INBOXication: Davinci

I know its been a while since I've done an INBOXication, sorry. But I'm sure you won't mind the layoff after you take a listen to this cat Davinci I'm going to be talking about.

Not to long ago I was talking with an associate about the stuff I choose to post on my blog. They figured since I don't post certain "street" artist that I must not like "street" music. I had to call bullshit.

For some reason over the last few years "street" music has become known as this hybrid of niggas who really can't rap, don't bother trying to flow, hardly exercise their vocabulary, rarely offer any social commentary...and do it all over generic strip club beats that are somehow radio friendly at the same time.

I grew up listening to NWA, Dayton Family, Geto Boys, Top Authority, UGK, Suave House, 8Ball & MJG and currently bump stuff like Z-Ro, The Product, and Freddie GIbbs. So what these folks consider "street" music now, I just don't get it. *stepping off soapbox*

Anyways, I was at CocaineBlunts today and came across this cat from San Francisco named Davinci. Seeing as how I try to stay abreast of everything that comes out, and have been doing so for years, I want to say that I've heard of dude before. Maybe it was from some of the interviews I've done or read with San Quinn over the last few years where he might have been named dropped. Or shit, maybe somebody from his team might've emailed me in the past and I just slept. But for right now, I really can't say that I have heard of dude. But I'm glad to say I know who he is now.

His video for "What You Finna Do" should remind you of some of your favorite reality rap, its black & white and straight to the point. It brings you into his world, but doesn't he doesn't come off as some rapper tour guide trying to show how hard he is because of his environment. This of course prompted me to investigate and find some of his music online.



Luckily, he has his entire debut album The Day The Turf Stood Still was available for free on his website. And just like Radiohead and Saul Williams before him, its also available for sale on iTunes...I encourage you to check this out and pay for it because its definitely worth the money. I mean, this is a real album with quality raps, production and all around effort, which is hard to find in a time where throwing out random mixtapes seems to be the way to go, support off that alone if not anything else.

The entire project was produced by production team Drums and Ammo, meaning that The Day The Turf Stood Still does just that, stands still and lets you enjoy it instead of getting too many producers on it trying to shine and taking the project all over the place. They kept all of the production either hard or on some soulful pimp shit as you should expect from a rapper coming from Fillmore or "Fillmoe" as its properly pronounced. Matter fact, let me try to sum things up in saying, if you listened to The Product and fuck with Willie Hen...Davinci is kinda like Willie Hen, a little slicker with the actual wordplay and with better beats. NO I'm not saying that Davinci is better than Willie or that Willie is not as good. I'm just saying Davinci's flow is a tad bit more "lyrical" when it comes to the metaphors and what not, make sense?


"The Day The Turf Stood Still"


"Real Niggaz" (Somebody)


"All I Have"

Like I said earlier...I can't consider you street if you can't analyze and break down why things are. Anybody can get on a record and RAP about selling drugs and shooting pistols. It takes talent to paint the picture and politics that revolve around those things.


"Aristocrat"

Of course there's nothing under the sun that hasn't been rapped about already, but that doesn't mean you can't find new ways to rap about things.


"Ben"

But yeah, that's all I'm going to post, I don't wanna put the man whole album up. If any of this caught your ears, you can go to Davinci's website and listen to the whole album...then decide if you want to download or purchase it.

The Day The Turf Stood Still sounds great on my laptop through my headphones...but I'm about to put it to the test in the ride as I smoke a Black...I don't expect for it to let me down there either.