BIO.
Dragon Fli Empire formed in May 2002. They released the original version of their debut album Conquest locally in the summer of 2002 as a limited edition CD-R.
The song "Mount Pleasant", a track about observations while riding Calgary Transit received airplay on CJSW, CKUA and CBC Radio 3. An official version of Conquest was pressed and independently released in August 2004. The album was re-mastered and three tracks from the CD-R version were replaced with newer ones, including the DFE theme song "D-E-F".
Their second album, Invasion, was independently released in May 2005. Reaching number five on the !earshot Canadian campus radio charts, it showcased a progression in the group's sound, and featured the tracks "Headphones", "Our Way", "Invasion" and "Tight Spot". The group collaborated with several other Canadian indie hip hop artists on the album, including Ndidi Cascade, More or Les, Epic, Mindbender and Touch and Nato plus live musicians like Kirby Small and Tariq.
In 2007, an album featuring tracks from Invasion and Conquest (Inquest) was released in Japan through P-Vine Records. The same year, a 12" vinyl release of the Invasion song "Roc the Crowd" featuring Ohmega Watts was released worldwide on Calgary-based label Bigfoot Records.
DFE released an EP entitled Intermission in May 2008 prior to their third full-length album Redefine. The EP reached number three on the !earshot and Chart Attack hip hop charts. Intermission also reached number three on The R3-30 on CBC Radio 3. Two tracks from Intermission were nominated for Radio 3's 2008 Bucky Awards.
The group's third full-length album, Redefine released in Japan on P-Vine Records in October 2008 and in North America on Makebelieve Records in January 2009. Redefine featured collaborations with a number of high-profile artists including Cadence Weapon, Masta Ace, Ohmega Watts, Josh Martinez, Moka Only and Raashan Ahmad. It reached number one for two weeks on the !earshot and Chart Attack hip hop charts, and was number three for several weeks on the CMJ hip hop charts. The video for "Outside Inn" was the group's first to receive rotation on MuchMusic and MuchVibe. Redefine was also nominated for Best Rap / Hip Hop Recording at the 2009 Western Canadian Music Awards.
The "Ride On EP" vinyl was released via Finnish label Traveller Records in September 2009, featuring four songs from Redefine.
In 2013, the duo teamed up with Saskatoon producer Def Chap for the 'DFE vs DEF EP'. Later that year, their fourth full-length album Mission Statement was released, again featuring an impressive list of guests including Sadat X, Qwazaar of Typical Cats, Thaione Davis, Birdapres, Ghettosocks, Def 3, Rel McCoy, royceBIRTH and others.
Most recently the group has released several vinyl 45 and digital singles. Their next project will be the Banff Avenue EP, releasing in late-March 2020 followed in late 2020 or early 2021 by their fifth full-length album, Class in Session.
Dragon Fli Empire was the first hip hop group featured on the annual MUCH does Calgary talent showcase on MuchMusic in 2005. They have also appeared on CBC-TV's ZeD and The National plus CBC Radio 'GO' . The group has toured across Canada, Europe, Chile and parts of the U.S., and played festivals like Shambhala, Montreal's Under Pressure, Ottawa's Alberta Scene and Yellowknife's Folk on the Rocks. DFE has also played select dates of Warped Tour and Rock the Bells as well as showcasing locally at JunoFest, Sled Island, the Calgary International Spoken Word Festival and the Calgary Folk Music Festival.
Their music has been featured on the MTV Canada series Peak Season as well as the OLN/National Geographic Adventure travel show Word Travels.
Discography
Japanese discography
Vinyl discography
Compilation appearances
Dragon Fli Empire formed in May 2002. They released the original version of their debut album Conquest locally in the summer of 2002 as a limited edition CD-R.
The song "Mount Pleasant", a track about observations while riding Calgary Transit received airplay on CJSW, CKUA and CBC Radio 3. An official version of Conquest was pressed and independently released in August 2004. The album was re-mastered and three tracks from the CD-R version were replaced with newer ones, including the DFE theme song "D-E-F".
Their second album, Invasion, was independently released in May 2005. Reaching number five on the !earshot Canadian campus radio charts, it showcased a progression in the group's sound, and featured the tracks "Headphones", "Our Way", "Invasion" and "Tight Spot". The group collaborated with several other Canadian indie hip hop artists on the album, including Ndidi Cascade, More or Les, Epic, Mindbender and Touch and Nato plus live musicians like Kirby Small and Tariq.
In 2007, an album featuring tracks from Invasion and Conquest (Inquest) was released in Japan through P-Vine Records. The same year, a 12" vinyl release of the Invasion song "Roc the Crowd" featuring Ohmega Watts was released worldwide on Calgary-based label Bigfoot Records.
DFE released an EP entitled Intermission in May 2008 prior to their third full-length album Redefine. The EP reached number three on the !earshot and Chart Attack hip hop charts. Intermission also reached number three on The R3-30 on CBC Radio 3. Two tracks from Intermission were nominated for Radio 3's 2008 Bucky Awards.
The group's third full-length album, Redefine released in Japan on P-Vine Records in October 2008 and in North America on Makebelieve Records in January 2009. Redefine featured collaborations with a number of high-profile artists including Cadence Weapon, Masta Ace, Ohmega Watts, Josh Martinez, Moka Only and Raashan Ahmad. It reached number one for two weeks on the !earshot and Chart Attack hip hop charts, and was number three for several weeks on the CMJ hip hop charts. The video for "Outside Inn" was the group's first to receive rotation on MuchMusic and MuchVibe. Redefine was also nominated for Best Rap / Hip Hop Recording at the 2009 Western Canadian Music Awards.
The "Ride On EP" vinyl was released via Finnish label Traveller Records in September 2009, featuring four songs from Redefine.
In 2013, the duo teamed up with Saskatoon producer Def Chap for the 'DFE vs DEF EP'. Later that year, their fourth full-length album Mission Statement was released, again featuring an impressive list of guests including Sadat X, Qwazaar of Typical Cats, Thaione Davis, Birdapres, Ghettosocks, Def 3, Rel McCoy, royceBIRTH and others.
Most recently the group has released several vinyl 45 and digital singles. Their next project will be the Banff Avenue EP, releasing in late-March 2020 followed in late 2020 or early 2021 by their fifth full-length album, Class in Session.
Dragon Fli Empire was the first hip hop group featured on the annual MUCH does Calgary talent showcase on MuchMusic in 2005. They have also appeared on CBC-TV's ZeD and The National plus CBC Radio 'GO' . The group has toured across Canada, Europe, Chile and parts of the U.S., and played festivals like Shambhala, Montreal's Under Pressure, Ottawa's Alberta Scene and Yellowknife's Folk on the Rocks. DFE has also played select dates of Warped Tour and Rock the Bells as well as showcasing locally at JunoFest, Sled Island, the Calgary International Spoken Word Festival and the Calgary Folk Music Festival.
Their music has been featured on the MTV Canada series Peak Season as well as the OLN/National Geographic Adventure travel show Word Travels.
Discography
- Conquest - 2004 - Makebelieve Records
- Invasion - 2005 - Makebelieve Records
- Intermission EP - 2008 - Makebelieve Records
- Redefine - 2009 - Makebelieve Records
- Mission Statement - 2013 - Makebelieve Records
- Banff Avenue EP - 2020 - Makebelieve Records
Japanese discography
- Inquest - 2007 - P-Vine Records
- Redefine - 2008 - P-Vine Records
Vinyl discography
- Abstrakt Vinyl Compilation 12" (features "Headphones")
2005 - Makebelieve Records - Roc the Crowd EP 12" feat. Ohmega Watts
2007 - Bigfoot Records - Ride On EP 12" (4 songs from Redefine)
2009 - Traveller Records - Djar One: A Little More Funk 7" feat. Dragon Fli Empire
2015 - Beats House Records - Hold Down the Fort b/w Right on Time 7"
2018 - Beats House Records / Radio Krimi Records - Record Store feat. J-Live b/w Fli Beat Patrol 7"
2020 - Ill Adrenaline Records
Compilation appearances
- New Music Canada, Vol. 1 (2004, CBC Records) - "Mount Pleasant"
- Up North Trip Vol. 4 (2006, Audio Research Records) - "Invasion"
- Underground Hip Hop Vol. 4 (2006, URBNET Records) - "Tight Spot"
- Mellow Beats, Rhymes and Vibes (2007, P-Vine Records) - "Beauty Full"
- Beat Studies: Lesson Two (2008, P-Vine Records) - "Headphones"
- Mellow Beats, Sunshine and Twilight (2009, P-Vine Records) - "Paradise", "Speak to Me"
- Underground Hip Hop Vol. 5 (2010, URBNET Records) - "Rise"
- Cover Art (2019, Calgary Folk Fest) - "Mr. Wendal"
