I'll be honest...I have heard of SonReal on different occasions, but for whatever unfortunate reason he has gone under my radar. From the looks and sounds of things, this Vancouver native has been working hard over the past couple of years and it just keeps getting better. SonReal has released his new project One Long Day. A free mixtape, yes that's right, you don't have to illegally download it. Tracks feature the likes of Shad and Kardinall Offishall, as well as productions from Arthur McArthur and Rich Kidd to name a few. I didn't even finish the first track before deciding that the mixtape is worth the time and praise. There is no doubt it will be a success. All of this and the fact it sounds like an album is why you should appreciate it even more. Respect to those who support hip hop, Canadian hip hop and independent record labels. Check out and download SonReal - One Long Day(Mixtape) For more artist info and music downloads visit here Side Note: I'm hoping to make the Buffalo, NY show. Anyone else planning on going to a show?
I first heard local rapper Marcel “Moofeek” Dudi back in
2006. I was immediately impressed with the speed and creativity of his rhymes
and was even happier to find out he was from St. Catharines. He has since created a name for himself as a valued artist in the city with many
supporters. Now, with many years of experience and several mixtapes under his
belt, Moofeek is at it again.
Psy Fly Records presents Moofeek “Max Out” EP
available for download November 26. The new EP features original music from Psy Fly producers Deek, Blue Ribbon, BWAER (pairOnormals), and Mr. Cook. Max Out is a fresh take on hip-hop that
incorporates modern sounds and techniques. The beats, giving off a
sci-fi/futuresque vibe, work together to produce an out of this world sound
(literally and metaphorically). No two beats are the same and there is this
anticipation to hear how each track changes. Moofeek delivers clever
lines with his own distinctive flow. Check out 'Nasty' off the upcoming EP 'Max Out.'
Just this summer Moofeek released “Big Fish” which was a big
success. The mixtape featured local artists, including Sese and many tracks produced
by Deek. The mixtape was featured on HipHopCanada.com and can be streamed here.
Moofeek doesn’t
waste time when it comes to working hard in the studio and creating buzz worthy
music. I think someone with so much dedication and passion deserves to be
recognized. If you like what you hear come out to the release party on November
26 in downtown St. Catharines or download the new EP. Keep your ears open...
At the top of my
list of Canadian Hip Hop artists is Shad. Shad is a little different from some
of the other artists I have posted and I think that everyone can appreciate his
music. I hope there are some of you who have heard of him and take pleasure in
such a great artist. If this is your first time you have even heard his name or
music, I believe you will enjoy it and may even find yourself continuing to
listen to him.
Shad or Shad K,
born Shadrach Kabang,
is a Canadian hip hop artist. He was born in Kenya and was raised in London,
Ontario. Shad’s music has been described as an ‘old soul.’ His sound resembles
that of some of the old school hip hop artists. He has stated that he grew up
listening to artists such as A Tribe Called Quest and Maestro and are influences on his style of music. He is a
lyrical genius. It is true that his music is thoughtful and reflective. Real
meaning and soul are put into all of his lyrics and sound. Interesting facts: he never uses the F-word in any of his songs and has a Master's degree in Liberal Studies from Simon Fraser University.
To learn a little bit more
about Shad watch here. This is a great interview of him at the CBC Hip Hop Summit in 2011.
Shad’s last album, TSOL, was released in 2010. You can find more of his music on his Myspace. The latest music from Shad can be heard on his Mixtape released in December 2011. Listen to it here.
He is on tour right now in Canada and will be coming to Toronto on March 22.
One of my favourite Shad song's 'Keep Shining.'
The day I
discovered he collaborated with another one of my favourite Canadian artists,
City and Colour (Dalls Green) was a great day. 'Live Forever' is always on repeat. The mixture between the two genres creates a perfect song. Listen to 'Live Forever' below. I'm hoping there is more of this to come.
A group that has
toured with Shad and other groups such as Bedouin Soundclash is Grand Analog.
They perform all of their instruments live, even the kazoo!
All of their songs are great…they even have one featuring Shad. Listen to 'Electric City' below.
In this post you will notice that I am sticking to my roots.
I want to strictly focus on some of the top Canadian emcees, in my opinion,
that are out there today. Note:
this is just the beginning and not an exhaustive list, I will post more.
Being
Canadian, I believe there are so many hip-hop artists that are under-rated. It
is only in the past decade or so that Canadian hip-hop has entered mainstream
culture and artists are creating a name for themselves. Like most Canadian
entertainment, we have the talent, but it takes time for it to be recognized or
only fellow Canadians really appreciate it. Canadian hip-hop began in the 1980s and didn’t really take
off until the 90s with this hit:
Northern Touch - Racalz feat. Kardinal Offishal, Choclair, CheckMate and Thrust
This song is a pure classic Canadian hip-hop hit and if you grew up
in the 90s you will most likely remember it and agree.
Hip hop in Canada has continued to grow and leave an imprint
like the ‘Northern Touch.’ I thought it was best to fill you readers in on some
exciting things that are happening with Canadian hip hop recently.
Classified
Classified (Luke Boyd), from Novia Scotia, first began
getting notice in the North, but now has a strong presence all over Canada and
the States. Also, he has started his own record label Half Life Records. On Feb. 26
Classified went to twitter and announced a video release for “The Hangover”
featuring Kayo and Jim Cuddy (from Canadian band Blue Rodeo). The song is from
his 14th album Handshakes and Middle Fingers, but is his second
major studio album. I’m sure after all of his success in 2011 and after is
tour, Class will be in the works of more great music.
Also, check out “Maybe it’s just me” featuring Brother Ali
for a song/video with a real Canadian sound and scene.
Classified is on a Canadian tour right now and will be in
Toronto on March 13 at the Air Canada Centre. I have seen him perform live and
every song has great energy and he really knows how to get the crowd going. If
you have a chance, don’t miss out!
K'naan
K’naan was born in Somalia and moved to Toronto when he was 13. He is recognized for his global anthem 'Waving Flag' that was used for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. K’naan’s music has deep cultural meaning that reflects many of his experiences and he has been compared to artists such as Bob Marley.
K’naan and Nelly Furtado have teamed up together to give us
“Is there anybody out there?”
They performed on David Letterman on Feb. 23. K’naan released an EP (Extended Play) featuring this song on January 31.
