"Huem_n is an urgent anthem album for the local+global resistance to the things that really keep us apart. Def Sound's intimate verses sound the antidote for our socially distant haze. A mnemonic return to the chemistry within and between us. A soul romance manifesto for where we are right now."


- Bridget Cooks, Ph.D

H u e m _ n.

COLORED

Exhibit Aye Radio w/ Ms. Jck Davey

Sonic assemblage brought to you by BLACK DISCOURSE
https://blackdiscourse.co/Def-Sound-DANCING-W-THEE-DIALOGUE

~~~~~~~~~~~~
Def Sound - Flowers  w/ June Jordan

JAB - Currents 

D Smoke - Its Ok

Chassol - Mario, Pt.2 

milo - sorcerer 


April + VISTA - I Hate It Here.m

V.C.R - Minnie Lives 


Qur'an Shaheed - Not Today 


 Charlie Hunter Quartet feat. Mos Def - Creole 

April + VISTA -  What Is Enough?



JAB -  02 5,6,7,8 (Dance Is Life) 



JACK DAVEY - I Should Be Sleeping 

JID - Skegee 

Budgie - Joy 


Jimetta Rose & Voices of Creation - Let The Sun Shine In


Seba Kaapstad - Magic.mp3 


Chassol - Dominos Pt. 3 

Josh Johnson - 856 

machell andré - rapspell 



duendita - Open Eyes

 
Twin Jude - LÜ - 02 SIDE B 

Dengue Dengue Dengue - Hiperborea

Blood Orange (feat. Georgia Anne Muldrow)

Def Sound - I BEEN,

Carry Me Home high pass out


Space Afrika - oh baby

FR_BLCK_PR - Athletes And Entertainers (feat Jimetta Rose And BUSDRIVER)

Zeroh - HEYOKA 


Def Sound - Seeing The UnSaid [Spoken Theory] 


Nick Hakim - Will this make me Good


D Smoke - Top of the Morning 


Menahan Street Band - Devil's Respite 

Def Sound - BLKSYM

Sons of Kemet - My queen is Nanny of the Maroons

Def Sound ~ DANCING W/ THEE DISCOURSE

Unlimited  is a song about the limitlessness of Blackness. It's a song I needed to hear growing up. 

Produced by Zhao (https://soundcloud.com/zhaomusic )It's an aspirational mantra celebrating one's plurality. It's something you feel in your bones before you have any words for it. It's a re visioning of your possibilities and letting go of all forms of scarcity. It's genre less, boundless energy and joy. It's deeper than rap. It's a dance as much as it is a ritual. It's a spell cast on ones self. It’s the repetition that makes it powerful.



Released on June 18th 2021 via NEVER NORMAL (https://soundcloud.com/nevernormalrecords) in celebration of Juneteenth.

Def Sound ~ Unlimited

EXHIBIT AYE ~ aja monet innerview

Had a beautifully insightful sit down w/ the Surrealist Blues Rapper Rory Allen Philip.
This inner view is pieced together across 3 days and 7 phone calls in 4 locations.


En. joy.

Def Sound ~ R.A.P. Ferreira Innerview [FULL]

I BEEN VISUAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiKmOVJT-R0

I BEEN is a poetic meditation exploring (re)memory, landscape, the mundane, and the concept of home. First single off the upcoming FROM SOUTH CENTRAL TO THE WORLD project.


Artwork by Ema Reis da Cunha
Original photo by Daniel N. Johnson
Song Produced + Mixed by Zhao
Mastered by Important Horse aka Delwin Campbell
Video directed + edited by Sara Suárez

I BEEN

02/24/2022

Contour Innerview [FULL]

CITIZENS OF CULTURE PRESENTS ::


. James Blake - Bonnaroo Opening
. Def Sound & ®C Combined Minds- Scream Instrumental 
. Danny Brown - Break it 
. MIA - Baddy Girl 2 
. What So Not - High You Are (Branchez Remix)
. Young Thug x Evian Christ - Stoner Remix 
. Young Fathers - The Guide 
. Hud Mo - Structure 
. Pegasus Warning - Change 
. Iman Omari - LookatChu 
. Anderson Paak - Drugs 
. Tink feat. Jeremih - Don't Tell Nobody 
. Hippie Sabotage - Sunny 
. J*Davey feat. Def Sound - Love ?  Yeah  ! 
. Vic Mensa - Down on My Luck 
. Zack Sekoff - Drake's Days in thee east remix 
. Mac Miller Feat. EARL - Faces 2 
. Dessert - Lovelink 
. Def Sound x Zack Sekoff - Shepard Fairey 
. Caribou - can't do w/o you 
. ASAP Rocky - Cockiness Remix
. Branko - Silly Bitch 
. Galleghar - Up The Wall 
. Picasso Biggie
. Childish Gambino feat. Problem - Sweatpants 
. Drake feat. James Blake - 0-100 
. Lukatis - Chinese Slippers 
. Dj client - To Let Go 
. Kanye West - Bound 3  
. 2Chainz - shoulda cudda woulda 
. Kid A - Blckrsechll
. Marcos Valle - Estrelar 
. Little Dragon - Killing Me 
. Mac DeMarco - Chamber of Reflection 

Whole mix done on Native Instruments TRAKTOR for iPad.


en.joy.


-∂eƒ

. . . If Thee WHOLE World Took A Selfie .. .

#UNDOmag Issue ii drops 12// 9//14
http://www.undoordinary.com/#home

...follow.thee.vibration.like....



∆ Static Major Jam Session of Unreleased song "I Got You" 



∆ Eric Lau feat. Rahel - I'm Fine 



∆ Ahu - To :Love 




∆ Tokimonsta feat. Anderson Paak- Realla 




∆ Amel Larrieux - Foreal.IAMNOBODI remix 




∆ Dojacat - So High




∆ Flying Lotus - Turtles 




∆ Jai Paul - Zion Wolf 



∆ FKA - Numbers





∆ Genevieve Artadi featuring Aya Toyoshima - Get Through It






∆ Zack Sekoff - hot in the house 





∆ inc - Your Tears  





∆ The Cults - high road 




∆ TekDOTLUN - Midnight 







∆ Drake - How Bout Now 





∆ Les Sins - Do Right



∆ Mothica - Ableton Didn't Save This 



∆ James Blake - Building It Still 



∆ Mndsgn - Cameblues



∆ Kyle - Don't want to fall in love (paper water remix) 



∆ Sylvan Esso - Hey Mami





∆ ∂eƒ Sound (x) Nikko Gray - Love.Songs.About.No.one





∆ BadBadNOTGOOD - Kaleidoscope 





∆ The Hics - Cold Air 





∆ Jarell Perry - Own It (COVER)



∆ TALA - Everybody's Free 



∆ Muhsinah x Flying Lotus - Lose My Fuse  





∆ Phantogram - Fall In Love 




∆ Anderson Paak - The City 



∆ Mos Def x Vinia Mojica x Hi Tek - Get Ta Steppin




∆ Kadhja Bonet - Tears For Lamont 







∆ Versis x Kid A x B.Lewis - Deep Seated





∆ HXNS - Window Shopping 



∆ Ibeyi - Better In Tune w/ Thee Infinite 







∆ ∂eƒ Sound x Toy light - Fall(en) water //sketch.demo.//




-deƒ

UNDO.magazine.issue.ii.MIX :: B R E A T H E .

☾Prod. by . Z∆ck Sekøff // ∂eƒ // additional vocals and strings by Kadhja Bonet // mixed by Brandon Kilgour☽


W A T C H . T H E E . V I D .
https://vimeo.com/139547426



∆∆∆'s.of.Neon // OU T . N O W . https://defsound.bandcamp.com/album/kings-of-neon

i t u n e s 

ıllıllı i N e e d Y o u  2 K n o w . ıllıllı

☾Prod. by . https://soundcloud.com/zsekoff // mixed by Brandon Kilgour☽


∆∆∆'s.of.Neon // O U T . N O W . 
https://defsound.bandcamp.com/album/kings-of-neon



- ∂eƒ



†rILL . △LL▲H  ☾ Prod. By . Z∆ck Sekøff ☽

WATCH . THEE . VID . 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHUm-xTcmi0

An oldie but goodie produced by my brother RC // 
From thee △nything.thee.idea.Machine. album .
https://defsound.bandcamp.com/album/nything-thee-idea-machine


[ a r t . w o r k (s) by Andre Power ]

(A)Gain .

UNDO . ORDINARY . MAG . VOL . IV  very available now on http://undoordinary.com/


∆ Abjo - Fade 
∆ Kanye West - Fade 
∆ Mary J - I Can Love You (KAYTRANADA remix)
∆ Tolliver - SC Shirt 
∆ Flume feat. Vince Staples - Smoke Retribution 
∆ Kendrick Lamar - untitled 07 
∆ Planet Giza - Farao 
∆ KELELA - Rewind 
∆ Brook D'LEau x Def SounD- White Rice !
∆ Doja Cat - Try 
∆ George Duke - Brazilian Love remix 
∆ Tensnake - Pressure 
∆ Ta-Ku - Electronic Relaxion 
∆ Tye Tribett - He Turned It (LIVE)
∆ Fuego x Sango - Se Me Nota 
∆ TiRon & Ayomari - Get Free Revolt 
∆ Kyle Hall - Girl U SO Strong
∆ Open Mike Eagle - "Ziggy Starfish (Anti-Anxiety Raps)
∆ Scatta - I KNOW i need (Jill Scott Remix) 
∆ Suzi Analogue - Creation ArgumeNNt 
∆ Young Fathers - Shame 
∆ Stevie Wonder Obol remix - Superstition
∆ Kate Bush - Why should I love you? 
∆ Anderson Paak - Off The Ground

UNDO . MAG . MIX ::   PULSE .

It's Oct. and you are far too busy to find music so I found new vibes inbewteen the couch cushins of thee internet
LOOSE CHANGE . Vol . Bless
includes music by QUIÑ , DUCKWRTH, def.sound, Radiohead, Godfrey Atlarge, Braxton Cook, Princess Nokia, Open Mike Eagle, Steve Lacy and many others you may have never heard or the algorithm has hidden from you. 
See You in Nov.

For thee full tracklist
citizensofculture.com/2017/10/10/loose-change-vol-bless/

Loose Change vol (BLESS)

Loose . Change . Vol. BLESS !

Produced By:: https://soundcloud.com/bravobeats
Art.work.ed. By:: tirdbrain ( http://www.angiesamblotte.com/)

This song is called “ COLO(U)RS “

it’s out now

No samples just grooves

Play it on the days you hate everything

Love is Dope no matter what hue it finds you.

C o l o( u )r s  [Prod. B.BRAVO]

[Hook] 
We was on a bon voyage 
we was 
trippin 
trippin 
trippin 
dancing on a waterfall 
she was 
dripping 
dripping 
dripping 
we can act like astronauts 
go far out 
off that oh wow 

We 
can 
do 
anything you like 
whats that sound like? 

we was on a bon voyage 
we was 
trippin 
trippin 
trippin 
dancing on a waterfall 
she was 
dripping 
dripping 
dripping 
we can act like astronauts 
go far out 
off that oh wow 


[Pre Post mid Hook Bridge] 
Say no to no 
we can go 



[Dancable break beat build up break down] 
don't ask nobody 
just move your body 


[Unexpected Rap Verse] 
hi 
have you ever met a high? 

that was down to skinny dip 
so eye dove into her mind 
she was so redheaded 
freckles looking like designs 
i caught her red handed 
love could've been a crime 
(That's a Sade reference btw) 


shhh 
we can listen to thee sky 
build telescopes 
watch eclipses in rewind 
rewind 
rewind 


[Hook Endtro]
credits
from (G​)​RADIENTS, released June 15, 2018 
Written by: Emmanuel "def.sound" Ricketts for We.Are.Instruments Publishing 

Produced by: Brook D'Leau 

Inspired by: Interracial Dating 

Recorded while laying down while thinking about if Elon Musk was a black man and how differently the company name Space X would be taken. 

Mixed by: Brook D'Leau 

Mastered by: Kelly Hibbert 

Additional vocals by: Joyce Wrice and Ms. Jck Dvy.

PROPANE

Opening Hook 
You remind me of a ceiling 
so high so high 
you remind me of a feeling 
so high so high 

A birds eye view 
me time you 
equals you're, 
my equal babe 

Opening verse: 
you're affecting me 
skitsometrically 
I made that up 
effectively 

so what would you call this 
awhatchamacallit? 
what should be call this ? 
no really 

Hook 


Closing verse: 
You fluctuate my thoughts 
people think I'm off 
everybody's right 
and we really are? 

you're my favorite memory I'm touching 
You're the sky whens theres nothing 

Hook/outrance


credits



Artwork by Andre Power 
Written & Arranged by: Emmanuel "∂eƒ sound" Ricketts 
Produced by: Brook D'Leau (of J*Davey) 
Inspired by: The thought of my eyes as a projector, Bilal, That MmmmHmmm, white leather couches, feeling alone, and missing someone I never met. 
Recorded by: Brook D'Leau 
Mixed by: Brook D'Leau 
Mastered by Nevin Thomas

Re.mix.it.Your.self.
http://www.mediafire.com/?k2dhri2k7aeo11g

Name.Your.Price.

∂eƒ sound - Birds.i.View. feat Nikko Gray

Every color has a value, VALUE defines form and creates spatial illusions. What is a black boy in a white space? Can a black boy be invisible in a black space? At times we can contrast our environments w/ just the knowledge of our value.

This is the 2nd EPisode in the COLOURED Series.

12th Ave. Produced  & Mixed by Neon Phoenix

DEALS Pt.2 Produced by Zack Sekoff
Mixed by Cory Williams

VALUE is Mastered by Kelly Hibbert

Art Twerked by Zoe Zoe Song 
Orginal Photo Captured by : Daniel N. Johnson

Value

Cop From ya Boy

12th Ave.

South Central's Own def.sound remixed by the homie from Lynwood/Compton https://soundcloud.com/channeltres
Art Twerked by Zoe Zoe Shine 
Original Photo Captured by: Daniel N. Johnson

def.sound - Propane [ Channel Tres Remix ! ]

TEXTURE is the 3rd Episode in the COLORED series. TEXTURE explores our relationship with relationships. These aren’t love letters these are loss letters collaged as song. We use song as tactics to install new spells within ourselves. 

Sometimes black boys feel things too complex for lettering. We feel these feelings in braille given little time to process, in a world where we are not safe in, we are walking talking safes filled with secrets. They want our culture but not our color. FINE LINES is dancing to the emotion of the freedom to leave a situation that's letting go of you. Following the songs curvature carefully the chorus is circular in nature and organic in feeling. FINE LINES is produced by virtuoso Mocky Recordings (Production and writing credit for Fiest and Kelela) and features the vocal empress Alex Isley (Production and vocal feature credit for Moses Sumney and Robert Glasper). 

I'LL WAIT is a slow burn, a conversation you wish was never over in a language you keep remembering to forget. This song is a long distance open relationship written on a freeway to a city everyone is swiping right to ride on. I'LL WAIT is produced by and featuring the insanely talented Yale graduate Zack Sekoff (Production for Vince Staples and Thundercat). 
Our experience is a TEXTUR(ed) one.
credits
released November 30, 2018 

All Songs Written by Emmanuel "def.sound" Ricketts for We.Are.Instruments Publishing 
"I'll Wait" has additional writing and vocals from Zack Sekoff 
All Songs Mastered by: Kelly Hibbert 

Art Twerked by Zoe Zoe Song 
Orginal Photo Captured by : Daniel N. Johnson

B l e s s.

def.sound - i'll . wait . [ feat. Zack Sekoff ]

1. Makin Magic by Krampfhaft
2. Easy Easy by TNGHT
3. Pembroke by Airhead & James Blake
4. Ready For The World (Star Slinger Refix) by How 2 Dress Well 
5. Good Kids by Lunice 
6. Blue Clouds by Modeselector 
7. Perfect Gain Structure by Krampfhaft
8. Drowning by Zack Sekoff feat. Thundercat
9. Tape Hiss by Madlib
10. Sweat Like Keith by Ta-ku
11. Lovely Bloodflow by Baths
12. 1st BOOM by Analogue MoNsTa
13. in the Mood by Art Department
14. L.O.V.E. by Onra
15. Move Around by Diplo
16. Swayin by Hi-Res
17. It's Over by Hwood
18. Autumn by Afta-1 
19. Humble Bones by Labyrinth Ear
20. Battle for Middle you by Julio Bashmore
21. Van Vogue by Machinedrum
22. Look by ®C 
23. 100 % by ®C 
24. Paid In Full by A.Chal
25. See Thru to U by Zack Sekoff
26. Even Though by Giraffage & XXYYXX
27. NY is Killin me by Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie xx
28. Booty 2 The Ground by ƱZ x CRNKN
29. Hustle by Ta Ku 
30. Voices From Heaven by Kaytradamus & Sango


all songs blended by ∂eƒ sound on TRAKTOR by Native Instruments.
for all booking yodefsound@gmail.com
catch my weekly radio show every Thursday @ 9pm called phdradio w/ Miss*Jack*Davey 
http://gvbradio.com/phd-radio 

-∂eƒ

We.are.instrument(s).Vol.Ayyye !

Written by Emmanuel "def sound" Ricketts
Prod. by Zack Sekoff


I still think it's crazy Patrick Martinez did the album cover. Bro is so talented and moves w/ such a humble and grounded spirit it's crazy. Every song is a collage of conversations or experience I've had, the "I'm eating pizza!" line at the beginning of DEALS prt. 2 is written by a 2-year-old named Cairo, when asked about what she thought of 45 being elected president "I'm eating pizza!". This song started as an essay, which became a series of questions I think every artist asks themselves at some point. It's a song dealing w/ the compromises and promises we make ourselves… and how we deal with what we are dealt…. Who are you 10 deals later when the fine print is ugly?

05. Deals [Part 1 + 2]

Produced By Brandon Cordoba & def.sound
Keys played by Brandon Cordoba

________________________________________
First, I need to thank Brandon Cordoba for breathing life and soul into each note played on this song. I fell out in tears the first time I heard the wav. file of this song completed. MIGOS SPIRITUALS is a title for a song I’ve had for a long time but it didn’t actualize until we were having listening sessions for the album and Amelian Kashiro came in and listened w/ fresh ears and gave us feedback as a lover of music I’m giving her creative consultant credits on Disc 1ne. Her main critique was that I’m saying so much and the subjects are so heavy our ears are sometimes fighting through the busy and v large production the message and the words are getting lost. I love critique, its refreshing perspective it was the perfect prompt for me to write a more conversational record. I wanted to make a naked song, a song that was rose quartz level of clarity, where the mission, the mantra's and intentions were front and centered. No distractions just me, you, and a piano. S/o Indya Moore btw.

04. MIGOS SPIRITUALS Part 1

Featuring Clear Mortifee
Prod. by Zack Sekoff
Written by Emmanuel "def.sound" Ricketts and Clear Mortifee.


SATURDAZE came together in a really organic way in my first session at the REVIVAL studios (Earth Wind and Fires studio they used to record in). I usually record myself in my home studio so I felt a lot of pressure going into the session to make something I also thought the album was done so I was a blank canvas on what I needed to make. Two weeks earlier I met a singer named Clear Mortifee while I was looking for an after party (which I never ended up going to) in Leimert Park. I had no idea who they were but their energy felt familiar and they followed up sent me their music the next day. I had no expectations but their music and voice was so refreshing the next time I was in the studio they had to come w/ me. Zack Sekoff who a musical genius went in and recorded hours of wild takes on all the keyboards and drums sets but there was something about the brightness and warmth of the Jupiter. Clear was done w/ their verse in literally 5 min, I didn’t even have the hook yet. Clears godfidence is out of this world and it can be so contagious. At the end of the day the spirit of Maurice White was in that room w/ us.

03. saturdaze [feat. Clear Mortifee]

Prod. by Neon Phoenix and Def Sound.



Growing up as a Seventh Day Adventist in South Central Los Angeles in a food desert on a plant-based diet back in the 90's is pretty rare. This was one of the first songs I decided to own my story in its totality. 12th Ave. & Jefferson was a record it took my whole life to make. I’m in a constant state of shifting, unraveling, and becoming... As a people we are boiled down to cliches, devalued by a structural racial calculus and political arithmetic we had nothing to do with setting up. The sample loop used in the song is a Vine my homie Colin found on VINE (Remember VINE?) of Shiloh Dynasty playing guitar and singing, it felt like the perfect canvas for a confessional. At times we forget how valuable our stories are, just the telling of them alone is a revolutionary act. The truth is the most powerful thing I can share as an artist.

02.12th Ave. [feat. Nikko Gray]

Prod. by Brandon Crumbly, Def Sound.
Additional Production by Zack Sekoff
Additional Vocals by Carlos Ricketts Jr.
Saxophone played by David Michael Otis
Live drums Branden Akinyele

01. Morning Wav. [feat. Carlos Ricketts Jr.]

Featuring https://soundcloud.com/clearmortifee aka qleer.
Prod. by https://soundcloud.com/zsekoff
Written by Emmanuel "def.sound" Ricketts and Clear Mortifee.
Artwork by Zoe Zoe Shine (https://zoezoe.co/).
Mango Disco Records.

SATURDAZE [feat. Clear Mortifee]

You ain't got to spray my guy
we innocent
I promise you
would do well to leave us be unto ourselves
this barricade of treeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees
that's the sound of the police
go burn in hell
no gasoline
(why you gotta be sooo mean)
go burn in hell
no gasoline
.....


- zeroh

def sound - HIDE n SEEK w/ Aye Mitch! | Zeroh | Pink Siifu [prod. Khalil Slim]

Watch thee lyricvideo by Joe Merrell http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBFR3dHs3H8


"△nything.thee.idea.machine" is available NOW http://defsound.bandcamp.com/album/nything-thee-idea-machine

&

"△nything. d e l u x x x ." CD's NOW available http://shop.thatyoungdefshop.com/product/nything-thee-idea-machine-d-e-l-u-x-x-x


b u i l d . y o u r . ∆ .

See you in 2020.
 
∆∆∆'s.of.Neon.


-∂eƒ

People . [ A ] Go . (prod. by ®C)

Something to wake up to remixed and re flexed by https://soundcloud.com/gregariousmusic

Support.Thee.Art.

Morning Wav. [GREGarious Re.mix]

This is what like feels liiiiiike prod. by Zhao

Written by def.sound.
www.instagram.com/def.sound/

Produced & Recorded by Zhao.
www.instagram.com/zhaomusic/

Mixed by King Jedi
www.instagram.com/iamkingjedi/

Mastered by Kelly Hibbert (Almachrome)
www.instagram.com/almachrome/

Original cover photo: Jenny Desrosiers
www.instagram.com/jenny__desrosiers/

Cover designed by Machell André
www.instagram.com/machell.andre/

Released exclusively by Mango Disco Records
www.instagram.com/mangodiscorecs/

4/7/2020

Def Sound -S T R U C K ! [prod. By Zhao]

Written by Emmanuel “def.sound.” Ricketts

Produced & Recorded by Neon Phoenix

Mixed by King Jedi

Mastered by Kelly Hibbert (Almachrome)

09. BLKSYM [feat. Bay Davis]

05. Miskeen Tee

Written by Emmanuel "def sound" Ricketts
www.instagram.com/def.sound/

Produced & Recorded by Zhao.
www.instagram.com/zhaomusic/

Mixed by King Jedi
www.instagram.com/iamkingjedi/

Mastered by Kelly Hibbert (Almachrome)
www.instagram.com/almachrome/

04. Struck

Feat. Annabelle Maginnis and LAFEMMEBEAR.

Produced + Mixed + Mastered by LAFEMMEBEAR

Written by Emmanuel "Def Sound" Ricketts,
~ Mr. Annabelle Maginnis
annabellemaginnis.bandcamp.com

~ LeahAnn Mitchell.
www.lafemmebear.com

03. Green Tree Tops

~ Produced + Mixed by :: Annabelle Maginnis
www.instagram.com/annabellemaginnismusic/

~ Written by :: Emmanuel "def sound" Ricketts
www.instagram.com/def.sound/

~Live + Sub Bass by :: Neon Phoenix
www.instagram.com/neonphoenix/


~ Drum Programming by :: Emmanuel "def sound" Ricketts


~ Additional vocal mixing by :: Zhao.
www.instagram.com/zhaomusic/


~ Mastered by :: Kelly Hibbert (Almachrome)
www.instagram.com/almachrome/
license

02. Flowers

A Poem Called Here
feat. low leaf + Quar’an Shaheed
[ prod. by Annabelle Maginnis ]
Musicians:
Ukulele + Strings : Annabelle Maginnis
Harp : Low Leaf
Keys : Quar’an Shaheed

d e f . s o u n d .

Pinned to spotlight

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