Monday, June 25, 2012

Swag Worth A Mill

Peep my cameo in the new Casey Veggies Video "Swag Worth A Mill"





Monday, June 11, 2012

Q&A with Tasha The Amazon on NXNE


Toronto artist/producer, Tasha The Amazon has gained a lot of attention with her singles, “Scallywags” and “Let It Go”. The femcee has performed at NXNE the past few years and this year is looking forward to opening up for Action Bronson, Raekwon and Ghostface Killah at Dundas Square on June 17.
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY OF PERFORMING WITH RAEKWON AND GHOSTFACE KILLAH AT NXNE? It’s obviously a huge honour to be able to do that. I performed previously with the GZA and The Roots. Wu-Tang is a huge inspiration to me so I’m ticking more and more of those people off the list. Anybody I tell, their mind is blown.
WHAT DOES AN OPPORTUNITY LIKE THAT DO FOR YOUR CAREER? It’s hard to say, because it all depends on who comes out to the show and even something like if it rains and it’s an outdoor show, there’s gonna be less people. It may be harder to hype the crowd but it’s always cool to have that flyer. I think personally, it’ll be great because it’s the middle of the summer — a lot of people come out. I performed at the show last year and there’s always a great response. I can only imagine it’ll be wicked.
WHAT IS YOUR PLAN PERFORMANCE WISE TO CATER TO A FESTIVAL CROWD? You have to build on-stage chemistry. I have a couple of my boys that are going to come and be hype-men and do a couple verses of their own. JD Era might be coming to perform with Raekwon and him and I have a song together so maybe we’ll pull out that and do a little collab. Maybe I’ll see if Saukrates is around and wants to do the song that we have going on. Just being able to build your own chemistry on stage, then it doesn’t matter so much if the crowd is dry and into it or not. You just kind of bring them into your world.
HOW DO YOU THINK NXNE WILL AFFECT THE VIBE OF THE CITY? I just find that festivals seem to be more positive than shows. At shows, people come across the border and they bring their bullshit with them sometimes. When we have a festival, there’s a lot of people coming together. Some people are conscious hip-hop, some people are street hip-hop and some people are just fun on the line between pop and everyone puts their shit away for a day or for a week. I think it will be good in this kind of climate, because we need shows that are fun and positive.
IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT DOES NXNE DO FOR THE CANADIAN MUSIC SCENE? I think it’s an opportunity for us to show in an official way what’s going on. Every time I go anywhere else in the world, everyone is like, “Oh, you’re from Toronto? There are so many cool bands and artists and producers that I hear coming from there.” They’re definitely checking for us, but they’re not necessarily going to come up here on a regular Friday and check out what we have going on. This is an official reason for label heads and booking agents and other artists to get on a plane, buy a wristband and check us out for real. It’s a culmination of everything that we have going on.

Honey Jam Auditions


Ninety-three females ranging in age, culture and experience level, with performances of every genre, from all over Ontario, auditioned for a chance to be in the Honey Jam showcase at The Mod Club last Sunday. The showcase, which has run 17 years strong, supports female talent and has been instrumental in the early careers of artists such as Jully Black, Nelly Furtado and Michie Mee.
In front of two rows of music industry professional judges such as Rich Kidd, Boi-1da and Honey Jam founder, Ebonnie Rowe, and a full club of contenders and supporters, each artist had 60 seconds to sing her heart out in order to earn a spot in the showcase on August 16.
Some ladies accompanied themselves with instruments, some danced along to soundtracks, while others performed a capella numbers. Whether they were singing, or rapping, the immense talent in the building was undeniable as shivers were sent down the spines of the people in the packed club, who quietly watched each performer take to the stage, one by one.
Twenty-five-year-old singer/songwriter Stacey who performed at Honey Jam five years ago with a band came out to audition as a solo artist this year, performing the 4 Non Blonde track “What’s Up”, while accompanying herself on guitar. Her confidence and stage presence was evident, yet she says that even experienced artists such as herself get nervous during the audition process, as it all comes down to that one minute on stage to show everyone what she has to offer. “As long as I’ve been performing, I always get a little freaked out when I get up there. My heart goes fast, but it was over really fast. All of a sudden, I was done,” she laughs.

Even though the audition process can be stressful, Stacey explains the surprising support of all the other talented females made it easier. “All the ladies here today have been so supportive of each other. There’s no animosity, there’s no diva-ness — everyone is just really cool here today. It’s been a fun day.”
Stacey’s nerves had left after her piece and she was able to enjoy the rest of the afternoon by staying to watch the remainder of the auditions. She sat back down on the same seat she sat before, but this time as a supporter rather than a contender.
New singer/songwriter Diia, whose first time auditioning was at Honey Jam, says that the audition process is quite different from any other type of performance for an artist and can be a lot more nerve-wracking.
“It’s different, because there are other competitors and there’s judges and there is a difference between playing your own gig and having your family and friends supporting you and fans supporting you, but nonetheless it’s a great experience,” she says smiling.
No feedback was given from the judges after the performances, just a small round of applause from those in attendance after each audition. The ladies could only reflect on their own opinions of how they did in anticipation to hear back from the showcase organizers in the weeks to come to find out if they have been chosen to be a part of this year’s Honey Jam.

Photos By: Fitzroy Facey

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Grind Life


Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Stylus Awards


The 7th annual Stylus Awards was presented at the Danforth Music Hall last Monday to a room full of DJs, artists, producers, industry heads and supports of the culture who came to Toronto from all over the country to celebrate the talent and accomplishments of the DJ through the premiere event recognizing the work of the DJ in Canada.

During an energetic night, hosted by comedian TRIXX, the talent of the Canadian music industry was undeniable with enthusiastic performances by The Airplane Boys, who opened up the show, and A-Game, as well as soulful pieces by singers Kreesha Turner and Dru.

Highlights of the night included a tribute to the late MCA from the Beastie Boys by Canada’s oldest b-boy crew, SUPERNATURALZ Crew, and a performance melody by the legend, Michee Mee, who was inducted into the Stylus Hall Of Fame.

The big winner of the night was The Weeknd who received awards such as Canadian R&B Single of the Year and Artist Mixtape of the Year. Breakthrough DJ of the Year was awarded to Toronto’s Charlie Brown, Keith Dean won the award for Montreal DJ of the year and Lissa Monet became the first-ever female to take home the award for Toronto DJ of the Year.

DJ James Redi, who five years ago was a volunteer at the Stylus Awards, was nominated for Breakthrough DJ of the Year at this year’s awards. Although he didn’t take home the award, Redi said what the nomination of a Stylus Award stands for is an even greater gift than winning the actual award. “Canada has the best DJs in the world and to be recognized among them is truly one of the greatest joys a DJ can ask for. It’s less about the actual award itself and more about the recognition among peers who are the greatest in the world,” he says.

Events like the Stylus Awards help make an imprint of the Canadian music industry on an international scale, says Redi. “Toronto and Canada is very much on the come-up right now and having things like Stylus it’s just [saying] hey, we are here and we recognize the people that are doing good and it builds that sense of community.”

This year, for the first time, Stylus showcased videotaped rap ciphers throughout the evening which involved emcees from Montreal, Vancouver and Toronto with artists such as Rich Kidd, Adam Bomb, Sese and Blake Carrington to further acknowledge Canadian talent and the relationship between the artist and the DJ.

Toronto rapper/producer Blake Carrington who presented the award for Breakthrough DJ of the Year and participated in the cipher series with a memorable verse, spitting while holding his baby daughter, says that artists such as himself must pay homage to the DJ for breaking records and getting music heard. He adds an opportunity such as the Stylus Awards for artists, producers and DJs to network is just a plus. “DJs break records and to have a DJ award show is genius, especially if you’re an artist that’s invited.”
Photos by Michelle Green

Rich Kidd x Samo @ Stalley



Talib Kweli Concert Review


The Sound Academy was a packed sea of hip-hop heads ready to witness the presence of hip-hop excellence as Talib Kweli hit up Toronto on his Prisoner of Consciousness tour last Friday. Toronto’s own 4th Pyramid and Seattle emcee J. Pinder opened the show to an energetic crowd who braved the rain to take in the lyrical talent of three artists who are bringing it back to the roots of old school hip-hop.

Brooklyn lyricist and former Black Star member, Talib Kweli, jumped on the stage with intense confidence, rocking a jean jacket, NY fitted and frames, yet showed his humble personality by shouting out his opening acts, which most headlining artists never take the time to acknowledge.
With a live band, he started off the show with his own rendition of “No Sleep Till Brooklyn” and dedicated the concert to the late MCA. Even as a hip-hop legend himself, Kweli paid homage to the greats of the game that we have lost, dedicating songs to Pimp C and rocking an Andy Warhol T of Ol’ Dirty Bastard.

With the announcement of his upcoming album, Prisoner of Consciousness, Kweli took the opportunity to debut a single off the project, which is yet to have a release date, and spit over DJ Khaled’s “I’m On One”. All attention was on Kweli as he performed solo tracks such as “Strangers (Paranoid)” off of Reflection Eternal, “Lonely People” off of The Beautiful Mix CD, “Down For The Count” and “Gutter Rainbows” off of Gutter Rainbows, as well as Black Star joints such as “Another World” and “Definition”, which had the crowd screaming for more through the smoky haze. If concert goers weren’t high off the music and energy, just breathing in the air at the Sound Academy was enough to do the trick.

An army of hundreds of hip-hop heads bobbed their heads in unison and rapped along with the emcee who has impacted the game with his stimulating messages and inspiring mindset. Kweli had nothing to prove on the stage and no effort was needed to get the crowd hype. His OG stage presence, powerful voice and technical thought-provoking tracks were all the crowd needed to jump, dance, sing and rap along to every word and focus on every move. It was refreshing to see that much love and positive energy at a hip-hop show in Toronto, especially with the violence that took place at the same venue just a month prior.

Stalley Show


Despite the shooting at the Eaton Centre earlier in the day, a young crowd united at the graffiti filled El Mocambo for positive vibes and some real hip-hop this past Saturday night.
The 1s and 2s for the evening were brought by DJ James Redi, who played Maybach Music bangers in anticipation for MMG’s Stalley, who headlined the show, to hit the stage during a concert presented by SmashMouth Entertainment and The Academy.

Eight emcees of The Cypher, such as MC FÜBB, Ill-literate, J Maroon and NewBreedMC opened up the show, each spitting a written verse and taking part in a freestyle cipher, spitting rhymes involving adlib words from small pieces of paper provided by the crew such as Rob Ford, mountain and microscope, each bringing their own unique style and flow to the mix. The freestyles were refreshing, as the concept has become almost extinct due to artists who write and recycle the same bars even during freestyles. MC FÜBB ended their set on a serious note touching on the tragedy that happened earlier in the afternoon, stating, “hip-hop is about peace, love, unity and respect and anyone who tells you anything different is after something else and they’re full of shit,” he rhymed.

Sha Prince and Flex, who make up the group The Antiheroes performed next with NaNa DJing their set and blessed the crowd by inviting D-Sisive to the stage to spit his verse on “Listen Up”. The duo was followed by Vibonics, the six-piece band who ignited the crowd with their vibe truly unique to the music industry, combining hip-hop, rock, soul and funk to create an energy and sound that made it impossible for the audience to ignore.

Up next was the charmer of the Toronto hip-hop scene, rapper/producer Rich Kidd who never fails to hype the crowd and make a fan out of even the biggest screw-face hater. He spit tracks such as “Take It Slow”, “So Much More” and “Back In The Day”, with his distinctive flow and contagious energy.

By the time Stalley reached the stage, all negative vibes from the day were out of everyone’s minds, if only for the time being. The MMG artist humbly made his way to the stage to perform tracks off his Lincoln Way Nights and Savage Journey To The American Dream projects such as “Hammers and Vogues”, “Cold”, “Hercules”, “Everything New” and his verse on Curren$y’s “Address”. His fans rapped along with him, and he continuously thanked everyone for the love; making sure the audience didn’t applaud him, but rather themselves for their support.

Even after leaving the stage, the audience’s applause brought Stalley back for an encore, as he performed “Savage Journey” and “Petrin Hill Peonies”. It was the perfect way to lift the spirit of city after the shock of the day, a solace that only good music and good people can provide.

Stylus Pre-Award Nominee Party


Showing love to the DJ and supporting Canada’s music industry was the motive of the night at the third annual DJ Stylus Pre Award Show nominee party at The Mod Club Sunday night, which was hosted by Rock Da House and sponsored by vodka brand Stoli Canada.

DJ Ritz, who is a 2012 Toronto DJ of the Year nominee, spun hip-hop and R&B tracks throughout the evening while guests, which consisted of industry heads, DJs, artists, producers, management and supporters of the craft, took the opportunity to mingle and celebrate their achievements and recognize those who are making a large impact on Canada’s music industry.

David “Click” Cox, co-producer of the annual DJ Stylus Awards, says that the pre-party is a big part of the Stylus weekend as it allows for a more laidback, casual vibe than the awards ceremony and gives an opportunity to artists to showcase themselves at an industry event.
“They deserve the recognition, they deserve to be heard and they deserve to be seen,” he says. “That’s the main motive behind it all.”

The seven performers of the night which consisted of artists such as Raz Fresco, Shaun Boothe, Shi Wisdom, Son Real and JRDN all varied immensely in style, yet all were welcomed equally by the audience. With acts from Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto who ranged in music genres such as R&B, hip-hop, from young to mature and involved both male and female acts, the event exemplified the diversity of artists in Canada.

M.A.G.N.U.M, hailing from Montreal, nominated for Mixtape of the Year, also hit the stage and spit a lyrical set, which energized the crowd for the remainder of the evening. He says the more relaxed vibe of the night was the motive in order to celebrate and enjoy the music and networking, as opposed to the award ceremony, where the spotlight is solely on giving the DJs the recognition they deserve. The Montreal emcee says it’s not all about performing and winning awards; everyone involved, or who attends the Stylus Awards, wins.

“It’s a good scene; it’s a platform for all these artists to get recognized on a national scale. Whether you’re nominated, or you win, or even if you’re in attendance, it’s a good place to network,” he says.
Four awards were given out throughout the evening which included Most Original DJ Mixtape of the Year to Dames Nellas for his work on Hip-Hop Ain’t Dead, It Lives In The North Vol. 4, Club MC of the Year was awarded to Almighty Chops, DJ Manifest & Flo took home the Stylus College Radio Show of the Year for their Toronto Morning Live show on CHRY 105.5 FM and Underground DJ of the Year was awarded to DJ Law.

“We have so many talented artists in Canada,” Cox says. “We have so many different awards that we really can’t do it all in one night.”


Photos by Michelle Green

Raz Fresco Stylus Spotlight Series


Toronto’s own artist/producer and founder of the Bakers Club, Raz Fresco is only 17 and has already been nominated for a Stylus award (Artist Mixtape of the Year) at this year’s show. He will also be performing at tonight’s nominee party at The Mod Club along with artists such as JRDN and Shaun Boothe. The young artist sat down with Urbanology Magazine to discuss why he is looking forward to the experience, which will be his first time attending the DJ Stylus Awards, and the role of DJs in supporting artists like himself.
WHAT DOES STYLUS MEAN TO YOU? I’m just starting to really understand it. It’s a symbol in the Canadian hip-hop scene right now, because it’s independent and it shows where the city’s at and it shows what is going on. It’s like a time capsule.
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO MOST AT THIS YEAR’S AWARDS? It’s dope that I’m nominated for [MCMXCV]… and just going [to the awards]. I’ve never been there before, so I’m just trying to take everything in and that’s what I’m looking forward to, just to soak everything in.
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO PERFORM AT THE NOMINEE PARTY? That’s going to be dope. The people who are there that don’t know about my music are going to be introduced to it, because I know I’m going to do a dope set and have the joints off my new project and some of the big joints from before and just getting new fans. I’m always looking forward to new people starting to eff with the [Bakers] Club.
WHAT DOES THE DJ MEAN TO YOU? Breaking records and just being a bridge. The DJ can be mainstream and have that direct link to the underground as well by doing the mixtapes. An artist can do that, but a DJ is more solid. It’s meant to be like that. It’s a direct correlation between the mainstream and the underground. DJs bridge that gap, break a lot of records and push a lot of projects. They co-sign artists and give artists a lot of spotlight.
WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE CANADIAN DJ? DJ Starting From Scratch, just because I met him at FLOW and he was cool; he showed me love. He seemed like a cool guy and he has clout. I just have love for all the DJs.

MMVA Nominations


Last Tuesday, the nominations for the 2012 MuchMusic Video Awards (MMVA) were announced inside a studio full of screaming teenagers, as well as live across Canada during a taping of MuchMusic’s flagship show “New.Music.Live”. With 14 awards, big performances planned and a red carpet of some of Canada’s biggest artists, the MuchMusic VJs say that this year’s show will be the biggest yet.

MuchMusic’s T-RexXx says he is looking forward to an even bigger and better show this year. “I’m just really excited to be a part of the team again and executing and pulling off this bonanza of an awards show. It’s our pride and joy. It’s cool to have MMVA time back again.”
As the host of “Rap City”, T-RexXx says that the winner of this year’s MuchVibe Hip Hop Video of the Year will be a difficult decision, but each artist is deserving of the award. “I think that the competition is a lot stiffer this year than it was last, so I wouldn’t be shocked by whoever wins.”

Nominees for this award include A-Game, Classified, Harvey Stripes, K’Naan and Drake.

MuchMusic VJ Phoebe Dykstra says that she thinks that Drake will take the award for his video “The Motto”, along with the 4 other awards that he is nominated for, including International Video of the Year by A Canadian for “Take Care” and Video of the Year for “Headlines”. Besides Marianas Trench, who has seven nominations, Drake is tied in second place with Hedley for the most MMVA nods.

Dykstra says that she is most excited to see who will win UR Fave Video, because it is the most important award to her.“The coolest thing about our station is it’s all about the kids. They watch our station the entire year, they support us, they love the music we play so I feel like giving them the opportunity to have a say in who wins in this category is super important. So for me, that’s what is most exciting, because I get to share with the fans their excitement if the person they chose won.” She is also excited to play a bigger role in the awards this year as she has only recently taken a spot as a MuchMusic VJ.

During the nominations announcements, the VJs made Skype calls to Josh Ramsey of Marianas Trench and Victoria Duffield to inform and congratulate them on their MMVA nominations. The two were both surprised and honoured.

The performers and guests at this year’s MuchMusic Video Awards are yet to be announced.

DJ Wristpect on the Stylus Awards


Five-time Stylus DJ Award Winner DJ Wristpect is once again nominated at this year’s Stylus Awards, which will take place at the Danforth Music Hall next Monday night. The Toronto DJ spoke with Urbanology Magazine about the close-knit Canadian DJ community, the importance of the Stylus Awards and the art of DJing.
WHAT DO THE STYLUS AWARDS MEAN TO YOU? [It means] validation of DJ culture in the country and appreciation for the culture on a mass level and I think it’s really dope that it started and is still going on and has grown every year, because we all put a lot of time, effort and blood, sweat and tears into this music thing, so the fact that there is now a forum for that to be recognized, that’s the most important thing; it’s shining a light on DJ culture… It’s a really good way of knowing what this is all about. It’s really great to have everyone to get together. It’s really rare to get that many DJs from across the country together at one place at one time.
WHAT IS YOUR MOST MEMORABLE STYLUS MOMENT TO DATE? Apart from winning awards, which is great, I just like getting a chance to just hang out and kick it with all the other DJs from around the country, because when I go to someone else’s city, it’s usually in and out and you don’t really get a chance to hang out and relax and get to catch up with DJs in other cities that are your friends or your peers, so the fact that everyone is at the awards, you can just chill out with people. That’s always good, because apart from forming your relationships, you actually get to hang out as friends, which you don’t really get to do when you’re working.
WHAT DOES BEING A DJ MEAN TO YOU? Being a DJ in this day and age to me means, really being on top of, not only music, but culture and trends. You really have to be versatile as a DJ these days, just because technology has really changed things. It’s tough to be a “one-genre-specific” DJ. Obviously, there are a lot of DJs that focus on one genre and do really well at it, but I think overall, as a music lover and as a DJ, you just have to be really in-tune with what’s going on in different genres. You have to be really adaptable to different crowds and in travelling especially. The biggest records that work in Toronto, or in North America, will get no reaction in a place like Hong Kong or France, so you really have to be able to think on your toes and adapt to situations very quickly… It’s a balancing act. It’s changed a lot from 10 years ago. I think the entire platform has changed. A DJ today has to wear many hats. It’s a very multifaceted role. It’s much more than simply playing music. I don’t think a lot of people realize that… It’s a great opportunity that DJs have today in 2012, because the art form is more popular than ever, with that being said, the playing field is also as crowded as ever, so you really have to be on top of your game.
WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO AT THIS YEAR’S AWARDS? I keep saying this but really just getting to just hang out and shooting the shit with DJ friends from across the country that I don’t really get to, because when I’m in their town, or they’re in my city, it’s hard to make time to get together. People have been hitting me up from Vancouver and Newfoundland asking, “Hey, are you going to be in town?” It’s great that everyone is coming… The awards are always entertaining, Trixx is a great host.

First Ever National Youth Arts Week Launch


The launch of National Youth Arts Week at Cinecyle earlier this month was a collage of expression and a celebration of progress in the arts community for giving a voice to youth through artistic outlets. The week-long event, created by the Arts Network for Children and Youth and the Michaëlle Jean Foundation featured workshops, activities, competitions and opportunities to network and showcase the youth art across Canada. It all kicked off with a night of creativity.

Robin Sutherland, general manager of the Arts Network For Children and Youth says that National Youth Arts Week is an advocacy opportunity to showcase young artists and the importance of art for youth and communities.

“It’s really important for youth to be able to engage in art in the community so that they can make positive social change in their own communities and also better their own lives through art and participating in art-making activities and creative expression. It’s a really wide breadth of art that we use… National Youth Arts week is to showcase the kind of work that’s being done across Canada on a national scale and really raise awareness.”

The Cinecycle was transformed into a gallery as canvases by Canadian artists lined the walls, with interactive art stations, and clothing line displays. House of Whaps provided the music for the night as the colourful and creative guests networked and enjoyed the paintings, raffle and appetizers before host actress/director Nicole Stamp took to the stage.

The night began with performances by the Cameron family, three young siblings from the Oneida Nation who wowed the crowd with their tribal dances and intricate costumes. Dynesti Williams, a Toronto singer, rapper and spoken word artist, showcased her talent on stage. Dynesti runs her own non-profit arts organization, Dynesti Youth Productions, and says that she appreciates the opportunity National Youth Arts Week provides to network with other artists and says that these events are important to inspire youth, who are the future.

Honoured guests, Michaëlle Jean and Jean-Daniel Lafond excited guests with a motivational speech on the importance of art to our Canadian identity. “We wanted the whole country to know that this is happening, that it’s important, and that we wanted to raise awareness about the power of the arts,” the former Governor General said. “… [Art] is part of the creative and vibrant fabric of Canadian society and we need to be there to support these young people in action using arts for change.”

DJ Starting From Scratch Spotlight Series


DJ legend Starting From Scratch is a staple in the Canadian urban music scene and has been involved with the Stylus Awards since it began in 2006. After winning three awards during the first year, Scratch took himself out of the runnings to join the corporate side of the show. This year, he looks forward to co-hosting the event and taking in the new generation of DJs that he has helped pave the way for.
HOW HAVE YOU SEEN THE STYLUS AWARDS EVOLVE SINCE ITS BEGINNING? Production-wise, it’s gotten to a whole new level. It’s up there with all the other award shows, especially “urban shows”; to me, it blows them away just by the screen values and the guests and artists and everyone they’ve been getting to come through. Crowd-wise, that’s the thing that needs to be worked on. Numbers are there, but I don’t think it’s the ideal crowd. It’s still a little bit of a ghetto feel to it, which I guess, over time, they hope will turn into more of a mainstream crowd, but for now, I don’t think the production value meets the crowd value and I don’t think it’s appreciated by the crowd that’s showing up.
WHAT IS YOUR MOST MEMORABLE STYLUS AWARDS MOMENT? The first one; when I won. I won three [awards] in the first Stylus Awards, so to me, that was amazing, because it was essentially the first DJ show of its kind, so to be honoured like that and to be voted, especially by other DJs and all the record people — that will always stand out to me. After that, I kind of jumped to the other side and got on the corporate side of it, so that was my first and only experience with it, so I will always hold that very dear.
WHY ARE YOU NO LONGER BEING NOMINATED? I made that conscious choice awhile back to jump on the other side and stay out of the rat race, because even as you win, you still get tons of hate and negativity from all the other guys, so I just took myself out of it and decided to become a part of the show so I’ll always stay relevant and I’ll be where I need to be. I’ll still be represented at the show; I just don’t need to be in the rat race… It’s still tough. There’s still the fighter in me that sees things happening and it’s like, “I could have taken that” or “I could do this,” or “I know I’m better than this,” but I’m actually glad I am where I am. I have more fun with it, there’s no pressure on me and it’s a totally different view, being on the side that I am on.
WHAT DO THE STYLUS AWARDS MEAN TO YOU? To me as a DJ, I wouldn’t say it’s the be all, end all, because to me, the be all, end all is the crowd coming to support you in the clubs. This is more of an industry event, so just to be represented and shown respect within your industry is a huge step. I don’t think the general public understands the awards and doesn’t really attend the awards, because they don’t understand them. In the Canadian music scene itself, I still don’t think it’s respected as it should be… They have the Junos and these “DJs” are winning these Grammys, but the guys that are doing the footwork and the roadwork aren’t really getting recognized. It’ll get there over time, as long as they keep pushing it in the right direction.
WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO AT THIS YEAR’S AWARDS? As usual, to see who the underdogs are, who the upsetters are, the performances and so forth; I know production-wise, it’s going to be raised to a whole new level again. I just like to see the underdogs take it. I know a couple guys that have been retired so it’ll be interesting to see what the new generation is going to come take these awards now.

ReelWorld raps up its biggest year yet


Last Sunday night, the ReelWorld Film Festival hosted its closing night gala at Toronto’s Sheppard Cinemas, where filmmakers, actors, sponsors, board members and supporters came through to network and celebrate the success of the festival with an open bar and catering provided by Orange Blossom.


After the mingling and celebration, all were welcomed to the theatre for the screening of the festival’s final feature film, Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu, a romantic comedy, written and directed by Shakun Batra, as his debut feature film. Imran Khan and Kareena Kapoor, two of Bollywood’s most well-known actors starred in the piece, set in Las Vegas, about an anxious architect named Rahul Kapoor, and a carefree hairdresser named Riana Braganza. The two form a strong friendship, in which Rahul falls for her, but the feelings are not reciprocated. The audience laughed along with the film, as its story line seemed relatable to many in attendance.

Sasha Stoltz who runs the sponsorship, publicity and event planning at the ReelWorld festival said that the film was an excellent way to wrap up the festival. “It’s an amazing film; a great plot and a really great soundtrack to it as well, so we’re really excited to have it here with us,” she said.
Moe Jiwan, chairman of ReelWorld said that the Canadian-based festival gives opportunity to those interested in all aspects of filmmaking a chance to shine and supports the underdogs and diversity in film.

“Our biggest thing is giving filmmakers of colour that are Canadian or having a Canadian connection an opportunity to show their work. The other side of the coin is exposing young people who may think that, ‘No, I don’t fit the mold to be in the film industry,’ so maybe you’re from a different socio-economic or something, so give them a potential eyesight only opportunity in entertainment because it’s not just about being an actor, you could be a talented writer, you could be a talented cinematographer, a costume maker — there’s a lot of jobs within the film industry, we try to expose them to that as well,” he said.

Jiwan has seen the festival evolve throughout the past 11 years he has been on the festival’s board due to the unique nature of the films that it highlights and he said this year’s festival was the most successful one yet. The team has high hopes for the future of the festival in the city of Toronto and worldwide.“Our programming this year has probably grown by 30 per cent in terms of quality, so I think we’ve made a huge leap forward,” he said. “We’ve set ourselves up for a higher bar for next year.”

The 4th Pyramid Q&A

The 4th Pyramid has worn various hats in the music industry. The quadruple threat, known for his producing, engineering, song writing and emceeing abilities, recently dropped his solo album The Pyramid Scheme, with Universal Music. The Toronto artist, who is spending more time in the city to support his new imprint label, spoke with Urbanology Magazine about The Pyramid Scheme, touring and the love he receives abroad.
WHAT WAS THE PROCESS OF CREATING THE PYRAMID SCHEME LIKE AND WHAT HAS THE FEEDBACK BEEN LIKE? The process was a mixture of happiness, sadness, trying to get shit done, a lot of yelling at people to get shit done. It was a lot of yelling to get the album done, but the response has been phenomenal. I can’t really complain. The reviews have been pretty good, and overall, I’m pretty happy about the entire process of what’s going on right now.
DO YOU FIND YOUR INSPIRATION FOR PRODUCING AND EMCEEING COME FROM THE SAME THINGS? It’s probably more innate for me to be a producer, even when I rhyme, I think about how it’s going to be produced, even if I’m rhyming on someone else’s beat. The producing aspect is more encompassing than the rap aspect, but they’re definitely different. For beats, it would be a record or a sample or a sound that may inspire me, for writing, it could be someone else’s verse that might get me inspired, or lyrics. I could get inspired from a beat to write, but I think I get inspiration from different aspects of music.
HOW IS TOURING IN THE UNITED STATES LIKE FOR YOU? It’s a lot of fun. When I go out into the world, I definitely represent Toronto and let it be known that that’s where I was born and that’s where I’m from originally but other than that, I don’t see a difference between being a Canadian or American artist. I think the main difference of going to the States a lot is that it opens up your head, and it opens up your eyes to the possibilities that are out there. You could stay in one small area in America and if you’re not getting out, you’re going to have a more closed mind-frame than someone who is travelling the world and taking in different experiences and realizing it’s a big world, but at the same time, the same things all around the world make people respond to you, especially in music. You start to see that when you do a stage show in 10 different cities and it starts to connect with the people, you start to realize that as big of a world that it is, the same things drive people everywhere.
HOW DOES CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES SHOW YOU LOVE? Right now, especially with this album, and I’m working with Universal and I started an imprint basically in Canada called Silk Ivory, I’ve been back here a little bit more often, because for awhile there I just moved to New York; packed my things and left. That was pretty much for me, an eye-opening experience. By starting my imprint here, I can delve back into the scene out here and see what it is and it’s actually pretty fun and promising; it’s dope. The States, you just have a bigger audience, and there are different possibilities and opportunities out there. Canada shows me love, but I also haven’t really toured Canada. I’ve toured the States a whole bunch of times, I’ve also done Europe, but I’ve never really done a cross-Canada run so it’s hard to compare, but I know guys from the States see Canada, and they want to come up here now like, “You guys got the shit out here.” Every place has its own time so I’m hoping to get out to Canada this summer and go across the country and really connect with the people.

Erik Flowchild makes a comeback


Erik Flowchild returned to the Toronto music scene with the release of his latest mixtape The Chixtape 2 earlier this year and a show at The Rivoli earlier this month, with performances by Redway, Brandon Dramatic and a beat battle featuring some talented upcoming Toronto producers. DJ Soul Child spun the 1s and 2s throughout the evening, as host Marlon Palmer kept the crowd entertained with his comedic antics.

Brandon Dramatic, who performed four tracks with his distinctive lyricism and jazz and soul influenced sound, also executively produced Flowchild’s The Chixtape 2 and was featured on two tracks. “We’re good friends, but we also work well as musicians,” he says.
Flowchild hit the stage to perform tracks off his mixtapes Valedictorian and The Chixtape one and two, with a live band, which included drums, keys, bass and saxophone players. His entire set was high energy and emotion-filled as he was able to show the audience the pain he had been going through with his stage presence and delivery.

Flowchild put on the event not only to celebrate the release of his latest mixtape, but also to launch the comeback of his career and to thank those who had stuck by him through the darkest time of his life. He had created a buzz in the city, when he was younger, but took a musical hiatus over the last few years to deal with a clinical depression that had caused him to lose sight of himself and his purpose.“When everything stops happening for you at once, you kind of lose sight of what to live for and a depression hit me. It was the darkest moment in my life and I was just somehow able to overcome it by looking really deep and telling myself that, ‘I have a purpose, I’m supposed to be doing music,’” he explains. “… When I was going through my depression, I was at one point very lost, very scared, but I was able to at one point just sit and take in what was going on and look at it and actually analyze why I was feeling the way I was feeling and once I was able to do that, I found a new place as an artist and as a person.”

But with the time he spent while away from the industry to re-evaluate himself and embrace his depression, he was able to come back stronger than ever, with a unique sound and a greater understanding of who he is and what he is meant to do.
“[I make] very honest music at this point. I came from a place where I was trying to be honest and positive and because of that, I tried very hard to hide the dirt in my life but when you become an artist, you realize that there’s a lot of things that you have to talk about for people to feel you. It’s one thing to talk about things in a positive light, but life isn’t always like that and I think I found a niche.”

Q&A With Grammy Awarding Winning Estelle


Four years after her releasing her last album and three years after winning a Grammy for “American Boy”, English R&B artist Estelle has dropped her third album All Of Me. She spoke with Urbanology Magazine about her journey making the new record, why she took so long to release another album, her growth, and what she has planned next.

CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT THE JOURNEY OF RECORDING THIS NEW ALBUM, ALL OF ME, WAS LIKE? I took my time with it. I wasn’t in a rush to create it. I just did what I felt, the way I felt and just kept it moving like that. I didn’t want to create something just to create something. It got a little personal. It was how I felt at the present moment. WHERE DID YOU RECORD THE ALBUM? I recorded it in LA, New York, Miami, London — wherever I basically landed, is where I recorded it.

DID THIS AFFECT THE SOUND OF THE ALBUM? Nah. I create music based on how I feel versus where I’m at. Why should the music change every 10 seconds, or have a different vibe or energy? There were a lot of things that happened personally for me at the same time so I didn’t want to rush into anything or do anything that was not going to be timely or classic or anything in that lane. I wanted it to feel like something that you want to hear 10 or 15 years from now. So I was just concentrating on that moment, or how I felt, versus the city that I was in.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR GROWTH FROM 2008’S SHINE TO ALL OF ME? I got a bit more vulnerable. I got a little more open, a little less nervous about being the person I was and being the person I am and less nervous about showing it. I was just kind of like over having to process in my head how I felt and going back and writing about it. I just kind of let it go. WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN THROUGH IN THE PAST FEW YEARS THAT INFLUENCED YOUR NEW ALBUM? I didn’t literally live it. I’ve been on the road for almost 350 days out of the entire year so I have not had the chance to really live a little bit, so as I was working on the road, I was writing. Up, down, excited, sad, t-ed off, happy — I would write, and it set the tone of the album.

WHAT WAS IT LIKE COLLABORATING WITH ARTISTS LIKE NAS AND RICK ROSS? Nas is my older brother. We’ve been wanting to work together for awhile. We wanted to write for writing’s sake and that’s what we did. I was excited to write with the guy, because I admire him as a young man; just as an evolving human being and the fact that he’s so honest with who he is and where he’s been makes me love him even more. A lot of artists act a bit righteous and he’s definitely not trying to be perfect. He’s just trying to be a human being and I commend that. Ross as well, I love him as well, as a human being. He’s funny as hell. He’s cool, he’s so sweet, he’s a real dude and I like that. My whole thing is working with people who are actually human.

HOW HAS WORKING WITH JOHN LEGEND AND HOMESCHOOL RECORDS BEEN FOR YOUR CAREER? John is like my partner. He knew that I had records and I had a career before I came out here. He had faith in me to sign me and make things go the way they went and really have my back. He wasn’t about making my life happen, he didn’t have to do that, he has his own career to worry about, so he was definitely like, ‘look I’m gonna co-sign you — go!’ and I was like, ‘Great, that’s all I need. Let’s do it,’ and I appreciated that. There’s not a lot of artists that will do that and give the freedom without trying to be all over the project or draped all over your work or draped all over who you are as an artist, claiming you. So he gives me my space and lets me be who I am and lets me make the music that I want to make. He’s the one person that I trust without anything to make sure my things are together and my records are played — the one person. He’s the one person I can be like, ‘yo, listen to this,’ and I know that he’s not going to give me a random weird type of response based on an agenda and that’s hard to come by in this industry.

SINCE YOU ALREADY WON A GRAMMY, WHAT IS NEXT FOR YOU? I want to win 10 or 12 more. I’m just gonna keep going; I’m doing a lot more branding, TV acting, a lot more things outside of music. I’m not waiting or worried about the music, because I can do that with my eyes closed; now I’m just working. I’m making sure I don’t stop; it doesn’t stop, it doesn’t quit… There’s acting, there’s voiceover work, cartoons, a lot of acting and that kind of stuff. I have a foundation I started called the All of Me Foundation, where we raise money for people that need mentoring and give kids an extra shot outside of their estate, or their block or their house or whatever their limitations are. I’m a photographer too so I take pictures and I’m going to compile a book, which I’m excited as hell about. I’m just gonna keep going