Welcome to the World of Meechy Darko [FBZ Profile][ 14 minute read ]

Ever been to a hip hop show and been disappointed by the performance of one of your  favorite artists? I know I have. Some rappers are just built for the studio, giving performances that only the most passionate of their fans will really love. 

That is not the case here whatsoever. Welcome to the world of Meechy Darko.

pic.twitter.com/erZFk1iZNc

— Jiggaboo Jones (@DTownRico) May 1, 2018

Who is Meechy Darko?

Real Name: Dimitri Simms
Nicknames: Meechy Darko, Meech, Durt Cobain, 2Cup Shakur, Fleezus Christ
Birthday: December 27, 1990
Sign: Capricorn

Not only is Dimitri “Meechy Darko” Simms the emotional core of Flatbush Zombies, but he is also an exceptional lyricist and one of the most compelling performers in all of hip hop. You just can’t take your eyes, or ears, off him.

Meechy is impossible to miss. If you know Flatbush Zombies, you know Meech – it’s as simple as that. Meechy Darko’s skinny jeans, dope dreads, and classic eye back-roll are an image so charismatic that its synonymous to the Flatbush Zombies collective in the eyes of all but the most dedicated fans.

Meech is so distinctive in today’s music scene because of how exceedingly genuine he is in his art and his voice. He’s probably the most authentic rapper in the entire game – and if he’s not, then he’s second only behind Erick Arc Elliott. This relatability and honesty in his music is what makes Meech a fan favorite. He’s usually playing the primary role in any group interview and can control a crowd like it’s his own hand.

No Greater Feeling.
Never Had a Radio Record.
So If you Know all the Words to Ourshit U a Real One. pic.twitter.com/GzO7A3cc0f

— Count Rackula aka 2Cup Shakur aka Durt Cobain aka. (@MeechIsDEAD) May 2, 2018

Duality is a central theme to Meechy Darko’s music. Meech seeks to be a balancing force, providing a countertext of lows to balance out the highs so often heard in rap. Mental health has always been a huge part of his message – Meech voices the feelings of sadness, anger, frustration, depression, self-doubt, and aggression that we all feel that you but don’t hear much in rap, especially when Meech began plying his trade in the early 2010’s.

“We reawakened ourselves. Rebirth. That’s what it meant to us when it came down to the decision. ‘Yo, we are zombies.’ We are not saying we don’t have a pulse. I bleed blood. Just understand that you know when they say you die your life flashes before your eyes? You see everything. You learn the grand answer to the biggest question in the world. Pretty much we are saying that we been through that. Second phase. We are here now. We are zombies. That fucking other life is done. I am aware of what happened then. This is a new conscious.” – Meech with Complex

Meechy Darko: Straight Outta Flatbush

Flatbush Zombies’ roots go deep – and Meechy Darko is the thread that joins them together, both emotionally and relationally. The trio’s foundations were laid all the way back in 1994, when Meech (then Dimitri) and Erick Elliott met through the Jamaican community in Flatbush, New York. They were both 4 years old at the time. Meechy Darko then met the final member of their trio, Zombie Juice (then “Antonio”), in middle school and later introduced him and Erick. The three quickly became friends, bonding over music, dragon ball z, and pro wrestling.

In high school, Meech and Erick got jobs at a local shoe store and started to grow into their group hustle. The job gave Meech an opportunity to make good money by trapping – not drugs, sneakers. Meech began slipping shoes from the store to sell directly on the streets, just as long as they weren’t Jordans – Jordans went straight into Meech’s personal collection.

“I worked at Foot Locker on Flatbush Avenue. It’s not there anymore, so they can’t come for me. At first, me and Erick worked there together. It was me, Erick, my man Peterson that lived upstairs from me, my man Steph across the street, and my man Ben. All from the same block. Peterson was the manager, and eventually I got comfortable and figured out how to steal things. I used to sell sneakers and collect my Jordans. When I was in high school, I had a collection of 200 sneakers and I didn’t have $200 in my pocket.” – Meech with Esquire

Along with Zombie Juice, Meech dropped out of high school after his sophomore year. It wasn’t a calculated decision – school had never been a big part of their lives and one day they just stopped going. A couple years later, Juice went on a boredom-inspired sober stint and started writing down rhymes for the beats Erick had been making for years. Following Juice’s lead, Meech began also writing his rhymes while starting to more seriously apply himself to rapping.

Meech and Juice had long supported Erick’s musical ambitions and had freestyled over his beats countless times, but this decision to take it to the next level would prove to be a pivotal moment for their lives. From there, the three friends began to record their music to have a soundtrack for them and their friends to smoke to – but it would still be several years before they began releasing music with a career in mind.

“MUSIC WAS THE FIRST THING I EVER FELT HEALED ME…FIRST THING I FELL IN LOVE WITH…PAIN ENCOURAGED ME TO MAKE MUSIC…WANTING TO VENT…WANTING TO FEEL BETTER REALLY” – Meechy Darko on his 2018 AMA

In case you were wondering, Meech’s favorite weed strain is Wedding Cake (cross between Girl Scout Cookies & Cherry Pie) and his favorite comic books are the 1984 Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars series.

“I’m not going to let these streets limit me. I may be here physically but that doesn’t mean I can’t project my energy all over the universe with tools like my music and the Internet.” – Meechy Darko with Vice

Meechy Darko’s Role in Flatbush Zombies

If Erick is the brain and Juice is the ego of Flatbush Zombies, then Meechy Darko is the heart. For many fans, his face is inseparable from their brand and image. In their music, interviews, and performances, Meech’s energy isn’t just palpable – it’s omnipresent. Meech can control a crowd like its his own hand and brings an infectious punk rock-type scene to Flatbush Zombies’ live performances. He orchestrates mosh pits like a symphonic conductor and legendarily crowd surfs and moshes with the audience at every show.

This is the the type of rowdy shit you can expect from Mr. Meechy Darko on a Flatbush Zombies tour:

Meech has a noted penchant for horror, especially when it comes to movies. He channels this into a shroud of darkness and grunge that permeates the Zombies. Meech is also the most spiritual of the Zombies, often mentioning his own spiritual journey when discussing the role psychedelics have played in his life. This makes complete sense when you consider the fact that his favorite book is Secret Teachings of All Ages. Meech loves getting into abstract conversations and philosophy – but probably not the philosophy you came across in school.

Meech on his Favorite Music to Trip to: “Kid Cudi makes good that has some psychedelia to it. A$AP Rocky of course. I think The Internet, they just dropped a beautiful project that has some great sounds to trip to. Hell, that shit’s beautiful. I don’t know if they had the intention to make psychedelic music. It just happened to be that way.”

Meechy Darko in Flatbush Zombies’ Music

Meechy Darko has perhaps the most unique and distinctive voice in all of hip hop. No one sounds like Meech – and if they tried to, they’d probably permanently damage their voice. You can definitely hear some Biggie, Rick James, and Ol’ Dirty Bastard in his style, but unlike most rappers, Meech really has no direct vocal comparison. Meech loves infusing his bars with dark content, occasional humor, and a helluva lot of emotion.

Meech’s presence in Flatbush Zombies’ music has a balancing effect. When Zombie Juice projects outward, Meech draws you inward. When Erick goes positive and uplifting, Meech goes dark and fatalistic.

Psychedelics and cannabis contribute a good deal of inspiration for Meech’s music and lyrical style, especially earlier on in his career. But the role that drugs play in his music is often overstated.

“We say brilliant things all the time and people just want to hear about a beautiful metaphor about how I rolled up this weed good. When I talk about where I came from or the struggles I dealt with, people just overlook that. They don’t care about that. If you listen to our music, I talk about it all the time. People just only want to talk about weed, psychedelics, and crazy shit. People never really understand that we came from the ghetto. We came from a struggle. It’s not all fine and dandy and happy.” – Meechy Darko with Hype Beast

One central theme in Meech’s music is his fascination with horror and other twisted / unorthodox concepts, as he often displays in songs. Here’s a great example from the track “Death 2” off their mixtape BetterOffDead:

“We shall possess your soul and make you off your mother like Menendez Brothers
I am wicked like no other, fuck you want
Zodiac killer, Libras in the trunk
Smelling like a dozen skunks
Cement their toes before I dunk them in the Hudson
Shatter jaws and break their teeth so forensics can’t see nothin’”

Meech also regularly explores issues themes of mental illness in his music, sharing his experiences with depression and suicide in an effort to help listeners navigate their own personal struggles with the knowledge that they aren’t alone in their fight.

Meech exploring his suicidal thoughts on “Trapped”:
“I woke up this morning and I asked myself
“Is life worth living, should I blast myself?
And when I’m gone, would they remember?”
Only son of Deborah, born in late December
Would my women cry for me when they get the news
That they future baby daddy, hanging from a noose?
I don’t wanna cry, gotta be a better way
Don’t ever want to see her die, so I found an escape
Should I leap in head first off the fire escape
Or should I take the easy way, shoot myself in the face?
I can’t really explain
What got me feelin’ this way
To all my fans, I’m truly sorry that I have to end it
But keep your minds open and my verses in your memory
In this believe, at least I made it to a quarter century
Just tryna give you a good ending for the documentary”

Like his Zombie counterpart Erick Elliott, Meech is the son of Jamaican immigrants. Although his heritage doesn’t come up too often in their music, every now and again you can catch Meech giving us a glimpse of his jamaican accent. Meech’s outtro on Joey Bada$$’s “Ring the Alarm” is a great example:

Meechy Darko’s Musical Influences

Meech’s influences are deeply rooted in New York hip hop. Biggie, in particular, is very important to Meech: he credits BIG’s “Suicidal Thoughts” for inspiring him to begin rapping and even has a Biggie tattoo on his chest. But Meech’s tastes don’t just end where the genre of hip hop does.

In various interviews, Meechy Darko has listed the following artists as major influences:

• Jadakiss
• Raekwon
• Biggie
• Too $hort
• Ghostface Killah
• Wu-Tang Clan
• Jimi Hendrix
• Grateful Dead
• Tupac Shakur
• LL Cool J
• Eminem

“I fucking love Nas, I fuck with André 3000. Wu-Tang… every single one of them. Big Pun of course. New guys, I fuck with Schoolboy Q and Kendrick Lamar. I fuck with Rocky. Other than that we listen to Zombie shit like 80% of the time.” – Meechy Darko with Village Voice

Meechy Darko and Film

Much like Erick Arc Elliot, Meechy Darko loves film. Movie references litter his bars and Zombie shows simply ooze cinematic creativity. If you ever happen to run into Meech and find yourself a little star-struck, just talk about the last creepy movie you saw – he’ll have plenty to add.

“I try to take a lot from movies. Not just imagery-wise. But just influences period. Movies have a lot of great shit especially when you are under the influence of certain things. You try and pick up on some shit that you didn’t pick up on before. I feel like D.R.U.G.S. is pretty cinematic.” – Meech with Complex

In various interviews, Meechy Darko has included the following titles in his list of all-time favorite movies:

• Menace II Society
• Dumbo
• 2001: A Space Odyssey
• A Clockwork Orange
• Return of the Living Dead
• Evil Dead
• Friday the 13th
• Bully
• Kids
• Porky’s

Meech’s film tastes are eclectic and broad, but there’s one director that he holds above all others: Stanley Kubrick.

“2001: A Space Odyssey is one of the best films ever made. It was ahead of its time, and this is ahead of its time. Our last project was Clockwork Indigo, which we did with Underachievers. That was themed off a Stanley Kubrick film, A Clockwork Orange. And if I can keep figuring out other ways to flip his movies, I’ll continue to do it. I like to pay homage.” – Meech with Esquire

Meech’s Best Lyrics

“Breakfast AT ePiffanies”
“Kaleidoscope eyes watch as I dematerialize
My team rolls with cohesion as we fly through broken skies
Told her the windows are your eyes, she can’t hide when deep inside
And destiny is mine so I decide my own demise
Niggas ain’t ahead of I, we smokin’ O’s you smokin’ dimes
I strangle you, gouge your eyes, ‘haha’ as you bleed and die
I love the taste of them tears, come on, come on baby cry
Lets go free your mind, close your eyes, drift into the other side
Am I out my mind or is my mind out of I?
I can’t lie, shit I impress myself sometimes
Two tabs at nine, tick tock, trip time
As the chemicals combine with my body and my mind
Oh we can forget the soul, I’m a OG, ho, so with the weed I roll
Smoke ’til these eyes glow, gold shining, I can’t hide
To think they told me that we can’t fly, well that’s a damn lie
Cause I am that high, so when I spit from the sky
You niggas get baptized, I ain’t even holy
But this gun I’m holdin’ will leave you holy moly, homie
Tombstone sittin’ on old money, yeah I bring a loaded bong rip
Of that bomb shit, nigga forever floatin’ manifest
All in my mind then I focus motion eyes on Japan
America owe me land and a motherfuckin’ mule
Why would I wanna be a tool, for a nation who
Blame these rap dudes for shootin’ up them schools”

“Death 2”
“I crack your fucking skull and use it as a bowl for cereal
I’m so serial, Ted Bundy give me money
Son of Sam, gun in hand, Jeffrey Dahmer with two llamas
In a tinted Astro van looking for a whatch’macallit
Too much pride, to beg your pardon, so it’s slaughter when I’m on ya
Ginsu soldier, let me see your guts and glory
We shall possess your soul and make you off your mother like Menendez Brothers
I am wicked like no other, fuck you want
Zodiac killer, Libras in the trunk
Smelling like a dozen skunks
Cement their toes before I dunk them in the Hudson
Shatter jaws and break their teeth so forensics can’t see nothin’
Laugh as I flee the scene, and make it 500 feet
Police pull over to me
Asked if that blood on my shirt
Said nah, it’s a pizza stain
He laughed, gave me a ticket
Said nigga, don’t speed again
But he wasn’t black so you know I had to aim and bang, bang, bang”

“Hell-O”
“Fleezus Christ, don’t say my name in vain
Fire, brimstone, acid rain
Watch me turn the crowd into a Spartan scene
Mosh pit, then I’m Moses, part the sea
Acid, acid, acid, acid, yah
I think I’m back up on them drugs again
Acid, acid, acid, acid, yah
I think I’m back up on them drugs again”

“Vacation”
“I just got back from Australia!
Wildin’ out, getting double mouth like an alien
Zombie Gang, Gang, Gang, can’t say a word
Who wanna bang, bang, bang? I’m Pops Wayans’ cuz
Got a blade on my tongue, dirty nine on my side
Ratchet from over seas, mail order bride
I’m the shit like my momma gave birth out her asshole
Ammunition, wrapped around my body like Rambo
Shout out to my main chick, side chick and mistress
Same shit, love you girl, just handle yo business
Got blood on my Fendi joggers, watch me mix-match designer
I just wanna spend 4/20 with Rihanna
Throw her over my shoulder then bring her back to my island
Then put her legs over my head like a Hurricanrana
I’m prolly the realest nigga to climb out a vagina (too real)
Now does that sound like a good vacation or am I wildin’?”

“Facts”
“I’m a walkin’, talkin’ silhouette, the darkest rhymer
Since DMX dropped that album with blood all over his body
Haters talk shit, but I don’t hear or mind ’em
Cause all that foul play gon’ lead to check when I find ’em
Your girls be like, “Choke me, daddy I’m a freak”
Next week she pop up with all type of hospital fees
You know me, shootin’ until I get a trophy
Been smokin’ this potent, I coughed up an organ
And you wastin’ your pussy if you ain’t let us all in
Fuck your contract, bitch I’m breakin’ all the clauses
Acid god, man I got everybody on it
Every verse a horror scene, Raptrick Bateman Vorhees
Remember me? Boosie on the side, Tunechi on top
Gold fangs, now everybody look like me, ha
What you geekin’, fuck you tweakin’, I ain’t ever lost bitch
Only time you kill shit when you pay for abortions”

“U&I”
“They tell you ’bout my family, that bipolar disorder
And due to karma, my first youngin’ gon’ be a daughter
When I was 5, I told my mom I wanted to die
Then we cry, the crazy shit, man, it wasn’t a lie
Man, this life, is filled with stress
So much oppressed, call New York City “9”
I sit alone and reflect, took me 28 years to realize that I’m blessed
Aunt Pam died from cancer; I quit them cigarettes
Weight of world on my shoulder—I just finished my reps
All addicted to drugs, we all addicted to sex
Feelin’ so self-destructive, like I’m clingin’ to death
Took my five-digit check and copped some bigger baguettes
Took a look at my ring, finger charm on my neck
Still in touch with myself, that flashy shit won’t prevail
I really be shopping for happiness, but that shit ain’t for sale”