Interview: Jack Danz | Defenders Of Style
Legendary Leeds based collective Defenders of Style are back following a 5 year hiatus from their last Upper Echelon album, with a new single called Chrome & Black. The beat is accentuated with seamless cuts provided by DJ Sir Plus, whilst the video filmed and edited by Trxnsit gives viewers a raw, unfiltered insight into the Defenders’ ongoing dedication to graffiti culture. To find out whether the Defenders had more in store, Jack Danz was interviewed - revealing exclusive insight into the Chrome & Black single, his upcoming solo LP, a future release from Defenders Of Style & more.
The weekend prior to this interview, Danz performed a sold-out show in the cellars of the Royal Park venue in Leeds; a homecoming event for Defenders member Joe Snow, who usually resides in Australia. The event showcased music they made over the years, such as the Def Sentence project which was made when Snow last visited. “We never really got a chance to play those tracks live,” explained Danz. “So we put on a show - obviously he has got his latest release, the Elephants LP, then I played a few of my latest bits as well, so it was really just for that purpose.” The highlight of the night was when the Defenders unveiled Chrome & Black at the end of the set, which “Popped off,” recalled Danz. “Then the other track I can remember going well was the one that me and Joe Snow got the video for - it's called Catch 22 that's off the Def Sentence EP - it's quite a slow, chill beat then you've got Joe Snow spitting that double-time, so it always goes down well.”
The song Chrome & Black was recorded sometime in August, as well as a separate track called B-Syde. The video for Chrome & Black dropped in September, an ode to graffiti culture and fans of cypher style rap music, featuring a visual of a Defenders Of Style mural being spray-painted at an undisclosed location somewhere in Australia. When asked if the track had any initial theme or intention to it when it was being written, Danz explained why the Defenders don’t force their themes too much. “Sometimes when you get those tracks where everyone's been forced to write on a certain topic, it hinders the individual's types of flair,” said Danz. “We always say just bring bars pretty much, then it usually comes together pretty good.” The songs are different instrumentally: Chrome & Black has a darker, more simplistic beat which showcases the rhymes, whereas the B-Syde single is a throwback to the older Defenders sound, “That jazzier sort of sound,” Danz clarified. “So yeah, it's a bit of a jazz sample and a bit of an old school Defenders vibe, I think that is what people are wanting to hear from us.”
For the time being, the Chrome & Black & B-Syde singles are only available digitally. However the Defenders have recently started making more music, so Danz mused that the singles may even become part of a potential album. “We're still in the early stages, but it's looking that way,” confirmed Danz, who revealed he had just got back from recording new Defenders music just before this interview took place. “We have got some stuff recorded for a new project tonight,” continued Danz. “But that's going to be way down the line, we don't want to rush it just for the sake of putting something out - it's about perfecting it, giving the people the product that they deserve.”
Over summer, sometime in June, Danz released the ‘Echelon Ward’ EP, a collaboration between Upper Echelon members Jack Danz and Disgust, and other West-Yorkshire locals 1Jack and Fordz (formerly ‘Lynfield Ward’) “We’ve had tracks in the past such as Thrillseekers,” recalled Danz. “I was living with Fordz at the time, so we thought of making a full project: that's where Echelon Ward was born.” Currently Danz is also sat on a project coming with Halifax rapper Skott 3ree, called ‘Permafrost’ which is the next release he intends to drop and hopes to promote with a launch party event. “Skott 3ree is just putting out singles from that project at this moment in time, one actually dropped today - a song called Bank,” revealed Danz. “We put out a tape called Die Living a few years back, now we have ‘Die Living 2’ coming out - then me and Joe Snow had that EP, called Def Sentence, there is going to be a part two to that coming out as well.”
“It's just about representing West Yorkshire, you know what I mean?” continued Danz. “There are a lot of people that live in Leeds but aren't actually from West Yorkshire, so it's about representing that actual West Yorkshire sound.” Another West Yorkshire rapper, a Huddersfield mic veteran known now as Kemetstry (formerly Spida Lee), has collaborated with Danz regularly over the years. Kemetstry also has a project which was recently released called Kemz The Alchemist, which Danz produces a track on: Too Bad Mind. “I hope it's not overlooked,” said Danz. “But yeah, Kemetstry - that’s the guy right there, he has done a few bits on my beats and it's been some of the hardest shit, you know what I mean?”
Before finishing the interview, Danz was asked if rumours of an upcoming solo LP were true. He not only confirmed they were but revealed there were currently 8 tracks close to finished, intended for his upcoming solo album. This album would follow Danz’s acclaimed 2023 Lucidia LP, which features The NorthaZe, Lee Scott & Jam Baxter. “I have basically got all the music there,” explained Danz. “I am just doing the visuals, sorting through some of the names and the concepts for it but... All the music is there, it is just a case of getting it all together, tying up the knots and that.” Creating these projects is a labour of love for Danz, hence he refuses to release anything which isn’t in his own mind perfected. “I make the tracks, then I listen to them over and over,” continued Danz. “Only when, if it stands the test of time that I am actually going to be putting it out, I made a lot of tracks for it but there are only 8 that I am 100% confident in - I'm just going to push forward from there, but I'm aiming to add more.”
Jack Danz, thank you for your time.
Words by Evo