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

Droppin Knowledge

For most artists, the place to be is under the spotlight. It’s obvious in the way they come alive on stage. In a city with so much talent, but so few outlets for local artists to perform, a growing hip- hop league under the moniker of Droppin Knowledge is sticking artists under the spotlight where they belong.

Stepping inside restaurant/night club Rivoli, on a cold January Friday, a Toronto crowd ready to take in new talent was met with a chill night of live performances, heavy beats, stiff drinks, and good vibes as Tim “Fundament” Stuart hosted his monthly event, an intimate hip-hop showcase exposing many local artists and welcoming others to the city.

Stuart has organized the Droppin Knowledge showcases on the first Friday of the month for almost two years, and the events have grown significantly since the beginning. What started out as a showcase for local artists to introduce themselves, developed into a performance involving Toronto legends like Eternia, Notes to Self and Choclair. Recently, Droppin Knowledge has involved artists from across the border, such as Action Bronson, the Queen’s emcee. The events never lost their motive however, which is to bring exposure to artists and support them by giving them a platform to express their creativity.

“It makes a lot of sense for us to open up the Canadian market for artists that are about to pop and what I see Droppin Knowledge as right now is a platform for artists to get opened up to the Canadian market before they would necessarily have the chance to because I have built somewhat of a foundation and a following in Toronto,” says Stuart.

Toronto acts bizZarh, RayRay Malone and Jake Bluez hit the stage along with New York headliner Emilio Rojas, while DJ James Redi spun the new-school hip-hop ones and twos. Co-host Double X opened for the artists who all vastly varied in flow and style. The female duo bizZarh, which consists of Dollar Paris and Charlie Champ, captivated the audience with a unique niche of dub step, hip-hop and stimulating lyricism. Jake Bluez, who performed at the first Droppin Knowledge event, returned once again to hype up the audience with his energetic set. He also used the event to launch his latest mixtape, Word 4 Word.

Toronto rapper-producer RayRay Malone, who is no stranger to the Droppin Knowledge events, says that the series is paramount to the Toronto hip-hop scene, and for local artists trying to make it in such a difficult industry.

“It’s people looking for an outlet for good hip-hop; young artists on the come-up in the city,” says Malone. “This city is loaded with talent, but the exposure is not really there, the infrastructure of the Toronto hip-hop industry is not as strong as in other cities, and there is not as much money circulating in actuality between people in the industry. So it’s tough for people to get exposure without PR or promo. This Droppin Knowledge scene is a place for people to go to, see good hip-hop, appreciate the artists, follow them, and know about them. And it’s not just about the hip-hop; it’s just a great time.”

New York native, Rojas, headlined the event, charming the crowd with his fresh, dynamic performance. Hailing from Rochester, Rojas has been buzzing in the industry, dealing with hip-hop heavyweights, such as Rick Ross, Big K.R.I.T. and Wu-Tang Clan, yet he enjoyed performing at a venue with local Toronto artists.

“I like Toronto. There are a lot of talented cats out here,” says Rojas. “A lot of good producers and a lot of good artists, and people show each other love, it’s dope.”