towards any movement or area trend right now. I just want to make the music that’s floating around in my head. The Hyphy movement was kind of a ship with a whole bunch of artist on board. I basically just wanted to sit back and wait because I knew another boat was coming soon, and I knew I would have that boat to myself."

The Creative Process: "I like to have my own creative space. With [The Day The Turf Stood Still], I just want to music to be able to relate to it. That’s just the start though because I want eventually want my music to be relatable to everyone but it was important to target those in my direct surroundings first. I’m really surprised that so many people have been able to identify with it because I originally targeted those around me. The next album you will see me tackle greater issues on a larger scale. I expect people from a broader span and different walks of life to really gain more from my next album

Touchy Topics: "A lot of people have gone through and experienced the same type of effects within their city with the urban renewal. It’s always been a conversation piece amongst my peers. There’s always a new café or some condos being put up so our environment is always transforming. I usually bring my regular everyday life into the studio so that was a topic I knew I had to cover."

The Resurgence of Politics In Rap Music: "I want to be a part of that. I feel like me speaking my mind and actually having a voice to use to express my opinion on politics is a great start. I just want to captivate as many people as I can with this album and my music. I feel like I’m one of the only voices especially in California that is taking the angle of being socially-conscious. I just want to keep gathering people and see how many people are really rocking with me. I want the people to know we’re coming from the same direction. We are already active; we throw a few charity events and do back to school activities to build up awareness in the community. The community connection is our roots and I want that to be solid."

Bringing A Song To Life Visually: "Actually [the 'Ben'] video it was my idea to follow around the 100-dollar bill. I was very involved with that concept and the way it came together. I have another video we’re about to release called “Concrete Jungle Juice.” I have a team around that I can trust so it’s easy for my vision to get carried out."

Best Album Tracks: "I like all the songs on my album. I like 'Real Niggas,' 'Ben' [and] 'What You Finna Do.' These are the songs that people should pay close attention to, but they will love the entire album from front-to-back. I’m already in the studio right now working on the next project. I’m going to keep it under wraps right now but the people can expect for a release by the end of the year. Until then, I just want the people to continue to support this album.

Stage Show: "My live performances are about getting the crowd to be involved. I go over it again and again to make sure it’s delivered right. I don’t perform the whole album though. That’s because it’s some tracks on their that you wouldn’t want to hear at a Hip Hop show because they spark a different type of e - HipHopDX


"DaVinci"

In San Francisco’s Fillmore neighborhood, the projects go up and the projects come down, but rapper DaVinci’s family has owned property there since the ’50s, part of a wave of African-Americans that left the South in search of better job opportunities. On DaVinci’s debut, The Day the Turf Stood Still, hard-boiled raps are underscored by soulful, sample-heavy beats, courtesy of his Sweetbreads Creative Collective collaborators Al Jieh and Ammbush.

“What You Finna Do?” deals with the gentrification of the Fillmore neighborhood. What did you see there in the ’90s?

DaVinci: Fillmore started off as a family-oriented community that was thriving with music. One thing I remember when I was growing up in the Fillmore was kids everywhere. I was one of those kids. Of course, crack hit hard. The projects were basically just stranded. Only half of the people from Fillmore were in Fillmore. Everybody else was dead or in jail or just strung out on drugs really bad. So that’s when they tore down the projects. That’s when the people who still did own houses decided to sell.

Your grandma’s been a Fillmore homeowner since the ’50s.

DaVinci: The ’50s, yeah. She passed away in ’96, but she left the house to all seven kids, which is a mess, but my family at least still owns the house. [My mom’s] been here since the ’50s. [She’s] one of the biggest hustlers I’ve ever seen in my life. Still to this day. Now, her hustle is she has clothes, vintage wicker chairs—shit that I call junk—from the ’60s and ’70s, which just fills up the house.

Al Jieh: This guy’s house is a time capsule.

DaVinci: Every Sunday, she push it outside and sell it and be making a killing.

Tell me about the Fillmore legacy, the rap music that came before you.

DaVinci: Man, I could start from the ’60s, but I’ll start where hip-hop started in the Fillmore, which was like Hugh-EMC, KPOO radio station. [Hugh-EMC] kind of inspired the Rappin’ 4-Tays, the San Quinns, all the old posses. [He’s been] helping out the younger talent in the Fillmore since the late ’80s. We all started off making tapes, on eight-tracks, just for fun. It would always be one anthem in the Fillmore like that, that the young cats would ride on all the busses with the radios playing it. It would get so big amongst the youth that the JT the Bigga Figgas or the Quinns would be like, “Yo, I’m gonna put this on my compilation that I’m putting out next summer.” We’d be local celebrities. We’d get to brag about it at school.

Is KPOO still there?

DaVinci: Still there. The first mixtape I ever came out with [Urban Royalty], I went there and they played it—immediately.

Ammbush: They played it all the way through?

DaVinci: The whole thing! If they see a young, up-and-coming talent in the community, then they always willing to help. And they still do it to this day.

Could you tell me about producing the album and where you recorded it?

Al Jieh: We recorded it at [Ammbush’s] studio, the Nest. In terms of production, he comes from that era you were just talking about.

Ammbush: It’s funny, ’cause [DaVinci’s] like, “The Hugh-EMCs.” “The JTs.” That’s really my era. We all had the same distributor: me, JT, RBL Posse. We would all go to the same place so they could disperse [the tapes] amongst the stores. I think it helps being from that old school generation. [Now] we have a new generation, and when we can all listen to each other and respect each other’s opinion, that’s when you’re gonna have the best music.

Al Jieh: A lot of times today, [producers] make a beat, send it off to the rapper. We actually sat in the same room, recording, bouncing ideas off each other, and arguing, like, “Nah it shouldn’t be like this…”

What were some arguments that came up?

Ammbush: I remember one.

Al Jieh: I know the one: on “Ben.”

Ammbush: Oh, that’s not even the one I was talking about.

Al Jieh: “Ben” is our single. [DaVinci] wanted more scratching.

DaVinci: Yea, more scratching in the hook. And there was another one.

Ammbush: “Guys Wanna.”

DaVinci: Yeah, [Al] put a breakdown in it that I didn’t want in there.

Al Jieh: He said that fucks up the groove.

DaVinci: Yeah, I lost that one, too.

Al Jieh: No, you won that one! We took it out.

Ammbush: Not on the album. It’s in there.

DaVinci: You took the one out at the beginning.

Ammbush: We split the difference. We had those moments, but I think that’s what it takes to make something solid.

So what’s this new wave of San Francisco hip-hop? Is hyphy done?

DaVinci: Hyphy is not really a label for the sound of music outta the Bay. That’s what I feel is a misconception. It’s just that the music that was on the radio between ’04 and ’07, they wanted to give it a stamp. But the San Francisco sound represents the feel of San Francisco.

Ammbush: [San Francisco] doesn’t get super-duper hot, and I think our album gives you that vibe.

DaVinci: It’s a little political. It’s street, but it’s consc - Wax Poetics


"Pitchfork Album Review: The Day The Turf Stood Still"

As readers of Shaquille O'Neal's twitter could tell you, the right medium really allows a person's personality to shine through; for whatever reason, 140-character-capped courtside iPhone interjections seemed to convincingly balance Shaq's life philosophy and knowing humor better than his rap records ever could. Play to your strengths, focus on what really matters, and you can make your message connect-- whatever the medium. DaVinci's debut record, The Day the Turf Stood Still, has been building an unusual amount of buzz for a Bay Area street rapper, particularly for a record that sounds like a conservative New York rap release. It's full of classicist NYC breakbeat loops and dense raps from an artist with a dry, static demeanor. It contains almost no aesthetic daring. But rap heads are buzzing about it for a reason, and that has a lot to do with not only DaVinci's skills as a rapper but his overarching sense of purposefulness-- he knows how to make you care.

DaVinci grew up in San Francisco's Fillmore district, in the shadow of his Bay Area heroes like San Quinn and Messy Marv. He also arrived at a time when Bay Area rap has been flourishing, thanks to dynamic personalities (The Jacka, Husalah) and a shift in production styles from the classic West Coast Mob Music to the more omnivorous, populist approach of producers like DJ Fresh and the Mecanix. The Bay had begun to reinvent itself by reinventing New York, just as the latter city's national hip-hop profile had dimmed. DaVinci's record does feel like a part of this mutated New York movement, but in a distinct way. Turf is a firmly underground record, with none of the expansive choruses or crisply engineered synthesizer samples that characterize new Bay hip-hop. Additionally, DaVinci's lyrics push towards traditional concrete narratives, a retreat from contemporary Bay rap's more persona-driven styles.

On first listen, to a rap fan unfamiliar with the Bay Area sound, DaVinci's record might sound like yet another rehash, another NY rapper who still can't get over the day Swizz discovered his Casio. But The Day the Turf Stood Still feels like an attempt to do something unique within the Bay's insular world, all while retaining the new Bay's characteristic cannibalizing of different moments in rap history. While his aesthetic isn't ambitious, his wider goals as an artist, his views on the world outside the music, seem like the kind of thing that fans of rap from all corners might find appealing. The Day the Turf Stood Still is strongly rooted in a sense of place-- specifically, his family's Fillmore origins. "What You Finna Do"s ambling noir is the most explicitly political, a gangster's ennui in the face of gentrification's corruption of San Francisco's Harlem. But the most fascinating track is "Idle Mind", which succeeds despite its embrace of one of underground hip-hop's most regrettable clichés-- the twist-ending story. Despite that, it remains emotionally rending, a testament to DaVinci's ability to get a lot of mileage out of a limited template.

Hang out with some older jazz musicians and you'll hear them describe younger players-- often highly fluent, well-rehearsed ones-- with one dismissive phrase: "he ain't sayin nothin." There are some acclaimed rappers today who fall easily into a similar category, relying heavily on street pedigree, class, or cultural signifying, or an overemphasis on tongue-twisting technical expertise. Charisma and creativity, musicality and personality, and particularly the idea of having something worth saying-- all more abstract criteria, admittedly-- can easily be shortchanged by those looking for the next hyphy to change the world. DaVinci's biggest strength is that while he embraces the aesthetic conservatism of 90s New York, a measured, uninterrupted monotone with a clearly-articulated cadence, he doesn't let that be the end itself; it's just a medium to convey a higher cause, to establish a rapper whose personality builds gradually from the content of his lyrics. This approach to music works so well, not in spite of his musical choices, but also not because of them; it works because his personality, as little outward swag as it demonstrates, feels true.

— David Drake, April 23, 2010 - Pitchfork


"DaVinci"

In San Francisco’s Fillmore neighborhood, the projects go up and the projects come down, but rapper DaVinci’s family has owned property there since the ’50s, part of a wave of African-Americans that left the South in search of better job opportunities. On DaVinci’s debut, The Day the Turf Stood Still, hard-boiled raps are underscored by soulful, sample-heavy beats, courtesy of his Sweetbreads Creative Collective collaborators Al Jieh and Ammbush.

“What You Finna Do?” deals with the gentrification of the Fillmore neighborhood. What did you see there in the ’90s?

DaVinci: Fillmore started off as a family-oriented community that was thriving with music. One thing I remember when I was growing up in the Fillmore was kids everywhere. I was one of those kids. Of course, crack hit hard. The projects were basically just stranded. Only half of the people from Fillmore were in Fillmore. Everybody else was dead or in jail or just strung out on drugs really bad. So that’s when they tore down the projects. That’s when the people who still did own houses decided to sell.

Your grandma’s been a Fillmore homeowner since the ’50s.

DaVinci: The ’50s, yeah. She passed away in ’96, but she left the house to all seven kids, which is a mess, but my family at least still owns the house. [My mom’s] been here since the ’50s. [She’s] one of the biggest hustlers I’ve ever seen in my life. Still to this day. Now, her hustle is she has clothes, vintage wicker chairs—shit that I call junk—from the ’60s and ’70s, which just fills up the house.

Al Jieh: This guy’s house is a time capsule.

DaVinci: Every Sunday, she push it outside and sell it and be making a killing.

Tell me about the Fillmore legacy, the rap music that came before you.

DaVinci: Man, I could start from the ’60s, but I’ll start where hip-hop started in the Fillmore, which was like Hugh-EMC, KPOO radio station. [Hugh-EMC] kind of inspired the Rappin’ 4-Tays, the San Quinns, all the old posses. [He’s been] helping out the younger talent in the Fillmore since the late ’80s. We all started off making tapes, on eight-tracks, just for fun. It would always be one anthem in the Fillmore like that, that the young cats would ride on all the busses with the radios playing it. It would get so big amongst the youth that the JT the Bigga Figgas or the Quinns would be like, “Yo, I’m gonna put this on my compilation that I’m putting out next summer.” We’d be local celebrities. We’d get to brag about it at school.

Is KPOO still there?

DaVinci: Still there. The first mixtape I ever came out with [Urban Royalty], I went there and they played it—immediately.

Ammbush: They played it all the way through?

DaVinci: The whole thing! If they see a young, up-and-coming talent in the community, then they always willing to help. And they still do it to this day.

Could you tell me about producing the album and where you recorded it?

Al Jieh: We recorded it at [Ammbush’s] studio, the Nest. In terms of production, he comes from that era you were just talking about.

Ammbush: It’s funny, ’cause [DaVinci’s] like, “The Hugh-EMCs.” “The JTs.” That’s really my era. We all had the same distributor: me, JT, RBL Posse. We would all go to the same place so they could disperse [the tapes] amongst the stores. I think it helps being from that old school generation. [Now] we have a new generation, and when we can all listen to each other and respect each other’s opinion, that’s when you’re gonna have the best music.

Al Jieh: A lot of times today, [producers] make a beat, send it off to the rapper. We actually sat in the same room, recording, bouncing ideas off each other, and arguing, like, “Nah it shouldn’t be like this…”

What were some arguments that came up?

Ammbush: I remember one.

Al Jieh: I know the one: on “Ben.”

Ammbush: Oh, that’s not even the one I was talking about.

Al Jieh: “Ben” is our single. [DaVinci] wanted more scratching.

DaVinci: Yea, more scratching in the hook. And there was another one.

Ammbush: “Guys Wanna.”

DaVinci: Yeah, [Al] put a breakdown in it that I didn’t want in there.

Al Jieh: He said that fucks up the groove.

DaVinci: Yeah, I lost that one, too.

Al Jieh: No, you won that one! We took it out.

Ammbush: Not on the album. It’s in there.

DaVinci: You took the one out at the beginning.

Ammbush: We split the difference. We had those moments, but I think that’s what it takes to make something solid.

So what’s this new wave of San Francisco hip-hop? Is hyphy done?

DaVinci: Hyphy is not really a label for the sound of music outta the Bay. That’s what I feel is a misconception. It’s just that the music that was on the radio between ’04 and ’07, they wanted to give it a stamp. But the San Francisco sound represents the feel of San Francisco.

Ammbush: [San Francisco] doesn’t get super-duper hot, and I think our album gives you that vibe.

DaVinci: It’s a little political. It’s street, but it’s consc - Wax Poetics


"Fillmore Rapper DaVinci's thoughtful 'hood parables"

The song "What You Finna Do?," released earlier this month by Fillmore District rapper DaVinci, opens with a vocal sample from the 2001 PBS documentary The Fillmore. It condenses the gentrification process the area underwent from the 1960s into one slogan, lamenting, "Basically, after the urban renewal, it was basically Negro removal." As the gloomy beat kicks in, DaVinci starts to rap, eventually coining his update on the situation: "Down the corner of the street used to be the spot/Till they replaced all the liquor stores with coffee shops." The rest of his debut album, The Day the Turf Stood Still, released in both free download and retail versions this week, repeats the motif. It's no surprise, considering the changes he witnessed on his block.

"My grandmother came to San Francisco from Texas in the 1950s," he says. "She bought her home, a three-apartment unit, for $15,000 and paid it off before she passed away in 1996." Around this time, he started to see the reshaping of his 'hood. The usual signifiers of impending gentrification were all in play. Drugs and crime were up. Property values were down. The Fillmore's proximity to downtown made for potentially high rents. Then came the wrecking balls, turning housing projects to rubble and providing a very physical cue for an exodus of black residents. As he recalls, "The newer people offered those who were living there the opportunity to sell their houses, move out, and make a profit. It didn't sound like such a bad idea — by that point, half the neighborhood had already moved." But his family stayed, retaining the title to their home and bolstering their roots in the area.

Today, the 27-year-old DaVinci makes music shot through with local pride. He's been releasing mixtapes since 2002, plus 2007's "street" album, Butter and Gunz, executive-produced by San Quinn. He sees his debut album as a fitting contribution to the Fillmore's rich musical heritage. In the 1960s, jazz greats Count Basie, Etta James, and Duke Ellington used the area's clubs as their musical playground. During the rapper's own coming of age, it saw the formation of a hip-hop scene boosted by its insularity. The sound of the block was king. As DaVinci recalls: "You couldn't tell me anything about who the best rapper in the mainstream was — we'd listen to cats like San Quinn, JT the Bigga Figga, and D-Moe the Youngsta. Together, they were like the Roc-A-Fella [musical empire] of the Fillmore at the time. Looking at them, I saw that hip-hop could come out of Fillmore and be respected."

Being engulfed by this wave of self-sufficient rappers helped shape DaVinci's outlook. San Quinn, who lived two blocks away, could sometimes be found hustling with DaVinci's pops. JT released records on his own Get Low label at 18; his independent moves fostered DaVinci's expectations of the music industry. He's adamant that running after major labels "isn't even in the picture." And, true to his independence, DaVinci's album eschews the gangsta sheen of his elders in favor of relaying street parables over rugged, melancholy beats. It's a blend that suits his breathy timbre well and ensures the album rewards listeners who prefer carefully wrought lyrics over a quick hook.

It isn't a commercial sound, but DaVinci is confident he has wide appeal. Last month, he journeyed to New York City on a mission to boost his profile by meeting with online media outlets. Back home, he's looking at the positive side of the Fillmore's metamorphosis — caffeine-connoisseur neighbors included. "When we'd perform shows, it used to be all family who'd come, but now it's college students," he explains, before joking, "That's good, 'cause you can charge them more!"

Then he adds, "I think the new mix of ethnicities is the best thing that's happened to the Fillmore. Now it's not just a place where only black people know about the music that's coming out of here. That's a good change." - SF Weekly


"Fillmore Rapper DaVinci's thoughtful 'hood parables"

The song "What You Finna Do?," released earlier this month by Fillmore District rapper DaVinci, opens with a vocal sample from the 2001 PBS documentary The Fillmore. It condenses the gentrification process the area underwent from the 1960s into one slogan, lamenting, "Basically, after the urban renewal, it was basically Negro removal." As the gloomy beat kicks in, DaVinci starts to rap, eventually coining his update on the situation: "Down the corner of the street used to be the spot/Till they replaced all the liquor stores with coffee shops." The rest of his debut album, The Day the Turf Stood Still, released in both free download and retail versions this week, repeats the motif. It's no surprise, considering the changes he witnessed on his block.

"My grandmother came to San Francisco from Texas in the 1950s," he says. "She bought her home, a three-apartment unit, for $15,000 and paid it off before she passed away in 1996." Around this time, he started to see the reshaping of his 'hood. The usual signifiers of impending gentrification were all in play. Drugs and crime were up. Property values were down. The Fillmore's proximity to downtown made for potentially high rents. Then came the wrecking balls, turning housing projects to rubble and providing a very physical cue for an exodus of black residents. As he recalls, "The newer people offered those who were living there the opportunity to sell their houses, move out, and make a profit. It didn't sound like such a bad idea — by that point, half the neighborhood had already moved." But his family stayed, retaining the title to their home and bolstering their roots in the area.

Today, the 27-year-old DaVinci makes music shot through with local pride. He's been releasing mixtapes since 2002, plus 2007's "street" album, Butter and Gunz, executive-produced by San Quinn. He sees his debut album as a fitting contribution to the Fillmore's rich musical heritage. In the 1960s, jazz greats Count Basie, Etta James, and Duke Ellington used the area's clubs as their musical playground. During the rapper's own coming of age, it saw the formation of a hip-hop scene boosted by its insularity. The sound of the block was king. As DaVinci recalls: "You couldn't tell me anything about who the best rapper in the mainstream was — we'd listen to cats like San Quinn, JT the Bigga Figga, and D-Moe the Youngsta. Together, they were like the Roc-A-Fella [musical empire] of the Fillmore at the time. Looking at them, I saw that hip-hop could come out of Fillmore and be respected."

Being engulfed by this wave of self-sufficient rappers helped shape DaVinci's outlook. San Quinn, who lived two blocks away, could sometimes be found hustling with DaVinci's pops. JT released records on his own Get Low label at 18; his independent moves fostered DaVinci's expectations of the music industry. He's adamant that running after major labels "isn't even in the picture." And, true to his independence, DaVinci's album eschews the gangsta sheen of his elders in favor of relaying street parables over rugged, melancholy beats. It's a blend that suits his breathy timbre well and ensures the album rewards listeners who prefer carefully wrought lyrics over a quick hook.

It isn't a commercial sound, but DaVinci is confident he has wide appeal. Last month, he journeyed to New York City on a mission to boost his profile by meeting with online media outlets. Back home, he's looking at the positive side of the Fillmore's metamorphosis — caffeine-connoisseur neighbors included. "When we'd perform shows, it used to be all family who'd come, but now it's college students," he explains, before joking, "That's good, 'cause you can charge them more!"

Then he adds, "I think the new mix of ethnicities is the best thing that's happened to the Fillmore. Now it's not just a place where only black people know about the music that's coming out of here. That's a good change." - SF Weekly


"Video and Album Download: DaVinci, "What You Finna Do""

Bay Area rhyme slinger Davinci’s soulful mob rap album The Day The Turf Stood Still is loaded with punchlines. On “Aristocrat”, he drops turkeys slept on me like tryptophan/I spit lines that will trip the fans and we are like, Welcome to our Dudes Who Make Us Hit Rewind list, buddy. His video for “What You Finna Do?” is a black and white, sparse view into his ever-changing neighborhood, Fillmore, in San Francisco and the problems of gentrification. Even though he’s got jokes, he still excels at political commentary.
- Fader


Discography

The Day The Turf Stood Still, 2010
Feast or Famine EP, 2011
XLIX EP, 2012
The MOEna Lisa, 2012

Photos

Bio

Expect no gimmicks from San Francisco-bred emcee, DaVinci. Though his upbringing in the historic Fillmore District is a far cry from its jazz heyday, he represents a new generation of post-Reaganomic crack-era rap, whose often-unwitting participants had to hustle to survive past their adolescence. “My music has everything to do with my environment: from robbing, killing, pimpin’ to selling and abusing drugs...to family, gentrification, and shit, just havin’ fun,” he explains about his heavy content. “It’s a direct reflection of what my friends and family have been through and are still going through today, much like the urban poor of generations passed. Something is to be said about society if the struggles that my nephews are dealing with today are the same struggles that I had to deal with, and that my uncles and pops had to deal with, and so on. The cycle of poverty is cross-generational, so there will always need to be a voice for those stuck in the cycle.”

Since dropping his debut album The Day The Turf Stood Still in 2010, followed up by Feast or Famine in 2011 and The MOEna Lisa in 2012, his rise has been meteoric, becoming one of the first SF emcees to be featured at A3C, CMJ, and SXSW Music Festivals with multiple showcases, earning himself a coveted spot on 106.1 KMEL’s Bay Area’s Freshman 10 of 2010, stellar Pitchfork album reviews, and guest appearances on Shade45, and show circuit duties with Freddie Gibbs, Hieroglyphics, Main Attrakionz, Freeway, and others.