Stryfe Dafantam

Stryfes skillful songwriting and imposing mic presence have garnered attention from Billboard, 2DopeBoyz and elite rap talent in his hometown of Detroit. But the trait that has always captured listeners ears is his voice: an authoritative, enunciated instrument that pierces through beats.

People told me, Man, your voice is crazy! It just makes people listen to what you have to say, Stryfe remembers. I noticed how strong of an effect it had on people, so I made sure that when people heard Stryfe, they knew it was Stryfe: be it the flow, the voice, or the lyrics.

Krystyan Anderson moved to Detroit as a child after his father was discharged from the military, and he got exposure to words early, learning how to read before attending school and skipping grades. Still, he witnessed the Motor Citys harsh realities quickly: by age 12, he had already lived among rodents, witnessed murders, and been robbed at gunpoint.

His father and grandmother were both singers, and he began to hone his own rap skills in high school with a rap crew named The ILLiance. He emulated icons like Nas, Ras Kass and Talib Kweli, enjoying the attention from battles in his high school lunchroom. He enrolled at Michigan State University at age 16, and began to find his own sound as he polished his flow while working with area producers.

After releasing his underground debut Great Expectations, he graduated from college and paused from music to balance two jobs: paying bills with a job at a steel mill, and helping friends with a digital magazine. He used the magazines studio to record City of God, a concept album that narrated the story of an artist who died trying to escape his problems.

City of God attracted more attention Stryfes way than ever: the song How We Grew Up earned an honorable mention in the Billboard World Music Awards, and the single Call Me Stryfe was nominated for a Detroit Hip Hop Award. The song Dyin was featured on The Big Break, a mixtape put together by 2DopeBoyz and DatPiff.
The album would also introduce him to indie Detroit rap royalty such as Finale, Invincible and Apollo Brown.
The accolades were nice, but I was still working a regular job, Stryfe laughs. I knew I still had a lot more work to do, but it showed me that I had a chance and was doing my stuff right.

He released The Opening Act EP with Illingsworth in April 2012, and about a year later, he is gearing up for The Last Resorts, the new self-titled album by the duo of Stryfe and Detroit producer Marc Byrd. Resorts pairs Stryfes candor with Byrds scores, which combine classic Detroit knock with live instruments.
Walls Down and Lend Me Your Ear continue the cocky rhymes he flexed in Detroit cafeterias, while How It is and War detail the struggle he and so many other Detroiters endure on a daily basis. Guests such as Rapper Big Pooh, Sene and Mela Machinko join a guest list that also features fellow Detroiters such as Scolla, Miz Korona, and others.

With his solo disc Rare Form, appearances on a project with his new crew Local MU-12, and other records on the way, the music industry should get used to Stryfes voice: it isnt leaving any time soon.