He began performing at the age of six in a song and dance group called Ships Kids, entertaining hundreds of people in some of the worlds poorest nations where Mercy Ships offered free surgeries and medical help. Spending most of the year docked in a developing nation and the rest in Europe moving from country to country Def 3 developed an appreciation for diverse cultures.
After a year in East Texas his family moved to Regina where Danny became Def 3 and began making waves of a different sort. He has been a major contributor to the Saskatchewan arts scene not only through his work as an established MC, but also as an experienced Graffiti Artist and highly Active DJ. With over 100 International shows in the past 3 years alone, he has gained international notoriety through his highly active touring schedule and repeat official showcases at festivals such as SXSW, Shambhala, Juno Fest, NXNE, CMW, Breakout west, and Prairie Scene, even headlining the Saskatchewan pavilion for the opening ceremonies at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. His contagious songs combined with his interactive and high-energy live show has landed him gigs around the globe. He has gained his experience performing to all types of crowds from coffee shops, pubs, clubs, galas, award ceremonies, and festivals all over the world. By special invitation he performed at private galas for the Governor General of Canada, Her Excellency, Michaelle Jean, and the Lieutenant Governor of Canada during their Saskatchewan visits.
He has released several music videos all landing rotation on Much Music's Much Vibe and Rapcity. His most recent "Real Talk" from the Amnesia EP is currently on rotation. His last 2 major releases were nominated for WCMA awards for "Rap recording of the year" in 2008 and again in 2010. His album "Dog River", a collaboration with Canadian veteran rapper Moka Only charted #1 on Chartattack and Earshot for college radio stations throughout Canada for 12 weeks before moving down in the charts.
Def 3 is also known for his work within the community. From 2006 till the present he has started, organized, and led instructional workshops to all ages of youth and a wide variety of students working with inner city youth programs, partnerships with the Regina Board of education, and even Graduate classes at the IMP labs through the University of Regina in Saskatchewan. He has toured extensively throughout Canada east to west, United States, Europe, Japan, and South America performing more than 150 International Showcases. He has shared the same stage as well as toured with a wide variety of hip hop heavyweights such as Nas, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, Masta Ace, Bliss N Eso, Michael Franti and Spearhead, Grieves, K-OS, The Beatnuts, Onyx, Maestro Fresh Wes, Classified, Shad, Swollen Members, Choclair, Zion I, Mystic, Cage, Del The Funkee Homosapien, Souls of Mischief, and many more.
Recently he joined forces with Vancouver's Sweatshop Union on their latest release as a touring member of the Leisure Gang. Def 3 has been touring extensively with Sweatshop throughout Canada and the U.S for the past 23 months. He is currently promoting his latest EP entitled "Amnesia". The EP features Moka Only, Josh Martinez, Tonye Aganabe and Ra Focus. His newest album with Saskatoon native super producer Factor is entitled wildlife and is set to be released Feb 25th, 2014 on Ship Records Inc. / Fontana North. Expect to hear a lot more from Def3 in the next few years as he is just getting started. Please download his latest "Amnesia" FREE at www.def3.ca.
Satellite
Def3 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Coming up in the world trying to stand out
No planned route
Never had doubts
Doing everything i could just to get clout
Figured out who i was at a young age
Big dreams and my team on the front page
Skateboard on my feet and the sunrays on a Sunday doing Tre's on a One Way
Grinding partying Ollie and stairs
So care free, hard to compare
Nowadays to the year When the feel wasnt there
Long hair and a chain in my wallet
No cares weed sack in my pocket
Beepers with hot shit thought i was flossing trying to act tough when i wasn't that solid
Funny how time flies when you're grinding
The years pass and it flash like lightning
Busy working or busy fighting
Through the fume we mange to survive and
Still striving for that new new
But sometimes i feel crushed like voodoo
Always could be worse than it used to
So never wait for tomorrow to do you
Ive been in some places never thought i'd make it out alive
Physically and mentally felt trapped with no escape in sight
Now my futures looking bright shining like a satellite
This darkness in my life is over watch me move towards the light
On the hunt for some piece of mind but each rhyme i write when i see the lines and i realize that we intertwine
in this life of powder we synthesize
Keys and duels and these seeds and spores
Plant the roots of these trees then forests
See the source of these seasoned forge
And i feed the course and we eating more
Used to watch the sky at night just looking for a shooting star
Wishing on a meteor a metaphor of for we are
Trying to gain the confidence inside me when my days are hard
Searching for significance initiative to raise the bar
(?)Long way to go aint no turning back on this road we chose
Hope that one day our names will grow and get paid in stacks when we play these shows
No one close so we keep the pace
Do the most and we run this race
Paper chase with my poker face and embrace the taste when we drop this bass
Ive been in some places never thought i'd make it out alive
Physically and mentally felt trapped with no escape in sight
Now my futures looking bright shining like a satellite
This darkness in my life is over watch me move towards the light
Growing up fast made a couple mistakes
Seen the money come money go heartbreaks
Swear to god that i could have touched the clouds
Im going to have to find a way back left for the ground
Another year another ticket from the government
A legal system that don't want to see a sense of logic
But i never play the victim now i spit this for my people that have been locked down
Seen good ones taken away to soon
From the drugs and the medical abuse
Neglect and a bullet from a 22
Any minute can be gone in the state troop
Pull myself up for the ones that i love
Pull myself up from the bottom of the barrel of a gun
Fat kid never knew how to run, Icarus to close to the heat of the sun
But i'll be the better man at the end
Got a plan to defend what i started
Fake Four Side Road never stopping drop this from the bottom of my heart cause i drop get
And we will overcome i know this
Fight to the bitter end with both fists
Punch holes till my fingers are broken
Futures looking up never hopeless
Ive been in some places never thought i'd make it out alive
Physically and mentally felt trapped with no escape in sight
Now my futures looking bright shining like a satellite
This darkness in my life is over watch me move towards the light
The song "Satellite" by Def3 starts with the artist reflecting on his humble beginnings, where he had to work hard to achieve success. Despite not having a planned route, he never had any doubts and did everything he could to gain clout. He remembers his carefree days of grinding, partying, and skating with his team, but now, in the present day, he sometimes feels crushed like voodoo. The artist is aware of the harsh realities of life and has been in places where he never thought he would come out alive. He talks about his past mistakes, heartbreaks, and the legal system that can be contradictory at times. However, despite all of that, he remains hopeful and optimistic about the future.
Throughout the song, the artist keeps returning to the metaphor of a satellite, representing a bright and positive future. He acknowledges that his life was once shrouded in darkness, but now he's moving towards the light. He talks about the importance of perseverance, the need to keep fighting, and striving to overcome all obstacles.
Overall, "Satellite" is a song that reflects on the challenges and struggles of life, but also captures the spirit of resilience and hope. It's a reminder that no matter how difficult things may seem, there is always hope for a brighter future if we keep moving forward.
Line by Line Meaning
Growing up fast never had a hand out
I had to quickly grow up and learn to not rely on others for support.
Coming up in the world trying to stand out
I strive to succeed and make a name for myself in this world.
No planned route
I didn't have a set plan for my future, but I worked hard to get there.
Never had doubts
I was always confident in my abilities to succeed.
Doing everything i could just to get clout
I did whatever it took to gain popularity and respect in my field.
Figured out who i was at a young age
I was able to discover my identity early on in life.
Big dreams and my team on the front page
My team and I had great aspirations and wanted to be recognized for our accomplishments.
Skateboard on my feet and the sunrays on a Sunday doing Tre's on a One Way
I used to skateboard in the sun on Sundays and do impressive tricks like 360 flips.
Thinking about good times that we shared
I reminisce about the fun experiences I've had with friends and loved ones.
Grinding partying Ollie and stairs
I worked hard and played hard, enjoying both the grind and the party scene.
So care free, hard to compare
I used to live a carefree lifestyle that is hard to replicate.
Nowadays to the year When the feel wasnt there
These days, things don't feel quite the same as they used to.
Long hair and a chain in my wallet
I used to have long hair and wore a chain in my wallet for fashion purposes.
No cares weed sack in my pocket
I used to carry around weed and not have a care in the world.
Beepers with hot shit thought i was flossing trying to act tough when i wasn't that solid
I thought I was cool with my beeper but in reality, I was trying too hard to act tough when I wasn't really that confident.
Funny how time flies when you're grinding
It's interesting how fast time seems to pass by when you're working hard.
The years pass and it flash like lightning
The years go by in a flash just like lightning.
Busy working or busy fighting
I am always either working hard or fighting for something I believe in.
Through the fume we mange to survive and
Despite the difficulties we face, we are able to push through and come out stronger.
Still striving for that new new
I am constantly trying to reach new heights and achieve new things.
But sometimes i feel crushed like voodoo
At times, I feel overwhelmed and helpless like I am under a voodoo curse.
Always could be worse than it used to
I remind myself that things could always be worse than they currently are.
So never wait for tomorrow to do you
Don't wait until tomorrow to pursue your dreams or be yourself - start now.
Ive been in some places never thought i'd make it out alive
There were times where I didn't think I would survive either physically or mentally.
Physically and mentally felt trapped with no escape in sight
I felt stuck and unable to get out of both physical and mental situations.
Now my futures looking bright shining like a satellite
Now, my future looks hopeful and bright, just like a satellite shining in the sky.
This darkness in my life is over watch me move towards the light
The dark times in my life are over and now I am moving towards a brighter future.
On the hunt for some piece of mind but each rhyme i write when i see the lines and i realize that we intertwine
I am looking for peace of mind and when I write, I realize that my life and experiences intertwine with my lyrics.
in this life of powder we synthesize
In this world of drugs and substance abuse, we create and synthesize different substances.
Keys and duels and these seeds and spores
We use and manipulate different keys, tools, seeds, and spores to create drugs and other substances.
Plant the roots of these trees then forests
We plant the roots of our creations and let them grow into vast forests of different substances.
See the source of these seasoned forge
We see the origins of these synthesized substances and where they come from.
And i feed the course and we eating more
We continue to feed into this cycle and consume more substances.
Used to watch the sky at night just looking for a shooting star
I used to spend my nights looking up at the sky, hoping to see a shooting star.
Wishing on a meteor a metaphor of for we are
I would make wishes on shooting stars and see them as a metaphor for ourselves and our hopes and dreams.
Trying to gain the confidence inside me when my days are hard
I am trying to build up my confidence even on the toughest of days.
Searching for significance initiative to raise the bar
I am on a mission to find significance and purpose and to raise the bar for myself and my achievements.
(?)Long way to go aint no turning back on this road we chose
We have a long way to go on this journey, but we won't turn back on the path we have chosen.
Hope that one day our names will grow and get paid in stacks when we play these shows
We hope that one day our names will become well-known and we will earn a lot of money from playing shows.
No one close so we keep the pace
We don't have anyone close to us, so we keep moving forward at our own pace.
Do the most and we run this race
We try our best and we are determined to succeed at this race we call life.
Paper chase with my poker face and embrace the taste when we drop this bass
We are always trying to earn money and keep a straight face while we enjoy the process of dropping sick beats.
Growing up fast made a couple mistakes
Growing up too quickly caused me to make a few missteps along the way.
Seen the money come money go heartbreaks
I've experienced heartbreaks and ups and downs along the way while earning and losing money.
Swear to god that i could have touched the clouds
There were times where I felt like I could reach the sky and touch the clouds.
Im going to have to find a way back left for the ground
I need to find a way to come back down to earth and face reality.
Another year another ticket from the government
Every year, I receive another ticket or fine from the government.
A legal system that don't want to see a sense of logic
The legal system can be illogical and difficult to navigate.
But i never play the victim now i spit this for my people that have been locked down
I never play the victim and instead, I create music for those who may feel trapped and locked down.
Seen good ones taken away to soon
I've witnessed good people being taken away from us too soon, whether it be from drugs or other causes.
From the drugs and the medical abuse
Many people are affected by drug or medical abuse and it takes a toll on their lives.
Neglect and a bullet from a 22
Neglect and violence can lead to tragic outcomes, such as being killed by a bullet from a 22 gun.
Any minute can be gone in the state troop
Life is fragile and we never know when our time will come - it can happen suddenly.
Pull myself up for the ones that i love
I try to be strong and pull myself up for the sake of my loved ones.
Pull myself up from the bottom of the barrel of a gun
I try to lift myself up from the dangerous and low points in my life.
Fat kid never knew how to run, Icarus to close to the heat of the sun
I used to be overweight and struggle with physical fitness, and I have also had moments where I fly too close to the sun and get burned.
But i'll be the better man at the end
I will always strive to be a better person and improve myself in the end.
Got a plan to defend what i started
I have a plan to protect and defend what I have started in my life.
Fake Four Side Road never stopping drop this from the bottom of my heart cause i drop get
I will continue to create and drop music from my heart and my soul, never stopping in my pursuits.
And we will overcome i know this
We will overcome the obstacles in our lives, I am certain of this.
Fight to the bitter end with both fists
I will fight until the very end with both of my fists.
Punch holes till my fingers are broken
I will punch and fight until my fingers are broken.
Futures looking up never hopeless
My future is looking positive and never hopeless, despite the hardships and struggles faced along the way.
Contributed by Gavin C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.