NEWS

Sep 13
0

#MNFSTO9: Getting to Know… Wasiu

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Montreal’s hip hop scene has vastly gone unnoticed in the grand scheme of Canadian music, often because of language barriers or simply it having very little to offer back to already-established rap communities – however, that’s all changed. In addition to having already worked with Kaytranada, Wasiu bounced over to ATL to work with Key! and Father, as well as Chicago’s Lil Herb and Vic Mensa, taking his sound to new heights. Noteable called “the hip hop voice of Montreal” by i-D Magazine, more recently, Wasiu took a moment to reflect on his own city through MTliens, of course a name derived from OutKast’s ATLiens. Filled with conceptual ideas and musical dynamism, the well-rounded 8-track EP serves as just a snippet this Montreal artist has to offer. – Erin Lowers

Wasiu will be performing at Live at the Square at Yonge & Dundas Square on September 19. Follow Wasiu. @AfroWasiu

Being from Montreal, can you describe the music scene around you?

The music scene that I’m involved in would be a subculture of hip hop that we call the Piu Piu Movement. It’s called that because it’s space music. It is, however, predominantly a beat-scene.

What is your favorite thing about where you live or the part of the city you are from?

I love living in Pie-IX because there’s a ballpark near my crib. The city’s most aggressive players ball there, which I guess is because Montreal-North is right around the corner. Dudes from that area are hyper-masculine and strive to be the best. I usually go out to a spot called Apt. 200 and hang with the homies over there at night. It’s dope because it’s a club, but feels like a lounge. It’s actually a performance venue with a house party type of feel. They even got arcades in there. They’re branching out to Toronto soon too, [it] should be marvelous. In terms of food, the obvious answer is the classic poutine. I be eating at the Halal spots a lot too, like this one place called MTL Star. We go to La Banquise for Poutine.

How have you seen art and creativity directly impact the area of the city you live in?

Honestly, where I live, the kids only listen to either Chicago-drill music or trap music. You wouldn’t see as many kids with dreads before, but now there’s so many of them. They have an idea in their heads of what the top dude is supposed to look like, and what stripes he’s supposed to have, [and] from these two genres that they feel like they associate with the closest. From their hairstyles, to what they wear, and slang that they adopt; I guess you can say an art form is behind those influences.

What do you think that you as a creative person brings to the table that is different than other artists?

I feel as if a lot of artists are consistently trying to chase what’s popping right now, and they just adapt with the times. For me, I just listen to what’s out, and listen to all the classics that were out from the past, [and] then I try to study both and find middle ground between them. I want to be able to appease to the legends that I grew up listening to, but I also want the young generation to acknowledge me as one of the current greats who has potential to be in conversations of “all-time lists.” I want every generation to listen to my material and feel a superior force being emitted to them.

Why is it important for you to take part in the Manifesto festival?

I make music, and it’s important that it gets heard by everybody. My first album is the one that I’ve been writing my whole life, [and] it’s been filled with songs from different periods of my life. It’s unreleased, it’s missing maybe 4 tracks that I have ideas for but don’t have completed yet. I will release that LP/full-length album once I feel as if it’s perfect. In the meantime, while we wait for that to drop, I want people to still get an idea of what I can do, what I stand for, and to just familiarize themselves with me. That way, since I already have eyes on me, I can drop a finished studio album on them. It’s important for me to play Manifesto because Toronto is an important city. A bridged gap, a connected and unified Montreal-Toronto would be a strong front for the North.

If you were to name a Canadian rap song that embodies our hip hop landscape, what would it be?

Drake – “Worst Behaviour.” That embodies our hip hop landscape 100%. They never loved us, never took us serious until Drake took over hip hop. America always used to clown us, and the idea of a Canadian rapper – they’d scoff at it. Drake has changed all of that, and “Worst Behaviour” has the best hook to express how to feel towards the perception they had of us.

LISTEN: Wasiu – MTLiens

 

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Sep 11
0

#MNFSTO9: Getting to Know…OSIYM

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It’s very rare to come across two emcees who not only complement each other in the studio, but also onstage. As one of the few duos in Toronto, OSIYM (pronounced: oh-sigh-em) is just that. Made up of Nova and Charlie Black, the duo has filled a void that’s been missing in Toronto’s hip hop landscape, and it’s been a long overdue moment to once again celebrate the liveliness these two individuals bring to the stage. With two mixtapes under Charlie Black’s belt, and another project under Nova, the two came together to release their debut EP Drunk Words x Sober Thoughts in 2014, and followed it up with SPIRITS this past July. “Out Of Sight, In Your Mind,” as their stage name projects, have created a sound that moves effortlessly through the realms of boom bap to trap, while their live performances challenge the ‘Screwface Capital’ to let loose – whether you expected to or not. – Erin Lowers

OSIYM will be performing at Live at the Square at Yonge & Dundas Square on September 19. Follow OSIYM @OSIYMMUSIC on Twitter!

What part of Toronto (GTA) are you from/ Where do you live in Toronto (GTA)?

We both live in the West end. Nova lives in Malton, and Charlie lives in Etobicoke.

What is your favorite thing about where you live or the part of the city you are from?

Nova: For better or worse, I love all the different characters I see in Malton. As soon as I think I’ve seen it all, I come across something new. From the old lady catching the bus to work at the crack of dawn, to the dude walking the streets with his guitar belting out reggae songs. Even though Malton is so small, there’s a sense of pride from the people who grew up here. It made us who we are.

Charlie Black: I love the DJs in our city. I feel like we can’t be touched when it comes to setting a dope vibe for a party. I’m not the most travelled individual, but any other place I’ve been in the world so far can’t do it like are DJs can. Also, I love summer nights in the city. I feel like as long as I have the intention to have a good time, I can find something to get into in Toronto.

How have you seen art and creativity directly impact the area of the city you live in?

Charlie Black: I can see it in the people! The way they talk, the way they dress, the way they consume art. If you’ve ever been downtown Toronto, it’s pretty much a living, breathing art museum. Nowadays, that’s spreading all over the whole city. I was blessed to be a part of The Remix Project when it first started, and it is programs like Remix that have helped inspire and open doors for the artistic minds coming out of our city right now.

Nova: It has impacted me by creating opportunities for me coming up. As an aspiring artist, my craft was honed and perfected in bedrooms and basements in my neighbourhood. Some of my biggest mentors were around the block or just a short trip away. The time spent with them gave me priceless lessons which helped bring me to where I am today.

What do you think that you as a creative person brings to the table that is different than other artists?

We do our best to stay original – from our sound, to our content and flows. We keep our lyrics honest and true to who we are instead of putting out a fake persona. Our stage show is something we really take pride in as well. We make sure to actually practice our sets and think of creative ways to keep our crowd entertained. We’re always challenging ourselves to think of ways to better our art.

Why is it important for you to take part in the Manifesto Festival?

For years, Manifesto has been a trademark in our city showcasing all the elements in hip-hop culture. The Manifesto Festival created a platform that gives opportunities to artists in a city that doesn’t always give its rappers or singers the benefit of the doubt. Putting artists centre stage in the heart of downtown Toronto is major exposure. Who wouldn’t want a chance at reaching people you might not otherwise? To be recognized by a festival that does so much to empower the artistic community is a milestone that every up and coming artist should strive for.

What Canadian rap song epitomizes your childhood?

Charlie Black: It’s a toss up between “Northern Touch” and “Bakardi Slang.” Growing up those songs were everything to me! I remember going crazy with my older brother jumping on couches singing out the lyrics to both of those records.

If you were to name a Canadian rap song that embodies our hip hop landscape, what would it be?



Nova: I would have to say “EZ on the Motion” by Ghetto Concept. Back in the day, there was such a divide between American and Canadian hip-hop. That was the first song that made me feel like we could hang with our neighbours south of the border.

WATCH VIDEO: OSIYM – “Bomb”

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Sep 11
0

#MNFSTO9: Getting to Know…Yours Truly, T.Y.

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After coming onto the scene in 2012 with his project 500 Autumn Nights, Yours Truly, T.Y. has been running back and forth between Hamilton and Toronto creating music, collaborating with artists and performing for a steadily growing fan base. What makes T.Y. different is his adamant respect for paying dues and recognizing those who’ve come before him, most evident in his 2014 music series titled, #TYTUesdays, in which he remixed a series of classic hip hop tracks and incorporated them into today’s music scene. Following performances at Manifesto, A3C, NXNE, CMW and varying other stages, Yours Truly, T.Y. has gained the respect of his peers, as well as the gatekeepers of Toronto’s music scene. In his latest release, T.Y. teamed up with producer Chef Byer to release The Beautiful Exchange a 9-track project underlining Yours Truly, T.Y.’s ties to Toronto, while affirming him as one of Hamilton’s hometown heroes. – Erin Lowers

Yours Truly, TY will be performing at Live at the Square at Yonge & Dundas Square on September 19. Follow Yours Truly, T.Y. @YOURSTRULY_TY

What part of Toronto (GTA) are you from/ Where do you live in Toronto (GTA)?

I was born and raised in Hamilton, Ontario. It’s about an hour away from Toronto. Blue collar, hard working, not really a small town but not really a big city.

What is your favorite thing about where you live or the part of the city you are from?

One of my favourite things about Hamilton is it’s tight knit. Especially when it comes to its music scene. Different artists from different genres have no issues crossing over and trying new things which makes it exciting. It’s a good time for Hamilton’s hip hop scene as well. It’s had some OGs get the ball rolling for us and we’re ready to pick up where they left off. The food’s dope, too.

How have you seen art and creativity directly impact the area of the city you live in?

A lot of my closest friends are artists themselves. I’ve seen firsthand how somebody can go from spray paint on walls to a full time job, based on the same thing. I’ve seen people with limited resources create great music. Hamilton does that to people. It’s a very, “you’re either in, or you’re in the way type of city”, just gotta choose the right team.

What do you think that you as a creative person brings to the table that is different than other artists?

I bring perspective. I bring an honest approach. Not everybody’s born rich and not everybody has to sell drugs. I’m the blue collar guy in the middle. Do I have rich friends? Yes. Do I have friends that sell drugs? Yes. It makes it easier to tell a broader story when you can come at it from all angles.

Why is it important for you to take part in the Manifesto festival?

Every stage is important to me. I enjoy being a part of Manifesto because of what it means to the community and Hip-Hop in general. It was one of the first festivals that took me on, as well. Aside from the fact that I’m down with what Manifesto stands for, loyalty is also important to me. It makes the decision to pursue Manifesto simple.

If you were to name a Canadian rap song that embodies our hip hop landscape, what would it be?

I’ll run with the second half of this question. “Top Of The World” by The Rascalz with k-os and Barrington Levy is what Toronto sounded like to me while I was growing up. The outro of that song, when Levy starts adlibbing, still knocks.

LISTEN TO: Yours Truly, T.Y. & Chef Byer – The Beautiful Exchange

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Sep 11
0

#MNFSTO9: Getting to Know…Keita Juma

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Hailing from Bristol, England and based in Mississauga, raspy-voiced Keita Juma [https://twitter.com/kjforshort] brings an eclectic approach to the GTA’s hip-hop scene. Emerging under the moniker KJ and turning heads with material like his 2012 album Water and his appearance on Shi Wisdom’s “Lovespeak,” Keita Juma has continued his artistic progression on subsequent releases. With 2014’s Peephole/Beach EP release and this year’s Chaos Theory EP , Keita Juma is clearly intent on infusing his music with disparate influences drawing from his diasporic upbringing and his experimental approach to creativity. – Del F. Cowie

Keita Juma will be appearing at Manifesto as part of the Red Bull Sound Select event along with GoldLink and A K U A on September 16. Follow Keita Juma @KJforShort on Twitter and RSVP for RBSS!

What part of Toronto (GTA) are you from/ Where do you live in Toronto (GTA)?

Well, when I first moved to Canada I lived in Etobicoke for a few years, then Brampton, and then ended up in Mississauga. I’ve been in ‘Sauga for a while now, more specifically Meadowvale, so that’s where I call home.

What is your favourite thing about where you live or the part of the city you are from?

I’m usually home, so in the nights I’m skating the Lisgar trails taking in what I’ve been working on or some other music. Most of my spots are food spots or bakeries because that’s my thing. If we’re talking meals, then Average Joes in the [Kensington] Market for breakfast, Potluck in Meadowvale for lunch, or Indian Kiss in the Junction for dinner. When I used to live in Etobicoke, there were a few bakeries I’d hit up on the regular – one that sold fresh patties right from the oven (I think it was close to Dr. Flea’s,) and a Ralph’s Bakery on Finch where I’d get fresh Hardo bread. Outside of that, you can catch me at Rattlesnake Point with the family taking in the view or tryna’ start a fire.

How have you seen art and creativity directly impact the area of the city you live in?

There isn’t much art happening in the ‘burbs, just similar houses, roads and bus stops, but I think that’s the suburbs in general. There aren’t any hubs for the artists in ‘Sauga either, so we all end up heading to Toronto. [It] Seems like they’re trying to do more around Square One and Lakeshore specifically, but those are really the only two areas I can think of.

What do you think that you as a creative person brings to the table that is different than other artists?

I’m a part of the entire process and when you get music from me, instead of the lyrics just telling my story, every part of the song is me – from the beat to the mix. I try to take my time with each part [of a song/project] as if it’s a different layer that the listener can take in throughout their journey with the project. Those were always my favourite records growing up. I also feel I have a unique perspective on black music. I remember trying to put my friends on to house and garage back in the day, then grime. Some of them got it but some didn’t, and that let me know that sometimes, new things take time. The industry that’s been going on in England has been active for a while… same as here. I remember watching Mathematik videos on MuchMusic, or when [Saukrates’] “Money or Love” first dropped or when [Kardinal Offishall’s] “Bakardi Slang” was the talk. Then flying to England and going to pirate radio stations or raves with my brother and his friends, seeing the different cultures. From music to fashion, I was able to see the differences every year throughout high school. [It] made me okay with creating whatever made sense in my head.

Why is it important for you to take part/perform in the Manifesto festival?

Manifesto’s a part of hip hop culture in our city, and it’s always an honour to bless the stage. The first time I was in the Manifesto Festival was in ‘08, [when] someone bailed on their performance and I got a text the night before like, “Yo, you tryna’ perform?” I must’ve performed to about 8 people, but it was a great experience and I felt mad nice being a part of the festival. That was the year K-os came on and told K’naan it was cool to do another song, which was a big move on his part because Nathan Philips Square was not playing with the 10pm curfew. There’s always a lot happening in the festival week that brings out all the artists in the city, so it’s good to see people outside of the Internet. Also, it’s the last time everyone’s out before they hibernate for the winter.

If you were to name a Canadian rap song that embodies our hip hop landscape, what would it be?



That’s tough, but off top it would be Saukrates – “Comin’ Up” with Shad’s “I Don’t Like To” as a close second, a very close second. I know they’re older songs but those are the first that come to mind.

WATCH: Keita Juma feat. Brendan Philip – “Come Over”

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Aug 14
0

Luxe Taylor’s Pipedream

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Burlington born rapper Luxe Taylor is home from his first solo tour across Canada’s east coast following the release of his long time project Pipedream. The tour started on July 31st in Toronto, ON and ended in Dartmouth, NS on August 8th.

Taylor started this album in 2014 after the break-up of his band The Heavy Heavies and wanted to put out a project that didn’t have any limitations when it came to the sound of the music.

“The overall concept of Pipedream is kind of like the pursuit of happiness. There are songs that look at different aspects of “happiness” and what people try to cling to, to give their life meaning (validation, money, fancy cars, girls, parties, beauty, relationships, drugs). These are all things I struggled with over the year, or saw people dealing with and it made me realize that the only thing that would ever truly make ME happy is pursuing music…Often people get so complacent or scared to pursue their dreams, and they settle for security. So in a way this project is saying no dream is unachievable if you’re fully behind it and put all your energy and positivity into it,” says Taylor.

 

Describe who Luxe Taylor is and what motivates him.

“I grew up in Burlington, Ontario. My motivation has always been to continually progress. Not only in my art, by writing a better verse than the last song or making a better beat, but also in my life as a whole.

My childhood was definitely dope, but I also grew up in harder conditions than my friends around me and definitely dealt with a lot of things my friends didn’t really understand happened where we were from. I think this made me closer to my brothers and sisters because we kind of all know exactly what we all dealt with because we had it the same. They definitely motivate me because I want to see us progress.

I want my music to get me in a position where I can not only help out my family and friends, but also a person who might be listening to a song I wrote and it helps them out in a way. Maybe someone is going through something similar to April Showers and something clicks with them, or they feel less alone. That feeling I’ve gotten when someone says a song or lyric I wrote means something to them is possibly the greatest feeling to experience as an artist. That’s motivation.”

How did you know you wanted to pursue rap?

“I’ve always been drawn to lyrics and rhythm, so it always made sense. I remember the first time I heard College Dropout by Kanye. It was the first time in my head where I started seeing myself as a hip hop artist, and maybe not just a guy in a band like a drummer or bass player.

I started making beats first and worked with a couple rappers. I was getting frustrated with it not sounding how I heard it in my head though. I started showing these rappers these broad ideas I had for the verse. At one point, this rapper I was working with at the time was like “Why don’t you just spit this verse?” I recorded the verse that day and from that point on I was writing, producing and recording my own music.”

Who influences you?

“My family, definitely. I owe a lot of my musical interest to my older brother. When I was younger, he was my source of everything I listened to. I’d borrow his CDs and play them in my disc man.

Other artists like Kanye, who are down to push to boundaries and not conform to a certain “sound” people expect from them.”

What will this tour mean to you?

“This is kind of a big deal for me because it was my first full solo tour. This first tour was definitely a learning experience. First, how big this country really is. After Montreal, it’s like a 10 hour drive until the next playable city. Also, you can’t expect the first couple tours to be sold out venues. You gotta pay your dues and build a fanbase slowly.”

Taylor’s next couple of projects include the second part of the Pipedream tour In September with Tech N9ne, getting more studio time and a possible U.S. tour coming in the winter.

 

Check out Luxe Taylor’s latest video release for “You Right” and his soundcloud for the entire Pipedream album. 

 

Listen to his full album here

IG and Twitter: @luxetaylor