Sitting on the patio of Empire Espresso, a small cafe in Columbia City, something shimmering in the distance caught my eye. Jarv Dee, the self-proclaimed “modern day Moor,” approached with a half smile that allowed his gold grill to glimmer in the afternoon sun. Outfitted in crisp Nikes and red-and-black socks, Jarv sat down to spit a little game.
Jarv Dee is the former hype man of Cloud Nice and lyricist of Kingdom Crumbs. He’s also one of the founding members of Seattle’s Moor Gang, the local super collective that includes Nacho Picasso and Gifted Gab (to name just a few). But his latest EP, The Red Eye Jedi, offers an in-depth view of Dee alone—it’s a rare release that doesn’t include any features from the multitude of artists Dee is associated with…