Saafir "Light Sleeper" from Boxcar Sessions (1994, Qwest)

I was looking at Man Mad Lakes today and saw that Jesse posted some cuts from Saafir's debut album, Boxcar Sessions... and now I've been listening to it all afternoon. I was never lucky enough to get the LP on vinyl but I have the 12"s and have been rocking the tape since I first got it (thank you Cellophane Square, Bellingham).

Saafir "Player Hater"

It might be dated to people now, but to me it's the kind of album where I get something new from it every time.

Saafir "Can You Feel Me?"

I remember being at the Gavin festival in San Francisco with Jake One, Supreme, Shelli, Sureshot, and Beni-B in about 1996 (?). We saw Saafir perform — just a quick set, and he completely wrecked it.

Saafir "Tha Bullshit" from Casual's debut album Fear Itself (1994, Jive)

The great thing to me about Saafir's flow is that he always seems to have intense control — but so much so that he can be really free with it, like a hip-hop Eric Dolphy.

Eric Dolphy "Epistrophy" from Last Date (1964, Limelight)