I’ve seen Def3 rock a few crowds over the last year and his album Wildlif3 has been in regular rotation on the headphones since its release. This past summer I saw him rock out with the mighty SkiiTour at Shambhala and, more notably, he opened the first night of hip-hops at Phillip’s Brewery on the first night of the Rifflandia festival, here in Victoria. That was more notable for a couple of reasons, 1) It was just Def3 and his band doing their thing rather than working in support of a DJ, and 2) In a night full of yelling and barking and needlessly profane trap-rap, Def3 embodied everything I love about hip-hop and specifically, Canadian hip-hop. When Def3’s joints are pumping from the stage the love and respect for the art form is palpable and wholly addictive. I’ve been wanting to get ahold of the homey for a few minutes now and was happy to get him fresh off rock Portland with fellow Canadian hip-hop masters, Sweatshop Union. We talked about Hallowe’en, Thomas Edison and the current, amazing state of hip-hop. Respect to Def3 and Saskatchewan, because really, how often to I get to shout Saskatchewan?

1. Do you remember the first album you went out and bought with your own money?

Yeah, actually. It was Wreckx-N-Effect, Hard or Smooth, on cassette.

Do you still have it?

No. I have some of my tapes, but that one I don’t have anymore. I still have quite a few but a lot of them are pretty damaged.

It’s not a particularly hardy medium, eh?

No. <laugh>

2. Can you think of a movie that had an affect on the way you saw the world?

If we’re talking about fiction, I’d say Magnolia. That was really cool. Documentary-wise – I watched a movie called Forks Over Knives that kind of twisted my head up a bit and turned me into a vegetarian for awhile.

For awhile…You’re not a vegetarian anymore?

No. I’m not anymore. I was for almost a year, not super long. I went to Europe and tried for awhile. Interesting story: I met a person will full-blown cancer who was a vegan and that also twisted me up a bit. I thought, “How is that possible?”

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Music is what I write about because it's what I love. It is a powerful communicator and a vital part of any thriving culture. But, at the end of the day, it's just music. There are people out there doing important, compassionate, world-changing things that improve the lives of everyone and everything they come into contact with. Eco-feminist and human love-beam Dr. Vandana Shiva is one of those people. When I found out that she'd be speaking here in Victoria at UVic on the eve of her receiving an honourary doctorate from the university I jumped at the chance to interview this vitally inspiring person. I had originally planned on doing a phone interview before she arrived as a preview piece, but instead was given the privilege of sitting face-to-face with her and conversing like humans. I consider myself a relatively intelligent person but I the nerves I felt going into conversation with this intellectual titan where nearly overwhelming. I asked some things that I may have already known, but that I wanted articulated to be by one of the most important and inspiring people working today. As we sat across from each other I was quickly calmed by her calm demeanour and warm smile.

When the night did come for her to receive her honour from the University of Victoria, I was amazed not at the turn out of people, but at the passion that she inspired in everyone in that room. Dr. Vandana Shiva is a beacon of light and hope in a world that is seemingly more enveloped in darkness and chaos by the day. Seemingly is the operative word there...

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5 Questions with Rags #28 - Def 3

I talk to Vandana Shiva, real-life Superhero.