Frankie Payne "Clarity" Release Party

There was a moment of clarity for Toronto hip-hop supporters recently at Wrongbar. Hip-hop heads came through to celebrate the releases of two Freedom Writers and Toronto hip-hop heavyweights, Clarity, the new solo album from Frankie Payne, and Airplane Over One Way Streets, Theology3’s first full-length album. It was a night filled with live performances and good vibes.

The city’s older heads such as Maestro Fresh Wes and the remaining members of the Freedom Writers, Adam Bomb, Progress and Tona, came through to support their peers. DJ NaNa welcomed and hyped fans with his comical and entertaining version of the host role, screaming and rapping along with each track the DJ spun before the show got underway.

Theo3, who performed tracks such as “Snakes” and “Time”, as well as joints off his Airplane Over One Way Streets album, treated the crowd to his trademarked off the top freestyling skill before passing the mic off to his Freedom Writers brother Frankie Payne whom he had nothing but positive words to speak of.

“He is definitely, to me, a street general in Toronto, who is bringing back storytelling and has a very epic album so I wanted people to get the full scope of both of our projects at one time,” Theo says. “… He’s a certified dude so it’s good to have someone that’s actually talking the real and someone who is expanding and progressing. He wants people to learn from his shit and grow.”

Frankie proved his capabilities as a veteran in the Toronto hip-hop scene with his immense stage presence that poured energy into the crowd as he introduced fans and supporters to his new work. Rocking a “Free People Association” hat and T, he spit tracks such as “Foolish Pride”, “Follow Your Heart” and “Clarity” for his fans that evidently hold the emcee in great respect.

“I just wanted people to understand that I have been through a lot,” Payne says about his new project. “I’ve experienced a lot and I have a story to tell. I feel like that was what I was able to do with this album. I was able to tell my story and reflect my perspective on things because really, the album is like a collective of stories that describe things that were revealed to me in a moment of clarity.”

And for those at Wrongbar, they were able to experience his story firsthand.

Elzhi hits the Harbourfront Soundclash Stage

On one of the hottest days of summer, Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre was one of the only places in the city that was cool enough to be outside. With the breeze blowing off Lake Ontario, hundreds of people came out to enjoy the music and festivities of Harbourfront’s SoundClash Festival earlier this month.
The event’s bill was filled with hip-hop acts and activities. Film screenings of documentaries about Young Jeezy and Big Daddy Kane took place in the Harbourfront Centre, while families outside danced and vibed to Stylus Award winner, Tasha Rozez, who spun reggae and dancehall tunes to hype the crowd up for Rich Kidd. Tents lined the walkway, where festival goers enjoyed corn on the cob and coconut water and could purchase handcrafted jewelry and art.
Tika Simone introduced Rich Kidd to the round stage in the middle of the Harbourfront. Rich Kidd, who said he has never performed on a circular stage before, worked it to his advantage, drawing in people from every direction to take in his witty lines and entertaining stage presence. The emcee/producer jumped off the stage and made his way through the crowd, which made it a very personable set.

Freedom Writers, who kicked off the performances on the WestJet stage, which overlooks the water, hit the stage with immense strength and energy, spitting heavy content, which energized the crowd. The hip-hop collective has an undeniable force, fighting for freedom and change through its music. The beautiful setting and powerful words from the five emcees in Freedom Writers made the evening seem like a hip-hop revolution rather than a music festival.
“Real music resides in Toronto, a lot of real music is born in Toronto and we’re not going to conform,” said Frankie Payne, Freedom Writers emcee.
IceH20 Records prince, JD Era, spit his “Mercy” freestyle and tracks off his No Handouts mixtape, handing out free hard copies to the crowd who welcomed him with nothing but positive vibes.
Detroit emcee and the “syllable sensei”, Elzhi, headlined the event. He spit his new track “Blue Widow”, songs from his Slum Villiage days and ended with his ELmatic hits, “It Ain’t Hard To Tell” and “Detroit State Of Mind” as the crowd tried to keep up with rapping along the words of the lyrical artist. The sea of hip-hop heads blended in with the waves from Lake Ontario, creating a view and a vibe that was truly unforgettable.

“I’m happy every time there is a venue for hip-hop, because it’s so easy to shut it down,” said Freedom Writers’ emcee Adam Bomb. “… SoundClash is wicked, because, not only does it incorporate American artists and Canadian artists, but I’ve seen a lot of stuff for the DJs out here, which a lot of people forget about… I like that they incorporated documentaries. SoundClash did a great job.”

Photos By. Fitzroy Facey