Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Monday, December 19, 2011
The Definition of Music
Toronto’s Lambadina Resto Lounge was the home of real R&B on Saturday night as The Definition of Music, a live showcase featuring local artists, celebrated its one-year anniversary. Serious soul, passion and energy took over the intimate candlelit lounge, as some of Toronto’s finest rising R&B artists — Tamara Madison, Grier Munro, Joel Anderson, Jnine, Linda Luztono, Mark McKay and Cuban — graced the stage to perform covers, as well as their own original work, and were accompanied by The New Era Band.
Founded by Jay Jones, Omar Neita and Mark McKay of marketing, promoting and music production company HB Productions, The Definition of Music’s purpose is to showcase Toronto talent and support local artists who are looking for an outlet. The three pay for the events out of their own pockets, because they believe in the power of music, and receive their profit from the feedback they receive.
“It’s the love of just hearing raw talent, hearing the vocals, hearing the singers that we have here and since it’s not such a big stage, they are more comfortable doing it and really showing what they got,” says Neita. “We have all different types of singers. Everyone holds their own in their own bracket, so we’re blending that to make one big show. Love is here, it’s the one-year anniversary, so we’re here to party as well.”
DJ Keo spun R&B tracks as the crowd mingled and networked before the show began. Troy Patterson, who plays keyboard and guitar for The New Era Band, says that The Definition of Music event series is an opportunity to open doors, gain exposure and network with other artists. “[The Definition of Music] is an opportunity for us to showcase what we can do and the talents that we have to a larger audience. It gives us the opportunity to fully express the talents that we’ve been given,” says Patterson. “We’ve met a lot of great artists that we never would have met otherwise. A lot of people are participating in the show that are so talented and now we have the opportunity to work with them.”
Gemini Award-winning actor Gary “Papa Grand” James and co-host Nicole G introduced the artists and gave away prizes to the audience. “The networking that takes place is amazing and it ends up being productive for everyone who comes — to watch, or be a part of it,” says Papa Grand.
HB Productions’ founder McKay kicked off the show with a powerful performance, singing a freestyle verse to his co-partners, with his original song “History”. The powerhouse vocalist Tamara Madison began her set with a cover of Jazmine Sullivan’s “Love You Long Time”, and blew the audience away with her original track, “Point of View”. Linda Luztono, who performed and won the Wild Out Wednesday competition on BET’s “106 & Park” this summer, returned to The Definition of Music for the second time, stealing the show with her dynamic performance.
All of the artists belted their tunes with energy and stage presence, proving that they each have star potential and that Toronto has serious R&B talent.
Photos by: Nicolas Denny
Founded by Jay Jones, Omar Neita and Mark McKay of marketing, promoting and music production company HB Productions, The Definition of Music’s purpose is to showcase Toronto talent and support local artists who are looking for an outlet. The three pay for the events out of their own pockets, because they believe in the power of music, and receive their profit from the feedback they receive.
“It’s the love of just hearing raw talent, hearing the vocals, hearing the singers that we have here and since it’s not such a big stage, they are more comfortable doing it and really showing what they got,” says Neita. “We have all different types of singers. Everyone holds their own in their own bracket, so we’re blending that to make one big show. Love is here, it’s the one-year anniversary, so we’re here to party as well.”
DJ Keo spun R&B tracks as the crowd mingled and networked before the show began. Troy Patterson, who plays keyboard and guitar for The New Era Band, says that The Definition of Music event series is an opportunity to open doors, gain exposure and network with other artists. “[The Definition of Music] is an opportunity for us to showcase what we can do and the talents that we have to a larger audience. It gives us the opportunity to fully express the talents that we’ve been given,” says Patterson. “We’ve met a lot of great artists that we never would have met otherwise. A lot of people are participating in the show that are so talented and now we have the opportunity to work with them.”
Gemini Award-winning actor Gary “Papa Grand” James and co-host Nicole G introduced the artists and gave away prizes to the audience. “The networking that takes place is amazing and it ends up being productive for everyone who comes — to watch, or be a part of it,” says Papa Grand.
HB Productions’ founder McKay kicked off the show with a powerful performance, singing a freestyle verse to his co-partners, with his original song “History”. The powerhouse vocalist Tamara Madison began her set with a cover of Jazmine Sullivan’s “Love You Long Time”, and blew the audience away with her original track, “Point of View”. Linda Luztono, who performed and won the Wild Out Wednesday competition on BET’s “106 & Park” this summer, returned to The Definition of Music for the second time, stealing the show with her dynamic performance.
All of the artists belted their tunes with energy and stage presence, proving that they each have star potential and that Toronto has serious R&B talent.
Photos by: Nicolas Denny
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
D'bi Young's Tour Kickoff and Album Release
It was an inspiring and emotional night last Monday at Lula Lounge, as the Jamaican-Canadian poet, d’bi. celebrated the release of her new album 333 and launched her global tour with a high-energy performance. Not only is d’bi. a dub poet, but she is also an author, and a theatre practitioner, Dora Award-winning playwright and actor. She actualizes her poetry and brings it to life through the use of dance and theatre.
Even with seven albums, d’bi. has just been experimenting with sound, but now says that she has created art that expresses who she is, on her new 16-track album.
“333 I feel is the boldest work I’ve done so far. It’s unapologetically everything. It’s unapologetically dancehall, unapologetically womanist and unapologetically political. It’s a love-letter to all the dancehall queens, all the queers who refuse the norm in any way and to all the questioners of the status quo,” she says.
The album is produced by Jakofire, Mandiemafu and Baski Njovu, who add worldly sounds to the mix. The combination of dancehall, hip-hop, rock and dubstep make her music completely unique. Later this year d’bi. will travel to South Africa, the Caribbean, Australia and Europe to share her original niche and her message of love, life and change.
d’bi. focused on her two young sons, Moon and Phoenix, before her performance, who embodied the same energy as their mother and stood at the front of the stage, watching her perform. d’bi. is a second generation dub poet, as her mother, Anita Stewart, was also a dub poet and raised her in a community environment. d’bi. does the same with her boys and brings them on tour and to events with her, because they keep her grounded and vulnerable, she says.
Charlie Bobus, the Jamaican dub poet who opened the show, sending out positive vibes while performing tracks on his album, Creative Expression, explains that d’bi.’s work is important and gives inspiration to dub poets like him. “It’s a phenomenal experience [working with d’bi.], because she has a vibe and energy and she’s so real and she captures the whole energy of dub poetry with her presence.”
Performing barefoot and in a tight black ensemble, d’bi. entered the stage and performed an emotional and powerful a cappella piece with intense energy and passion. She tackled extremely serious topics throughout the show on issues related to race, rape, gender issues, motherhood and HIV. Through her vocals, music, facial expression and body movement, her performance was larger than life. She spoke, sang, screamed and laughed, captivating audience members, who rose to their feet in a standing ovation when d’bi. bowed at the end of the show.
Nico Contreras, who lives in Montreal, was visiting Toronto and when he heard that d’bi. would be performing, he made sure to attend the event. “I really admire d’bi.’s ability to draw upon her roots, her understanding of the world, understanding of herself, of humanity, beauty and truth, and to share that in a way that is completely unique and at the same time touches upon elements that are universal to all of us.”
Even with seven albums, d’bi. has just been experimenting with sound, but now says that she has created art that expresses who she is, on her new 16-track album.
“333 I feel is the boldest work I’ve done so far. It’s unapologetically everything. It’s unapologetically dancehall, unapologetically womanist and unapologetically political. It’s a love-letter to all the dancehall queens, all the queers who refuse the norm in any way and to all the questioners of the status quo,” she says.
The album is produced by Jakofire, Mandiemafu and Baski Njovu, who add worldly sounds to the mix. The combination of dancehall, hip-hop, rock and dubstep make her music completely unique. Later this year d’bi. will travel to South Africa, the Caribbean, Australia and Europe to share her original niche and her message of love, life and change.
d’bi. focused on her two young sons, Moon and Phoenix, before her performance, who embodied the same energy as their mother and stood at the front of the stage, watching her perform. d’bi. is a second generation dub poet, as her mother, Anita Stewart, was also a dub poet and raised her in a community environment. d’bi. does the same with her boys and brings them on tour and to events with her, because they keep her grounded and vulnerable, she says.
Charlie Bobus, the Jamaican dub poet who opened the show, sending out positive vibes while performing tracks on his album, Creative Expression, explains that d’bi.’s work is important and gives inspiration to dub poets like him. “It’s a phenomenal experience [working with d’bi.], because she has a vibe and energy and she’s so real and she captures the whole energy of dub poetry with her presence.”
Performing barefoot and in a tight black ensemble, d’bi. entered the stage and performed an emotional and powerful a cappella piece with intense energy and passion. She tackled extremely serious topics throughout the show on issues related to race, rape, gender issues, motherhood and HIV. Through her vocals, music, facial expression and body movement, her performance was larger than life. She spoke, sang, screamed and laughed, captivating audience members, who rose to their feet in a standing ovation when d’bi. bowed at the end of the show.
Nico Contreras, who lives in Montreal, was visiting Toronto and when he heard that d’bi. would be performing, he made sure to attend the event. “I really admire d’bi.’s ability to draw upon her roots, her understanding of the world, understanding of herself, of humanity, beauty and truth, and to share that in a way that is completely unique and at the same time touches upon elements that are universal to all of us.”
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Get Well Soon
Artist: Inner City Grooves | Mixtape: Get Well Soon
On Repeat: Rolling Stones, After Hours, Rockwell
Toronto’s own hip-hop trio, Inner City Grooves, has released its official mixtape Get Well Soon, and it’s definitely one you’ll wanna check out. The group, consisting of Hector, Dannystarr Beats and Yobikenobi, has dropped 21 feel-good tracks, bringing an old-school funk back to hip-hop with their unique sound. All three members produced beats for the tape as Hector spits over them with a casual sophistication. Dannystarr adds extra vocals on tracks “Where You Are” and “Parle”. The mixtape is packed with featured Toronto artists such as J-Maroon, T.City, Staxx Young and Junia-T. The wavy track “High Beams” featuring T.City and Staxx Young is produced by Hector, and samples Drake’s “Over”, while the “Hypnotize”-inspired “Cleavage” featuring MK will have listeners bobbing their heads. Overall, Get Well Soon is a great freshman mixtape for Inner City Grooves, showing the group’s variety and unique sound.
On Repeat: Rolling Stones, After Hours, Rockwell
Toronto’s own hip-hop trio, Inner City Grooves, has released its official mixtape Get Well Soon, and it’s definitely one you’ll wanna check out. The group, consisting of Hector, Dannystarr Beats and Yobikenobi, has dropped 21 feel-good tracks, bringing an old-school funk back to hip-hop with their unique sound. All three members produced beats for the tape as Hector spits over them with a casual sophistication. Dannystarr adds extra vocals on tracks “Where You Are” and “Parle”. The mixtape is packed with featured Toronto artists such as J-Maroon, T.City, Staxx Young and Junia-T. The wavy track “High Beams” featuring T.City and Staxx Young is produced by Hector, and samples Drake’s “Over”, while the “Hypnotize”-inspired “Cleavage” featuring MK will have listeners bobbing their heads. Overall, Get Well Soon is a great freshman mixtape for Inner City Grooves, showing the group’s variety and unique sound.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Watch The Throne
Toronto went H.A.M. on Wednesday night as hip-hop royalty Jay-Z and Kanye West rolled into the city on their Watch the Throne tour. The sold out Air Canada Centre went absolutely crazy as the “H.A.M.” beat boomed throughout the stadium. The lights rose, as the two legends stood on opposite stages in the middle of the ACC. As they began to spit, their stages began to rise into towers creating unbelievable visuals. Their giant platforms turned into holographic images of a Doberman about to attack, and sharks swimming below them, making their stage look like a giant shark tank. Their next track was “Otis”, and the two joined together on the main stage, with a giant American flag as their backdrop and an extreme amount of fire. That’s exactly what their performance was; straight fire.
Not only did the two perform Watch the Throne tracks, but they played many of their individual discography. Jay-Z had the crowd spitting along to every word of his classics: “Public Service Announcement”, “Big Pimpin”’, “Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)” and “99 Problems”. Kanye had every person there on their feet as he proved himself to be one of the best performers in the music industry, performing “All of the Lights”, “Gold Digger”, “Runaway” and “All Falls Down”. The two joined together to perform “Diamonds From Sierra Leone (Remix)”, getting everyone inside the ACC to throw their diamonds up.
When the “Niggas in Paris” beat started, the concertgoers lost their minds. The audience’s screams were so loud that, the beat restarted and they performed the track again. The song ended, and the stadium went dark. People got up thinking the show was over, but out of nowhere, Jay’s voice came over the speakers. “Where y’all think you’re going? We ain’t done.” And the “Niggas in Paris” beat started one more time.
After three doses of the high-energy track, Hova and Yeezy closed off the show with “Encore”, as Kanye put a Toronto Blue Jays fitted on his head. There is only one way to sum up the Watch the Throne concert: that ’ish CRAY
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Redbull Canvas Cooler Project
Earlier this month, Toronto’s best emerging and established artists participated in the Red Bull Canvas Cooler Project at 99 Sudbury Street, where 16 local artists turned regular Red Bull coolers into one of a kind art pieces, in an eight-hour studio session.
These innovative custom pieces will be permanently placed in venues across Toronto’s downtown arts district. Each venue was handpicked by Red Bull Canada and each establishment chose an artist to represent them in the project.
At an unveiling gala at the Red Bull Canada headquarters Thursday night, artists showcased their work before the custom-made pieces were to be placed in a local bar or restaurant.
Sonia Klinger, Media Relations Specialist at Red Bull Canada, says that a project such as this supports the local artists and the community, in a promotional crossover between Red Bull and the local Toronto art scene.
It brings the artists to the forefront and it’s giving them an opportunity to creatively express themselves and to create these pieces that are going to stay in these venues for a long time,” she says.
The project was introduced in Bristol England earlier this year. Toronto’s event was the third ever canvas cooler project.
Toronto artist Bruno Billio was asked to create a piece for two venues, the Great Hall and Samuel J. Moore Room. He took a conceptual approach to the project, and created a gold wrapping piece using text, rather than aerosol or paint. He explains that the Red Bull project positively affects him and his fellow artists, and says he enjoyed participating.
“I like manipulating an object that way, but still maintaining its function… I love Red Bull, and I’ve seen their shows around the world. They support artists and I think the concept of their company is just great, so to be a part of it is absolutely exciting,” he says, before adding, “It gives me access into that corporate conversation, marketing and media, which I find interesting. It allows me to play using my name and know that they’re going to go into very popular places.”
Ewelina, a collage-aged Polish artist who moved back to Toronto three months ago created a surrealistic canvas to represent the effect of Red Bull in a vibrant layered abstract piece. “It has the idea behind the energy. It has the people and how [Red Bull] makes you feel and how it takes your mind into those places when you have a lot of energy and you’re feeling positive,” she says. Ewelina enjoyed the freedom to create what she wanted in the project, and used street art and European culture to inspire her work.
Each artist created a vastly different piece as Red Bull gave no stipulations other than the artist could not cover the front of the cooler. Some created abstract work, while others used graffiti and characters. Each piece said something different about the brand and who each artist is individually. “The concept of Red Bull can be anything,” Ewelina says.
Sean Pettit, On Premise Manager for Red Bull Toronto, says that Red Bull, the artist, and each venue benefit from the project, not just for the event, but in the long term, as these coolers will be permanently situated all over the core of the downtown Toronto art community.
“It’s hard to conceptualize the scope of the project,” he explains. “The success unto itself is spectacular, but I think that the lasting success beyond the work day and the project dates and our release party will be seen.”
These innovative custom pieces will be permanently placed in venues across Toronto’s downtown arts district. Each venue was handpicked by Red Bull Canada and each establishment chose an artist to represent them in the project.
At an unveiling gala at the Red Bull Canada headquarters Thursday night, artists showcased their work before the custom-made pieces were to be placed in a local bar or restaurant.
Sonia Klinger, Media Relations Specialist at Red Bull Canada, says that a project such as this supports the local artists and the community, in a promotional crossover between Red Bull and the local Toronto art scene.
It brings the artists to the forefront and it’s giving them an opportunity to creatively express themselves and to create these pieces that are going to stay in these venues for a long time,” she says.
The project was introduced in Bristol England earlier this year. Toronto’s event was the third ever canvas cooler project.
Toronto artist Bruno Billio was asked to create a piece for two venues, the Great Hall and Samuel J. Moore Room. He took a conceptual approach to the project, and created a gold wrapping piece using text, rather than aerosol or paint. He explains that the Red Bull project positively affects him and his fellow artists, and says he enjoyed participating.
“I like manipulating an object that way, but still maintaining its function… I love Red Bull, and I’ve seen their shows around the world. They support artists and I think the concept of their company is just great, so to be a part of it is absolutely exciting,” he says, before adding, “It gives me access into that corporate conversation, marketing and media, which I find interesting. It allows me to play using my name and know that they’re going to go into very popular places.”
Ewelina, a collage-aged Polish artist who moved back to Toronto three months ago created a surrealistic canvas to represent the effect of Red Bull in a vibrant layered abstract piece. “It has the idea behind the energy. It has the people and how [Red Bull] makes you feel and how it takes your mind into those places when you have a lot of energy and you’re feeling positive,” she says. Ewelina enjoyed the freedom to create what she wanted in the project, and used street art and European culture to inspire her work.
Each artist created a vastly different piece as Red Bull gave no stipulations other than the artist could not cover the front of the cooler. Some created abstract work, while others used graffiti and characters. Each piece said something different about the brand and who each artist is individually. “The concept of Red Bull can be anything,” Ewelina says.
Sean Pettit, On Premise Manager for Red Bull Toronto, says that Red Bull, the artist, and each venue benefit from the project, not just for the event, but in the long term, as these coolers will be permanently situated all over the core of the downtown Toronto art community.
“It’s hard to conceptualize the scope of the project,” he explains. “The success unto itself is spectacular, but I think that the lasting success beyond the work day and the project dates and our release party will be seen.”
Comedy Clash: Canada vs USA
Toronto Underground Cinema erupted with laughter Saturday night, as some of the best comedians in North America battled for top joker at the first-ever Canada vs. USA Comedy Clash event.
The Canadian crew was represented by comedy heavyweight, Jay Martin, as team captain, along with Dave Merheje, Jean Paul and Arthur Simeon.
Team USA, which consisted of Dave Lester, Dino Vigo and John Moses, finally arrived after being detained at the border for two hours. Comedian Chris Clarke was not able to make it across the border, and was then replaced with Rochester, New York comic, Zack Johnson.
One by one, the eight jokers performed their sets, as the audience members graded each comedian by applause, on style and ability to make them laugh, in order to distinguish who was the better team — Canada or the USA. “There`s competition tonight? Where?” Martin joked about his American opponents.
Continuous laughter echoed through the cinema, as the comedians poked fun at one another, themselves and a few audience members. Windsor-born Dave Merheje had the crowd roaring with his imitation of Drake, while funnyman, Jean Paul humourously recounted his trips to Jamaica.
Many of the jokesters tackled serious issues in their set as well. Arthur Simeon fought against stereotyping and racism with his witty humour and Dino Vigo joked about living in a priority neighbourhood and gang violence.
Part of the proceeds for the event was donated to Toronto’s Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), which was a relatable cause to many of the comedians.
“CAMH is very dear to me, because I think mental health needs to be recognized,” explains Martin, adding that laughter is a powerful healing aid for depression. “I think it’s a real illness, especially depression. I used to suffer from it myself, so I feel like I’m kind of giving back to help a cause to help people like me. Luckily, I had comedy to help get me through mine. Hopefully, it can inspire some other people.”
Martin used his humour as a way to relieve the stress of childhood and adolescent traumas, and says that he doesn’t know where he would be today if it wasn’t for comedy.
Toronto-born comedian, John Moses, who later moved to Brooklyn to pursue his career, shared that many people in his family use the services at CAMH and he applauds the organization, while describing the importance of comedy. “I’ve got a cousin that’s an emergency doctor, and I like to kid that I’m doing more healing than he is,” he says.
At the end of the night, neither team Canada nor team USA was crowned winner of the comedy clash, but instead, the honour went to those who came out to support the event.
“I think the winner ultimately is the audience because you guys get to just laugh at Canadian humour and American humour,” says Martin.
Saturday night marked the first round of the tour, as the Canada vs. USA Comedy Clash show heads to Montreal and Hamilton.
The Canadian crew was represented by comedy heavyweight, Jay Martin, as team captain, along with Dave Merheje, Jean Paul and Arthur Simeon.
Team USA, which consisted of Dave Lester, Dino Vigo and John Moses, finally arrived after being detained at the border for two hours. Comedian Chris Clarke was not able to make it across the border, and was then replaced with Rochester, New York comic, Zack Johnson.
One by one, the eight jokers performed their sets, as the audience members graded each comedian by applause, on style and ability to make them laugh, in order to distinguish who was the better team — Canada or the USA. “There`s competition tonight? Where?” Martin joked about his American opponents.
Continuous laughter echoed through the cinema, as the comedians poked fun at one another, themselves and a few audience members. Windsor-born Dave Merheje had the crowd roaring with his imitation of Drake, while funnyman, Jean Paul humourously recounted his trips to Jamaica.
Many of the jokesters tackled serious issues in their set as well. Arthur Simeon fought against stereotyping and racism with his witty humour and Dino Vigo joked about living in a priority neighbourhood and gang violence.
Part of the proceeds for the event was donated to Toronto’s Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), which was a relatable cause to many of the comedians.
“CAMH is very dear to me, because I think mental health needs to be recognized,” explains Martin, adding that laughter is a powerful healing aid for depression. “I think it’s a real illness, especially depression. I used to suffer from it myself, so I feel like I’m kind of giving back to help a cause to help people like me. Luckily, I had comedy to help get me through mine. Hopefully, it can inspire some other people.”
Martin used his humour as a way to relieve the stress of childhood and adolescent traumas, and says that he doesn’t know where he would be today if it wasn’t for comedy.
Toronto-born comedian, John Moses, who later moved to Brooklyn to pursue his career, shared that many people in his family use the services at CAMH and he applauds the organization, while describing the importance of comedy. “I’ve got a cousin that’s an emergency doctor, and I like to kid that I’m doing more healing than he is,” he says.
At the end of the night, neither team Canada nor team USA was crowned winner of the comedy clash, but instead, the honour went to those who came out to support the event.
“I think the winner ultimately is the audience because you guys get to just laugh at Canadian humour and American humour,” says Martin.
Saturday night marked the first round of the tour, as the Canada vs. USA Comedy Clash show heads to Montreal and Hamilton.
Monday, November 14, 2011
The 6th Letter live at Wrongbar
Interview and performance by Toronto's own The 6th Letter at Wrongbar on Halloween 2011. Watch the video on youtube by visiting the link above. Interview, footage and editing done by yours truly.
G 98.7 FM launch
Today marks the official launch of Toronto’s new urban radio station, G98.7 FM.
After a 10-year journey to secure a broadcast license for G98.7 FM, president and station manager Fitzroy Gordon’s dreams came true last Monday, as he invited media and guests to the station for an unveiling of the studios and offices.
During a ribbon-cutting ceremony, press conference and tour of G98.7 FM, Gordon took the opportunity to thank the staff who helped him reach this milestone, and the community for its patience after applying for a license on three separate occasions. The station was packed from wall to wall with supporters, enthusiastic about the launch.
The station targets a core 25 to 54 year old demographic, plays R&B, soul, hip-hop, reggae, soca, gospel and smooth jazz, which is groundbreaking for Canadian radio, as well as the Black and Caribbean communities.
For the last few weeks, G98.7 FM has been experimenting on-air by playing continuous music to receive feedback from listeners. Aisha Wickham Thomas, the station’s director of communications shared that the whole team is pleasantly surprised at the response they are already receiving from the community, even before any shows and talk programming have been launched.
“The response in our first several weeks of just pure music testing has been overwhelming. People are loving what we are offering, both the new school and the old school, and not only that, but the news and talk programming is going to give a voice to the Black and Caribbean community to talk about issues of importance,” she says.
Program Director Wayne Williams announced the on-air team, stating that the crew was created to make the competition nervous. The line-up consists of many renowned Toronto DJs and radio personalities such as Jester, Dr. Jay, DJ Riyad, Mark Strong, Jemeni and Spex. “We have a very good team. When we started to think about putting a team together, we wanted to get an experienced team, a team that could hit the ground running,” Gordon says.
The announcement that Mark Strong and Jemeni are reuniting to host the morning show created much excitement. The duo, whose previous show left airwaves in 2006, is enthusiastic about returning to the booth, and the impact G98.7 FM will have on Toronto. “We’re happy to be part of a movement that has been a buzz for a long time and has been a need in the community, and we’re happy to be a part of this journey and build it from the ground up,” says Strong. Immediately following the announcement, Twitter was blowing up, as fans of the pair welcomed them back to the airwaves.
Spex, the Riddim Track master, is also joining the G98.7 FM team and returning to his Sunday night slot on the airwaves after his exit from FLOW 93.5 in February. “To actually be on a radio station that caters to the music that I want to hear and the music that I want to play, 24 hours a day, is actually a dream come true. So I’m more than excited. I’m very blessed.”
Gordon, along with his G98.7 FM team, asks the community to be patient, as this is only the beginning, but ensures that there are only great things to come for the radio station.
Visit www.urbanologymag.com for more
After a 10-year journey to secure a broadcast license for G98.7 FM, president and station manager Fitzroy Gordon’s dreams came true last Monday, as he invited media and guests to the station for an unveiling of the studios and offices.
During a ribbon-cutting ceremony, press conference and tour of G98.7 FM, Gordon took the opportunity to thank the staff who helped him reach this milestone, and the community for its patience after applying for a license on three separate occasions. The station was packed from wall to wall with supporters, enthusiastic about the launch.
The station targets a core 25 to 54 year old demographic, plays R&B, soul, hip-hop, reggae, soca, gospel and smooth jazz, which is groundbreaking for Canadian radio, as well as the Black and Caribbean communities.
For the last few weeks, G98.7 FM has been experimenting on-air by playing continuous music to receive feedback from listeners. Aisha Wickham Thomas, the station’s director of communications shared that the whole team is pleasantly surprised at the response they are already receiving from the community, even before any shows and talk programming have been launched.
“The response in our first several weeks of just pure music testing has been overwhelming. People are loving what we are offering, both the new school and the old school, and not only that, but the news and talk programming is going to give a voice to the Black and Caribbean community to talk about issues of importance,” she says.
Program Director Wayne Williams announced the on-air team, stating that the crew was created to make the competition nervous. The line-up consists of many renowned Toronto DJs and radio personalities such as Jester, Dr. Jay, DJ Riyad, Mark Strong, Jemeni and Spex. “We have a very good team. When we started to think about putting a team together, we wanted to get an experienced team, a team that could hit the ground running,” Gordon says.
The announcement that Mark Strong and Jemeni are reuniting to host the morning show created much excitement. The duo, whose previous show left airwaves in 2006, is enthusiastic about returning to the booth, and the impact G98.7 FM will have on Toronto. “We’re happy to be part of a movement that has been a buzz for a long time and has been a need in the community, and we’re happy to be a part of this journey and build it from the ground up,” says Strong. Immediately following the announcement, Twitter was blowing up, as fans of the pair welcomed them back to the airwaves.
Spex, the Riddim Track master, is also joining the G98.7 FM team and returning to his Sunday night slot on the airwaves after his exit from FLOW 93.5 in February. “To actually be on a radio station that caters to the music that I want to hear and the music that I want to play, 24 hours a day, is actually a dream come true. So I’m more than excited. I’m very blessed.”
Gordon, along with his G98.7 FM team, asks the community to be patient, as this is only the beginning, but ensures that there are only great things to come for the radio station.
Visit www.urbanologymag.com for more
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Thursday, October 20, 2011
ManifesTO Festival 2011
Toronto's hip hop community is alive! It has a soul and a voice of its own. For the last five years, the ManifesTO festival has been a representation of this growing culture.
This year, the 11 day festival was the biggest yet. On Sunday, September 25th, Dundas Square was packed with hiphop heads vibing to the music of Toronto's finest artists such as Andreena Mill, JD Era, Freedom Writers, and Beatbox Canada. Hiphop legends such as Michie Mee, Phonte, 9th Wonder, Kid Capri, and Rakim graced the stage to perform their classic tracks as the crowd felt and responded to their intensity. JD Era, who was recently signed to Raekwon's record label, surprised everyone when he invited the Wutang legend on stage to perform a verse. The crowd was in shock; their energy electric.
The entire day was filled with great music and positive vibes. Hip hop heads of every age, sex, race and background united for their love of great music. It felt as though the city was one being. It was a great day in Toronto hip hop.
This year, the 11 day festival was the biggest yet. On Sunday, September 25th, Dundas Square was packed with hiphop heads vibing to the music of Toronto's finest artists such as Andreena Mill, JD Era, Freedom Writers, and Beatbox Canada. Hiphop legends such as Michie Mee, Phonte, 9th Wonder, Kid Capri, and Rakim graced the stage to perform their classic tracks as the crowd felt and responded to their intensity. JD Era, who was recently signed to Raekwon's record label, surprised everyone when he invited the Wutang legend on stage to perform a verse. The crowd was in shock; their energy electric.
The entire day was filled with great music and positive vibes. Hip hop heads of every age, sex, race and background united for their love of great music. It felt as though the city was one being. It was a great day in Toronto hip hop.
Monday, July 25, 2011
The Original "Artistpreneur"
Dennis Lewis, otherwise known as Glaze, is a 24-year-old triple threat from Rexdale, Ontario. He is a rapper, clothing line designer and businessman. He coined the term “artistpreneur” to define himself, and what he does.
An artistpreneur, he says, is an individual who makes money through his art; a combination of artist, and entrepreneur. Glaze says he was born an artist, and his intention is to carve a new path in the arts community with his music and clothing line.
“The artist was always in me. I never decided to be an artist. Everything I do, I do it in an artistic way. There’s an art to living, “ He said. “But I want to turn it into more than just a hobby. Sometimes, something that you love could be a labour of love as well.”
He is friendly and approachable, yet business oriented attitude makes him easy to get along with, and his dream for hip hop makes him an asset to the arts community.
Glaze has not had the easiest life. When he was young, his mother was forced to move him and his family into a motel, where they lives for a year. When she noticed that he was falling victim to the dangers of street life, she moved them to Malton.
With this change in environment, he began to excel in school, particularly in the areas of math and creative writing. He found an interest in poetry, and started writing raps, and began free styling. At the age of eight, he wrote his first song, and entered the studio for the first time
“[Music] is something that I love, and I know how it impacts people. When it’s impulsive, that’s where the real art comes from, because it’s something that’s automatic.” He said.
In his early teens Glaze was already performing at events throughout Toronto, and formed the music group, “Da VIP'z” with friend and artist K-9. When a business deal went wrong in 2002, Glaze was forced to stay silent due to a three year recording contract which prohibited him from releasing any new material. Now, he is determined more than ever to share both his negative and positive experiences with the world in an attempt to save others from the same hardships.
Glaze is still an unsigned artist, yet he has worked with hip hop artists all over Toronto such as Casper Tha Deadly Ghost, Black Sage, History in the Making, FTF, and LaLa. His first single, U Don’t Want None, which was produced by Nuklear, was released on the Street Sweepers Canadian Invasion: Vol 1 mixtape in 2008. The next year, Glaze joined the Remix Project, a service for youth who are interested in entering the arts industry, and has been in the studio working on his tracks ever since.
He is set to release his debut album Access Granted, and his single, Dolla and a Dream, featuring another Toronto MC, JR Exell in April. “Working with Glaze is an honour. He’s been a great friend of mine since childhood and he’s always been a very talented person. He’s the best MC in the dot [Toronto] from my point of view. 16 for 16 he has the most content and depth. He’s an all around great talent.” Said JR Exell, another Toronto MC.
Glaze’s musical style is laidback, but his lyrics are complex, spitting about topics he’s experienced, that are relevant to his fans. “His flow is versatile. It’s a smooth flow like water. It’s on point. I will compare him to a young Jay Z of Toronto,” Exell said.
In February 2009, Glaze founded his clothing line EFFETTO with his business partner JD Keyz, a classically trained pianist, from Toronto. It is a brand representing all musicians of every genre, artists, producers, dancers, sound engineers and music enthusiasts everywhere.
EFFETTO stands for “the effect that music has on the audience,” and positively affecting musicians is exactly their aim. Glaze’s vision with EFFETTO is to create a greater awareness of musical culture, and bring people together through their love of music. Everyone has some sort of attachment to music of some kind, which makes the brand universal. “Everything is inspired by the music, including the EFFETTO movement. I want to put the spotlight back on the artists and inspire more people to be artists.” He said.
In the past few years, EFFETTO has sponsored and been featuring in local events such as Toronto’s Poetic Fashion, Manifesto Festival, Ryerson’s Urban Hip Hop Union Showcase, and Humber College’s Fashion Show for Haiti. They have also been promoted in publications such as Freedom Time, and Urbanology magazine.
EFFETTO merchandise includes t-shirts, sweaters, hats and jackets, and is quickly expanding. Glaze is always working on new designs either by himself, or with the help of local youth talent. EFFETTO gear can be viewed and purchased on their newly launched website www.effettowear.com, or by contacting Glaze on the EFFETTO Facebook fan page.
Toronto photographer and music enthusiast, Samantha Kidd believes that big things are to come for Glaze and his clothing line. “The whole idea of EFFETTO is genius. It had a chance to be huge. The way NIKE brands sports, EFFETTO is trying to brand music. It could really take off! ”
But the intention for Glaze’s art and business is not just to make money; it is his community that motivates him. “It is the purpose before the profit, the message before the money. It’s for the people, and the focus is on the art. It’s about giving back.” He said. His goal is to motivate artists, and inspire the youth in his community to pursue their dreams.
Glaze intends to keep focused, and continue pushing his clothing line, and evolving as an artist, and make the difference he feels he was born to make in the arts community.
An artistpreneur, he says, is an individual who makes money through his art; a combination of artist, and entrepreneur. Glaze says he was born an artist, and his intention is to carve a new path in the arts community with his music and clothing line.
“The artist was always in me. I never decided to be an artist. Everything I do, I do it in an artistic way. There’s an art to living, “ He said. “But I want to turn it into more than just a hobby. Sometimes, something that you love could be a labour of love as well.”
He is friendly and approachable, yet business oriented attitude makes him easy to get along with, and his dream for hip hop makes him an asset to the arts community.
Glaze has not had the easiest life. When he was young, his mother was forced to move him and his family into a motel, where they lives for a year. When she noticed that he was falling victim to the dangers of street life, she moved them to Malton.
With this change in environment, he began to excel in school, particularly in the areas of math and creative writing. He found an interest in poetry, and started writing raps, and began free styling. At the age of eight, he wrote his first song, and entered the studio for the first time
“[Music] is something that I love, and I know how it impacts people. When it’s impulsive, that’s where the real art comes from, because it’s something that’s automatic.” He said.
In his early teens Glaze was already performing at events throughout Toronto, and formed the music group, “Da VIP'z” with friend and artist K-9. When a business deal went wrong in 2002, Glaze was forced to stay silent due to a three year recording contract which prohibited him from releasing any new material. Now, he is determined more than ever to share both his negative and positive experiences with the world in an attempt to save others from the same hardships.
Glaze is still an unsigned artist, yet he has worked with hip hop artists all over Toronto such as Casper Tha Deadly Ghost, Black Sage, History in the Making, FTF, and LaLa. His first single, U Don’t Want None, which was produced by Nuklear, was released on the Street Sweepers Canadian Invasion: Vol 1 mixtape in 2008. The next year, Glaze joined the Remix Project, a service for youth who are interested in entering the arts industry, and has been in the studio working on his tracks ever since.
He is set to release his debut album Access Granted, and his single, Dolla and a Dream, featuring another Toronto MC, JR Exell in April. “Working with Glaze is an honour. He’s been a great friend of mine since childhood and he’s always been a very talented person. He’s the best MC in the dot [Toronto] from my point of view. 16 for 16 he has the most content and depth. He’s an all around great talent.” Said JR Exell, another Toronto MC.
Glaze’s musical style is laidback, but his lyrics are complex, spitting about topics he’s experienced, that are relevant to his fans. “His flow is versatile. It’s a smooth flow like water. It’s on point. I will compare him to a young Jay Z of Toronto,” Exell said.
In February 2009, Glaze founded his clothing line EFFETTO with his business partner JD Keyz, a classically trained pianist, from Toronto. It is a brand representing all musicians of every genre, artists, producers, dancers, sound engineers and music enthusiasts everywhere.
EFFETTO stands for “the effect that music has on the audience,” and positively affecting musicians is exactly their aim. Glaze’s vision with EFFETTO is to create a greater awareness of musical culture, and bring people together through their love of music. Everyone has some sort of attachment to music of some kind, which makes the brand universal. “Everything is inspired by the music, including the EFFETTO movement. I want to put the spotlight back on the artists and inspire more people to be artists.” He said.
In the past few years, EFFETTO has sponsored and been featuring in local events such as Toronto’s Poetic Fashion, Manifesto Festival, Ryerson’s Urban Hip Hop Union Showcase, and Humber College’s Fashion Show for Haiti. They have also been promoted in publications such as Freedom Time, and Urbanology magazine.
EFFETTO merchandise includes t-shirts, sweaters, hats and jackets, and is quickly expanding. Glaze is always working on new designs either by himself, or with the help of local youth talent. EFFETTO gear can be viewed and purchased on their newly launched website www.effettowear.com, or by contacting Glaze on the EFFETTO Facebook fan page.
Toronto photographer and music enthusiast, Samantha Kidd believes that big things are to come for Glaze and his clothing line. “The whole idea of EFFETTO is genius. It had a chance to be huge. The way NIKE brands sports, EFFETTO is trying to brand music. It could really take off! ”
But the intention for Glaze’s art and business is not just to make money; it is his community that motivates him. “It is the purpose before the profit, the message before the money. It’s for the people, and the focus is on the art. It’s about giving back.” He said. His goal is to motivate artists, and inspire the youth in his community to pursue their dreams.
Glaze intends to keep focused, and continue pushing his clothing line, and evolving as an artist, and make the difference he feels he was born to make in the arts community.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Fourth Newscast - February 11
I was sick, and messed up at the beginning of this one. Don't judge :P
Friday, March 11, 2011
Service Piece
How To Survive Living in a Toronto Homeless Shelter
Anyone can wind up homeless. According to Canada’s largest youth shelter, Covenant House’s website, “On any given night, some 33,000 Canadians are homeless.” Sometimes things happen in life that are beyond our control that could lead someone to end up in the streets – such as family breakdowns, mental illness, and job losses, where one’s only choice is to stay in a homeless shelter.
There are over 55 homeless shelters in the GTA according to the City of Toronto’s website, where men, women, youth and families have a temporary place to stay so they may re-root their lives and position in the community.
Entering the shelter system can offer those who find themselves homeless many opportunities to better their situation, like a bed to sleep, free meals, and counseling but it’s not just a free ride. Living in a shelter creates its own hurdles.
Amber Rodriquez, a 19 year old who has been in the shelter system for over two years said, “I didn’t know anything about living in a shelter – rules, warnings, shared rooms with no locks, drug addicts, people who talk to themselves. There were so many things that I wasn’t used to that I had to follow through with just to have a place to stay.”
But there are many survival tips to follow to ensure you get the most out of living in a shelter, and make it through this difficult part of your life.
1. Take Advantage of the Resources Available – There are housing, counseling and life skill meetings and workshops offered. “Every resident has a different worker. You meet up with your worker maybe once to twice a week, depends on what you’re meeting up for, like housing, schooling or work.” Said Rodriquez.
2. Stock Up – Shelters have designated meal and snack times. Make sure to take a little extra, because chances are, you’ll be hungry later. Most shelters give out subway tokens in the morning. Even if you aren’t going anywhere that day, make sure to grab them anyway. You may need them another day, or you can sell them. There are many convenient stores around the city that will buy tokens for $250 each. Many shelters also have donations where you may receive free clothes, shoes and necessities.
3. Lock Up Your Belongings – Most shelters provide either closets or lockers to keep your possessions in. “Keep everything in your closet and locked up, because things do get stolen, trust me, you turn around and in five minutes, something is gone.” Said Rodriquez.
4. Make Friends But Keep An ‘Every Man For Himself” Mentality – Timone Taylor, a 23 year old who has been in the shelter system since May of 2010 said, “You meet people you click with, and then you end up getting caught up in their bullshit, and you kinda forget about yourself, which is really bad, because the whole point of you coming to a shelter is to upgrade yourself and make yourself better.”
5. Stay Out Of The Drama – Living in a shared environment, without privacy, with others going through a difficult time is a recipe for drama. There are also many people of all walks of life, race, and religion with different beliefs. It is easy to get sucked into it, but it is best to ignore the tension and arguments, and focus on you.
6. Voice Your Concerns To Staff – Even if you feel like they don’t care, confide in the workers available if you have any issues. If they understand who you are, they will be more likely to be able to give you the help you need.
7. Follow the Rules – “The hardest part about living in a shelter is following the rules.” Said Taylor. There are strict rules that you must follow while staying in a shelter to make sure it runs as smoothly as possible like no violence, making it back for curfew, doing chores, no discrimination, quiet hours, you must be off the floor during the day and no drugs or alcohol on the property. Failure to follow these rules could result in being discharged.
8. Never Give Up – “I am now housed thanks to a program they got me into and I’m thankful for where I am today. Living in a shelter was quite the experience. Whether positive or negative, I’m still here and no longer homeless. “ Said Rodriquez.
