Edited by Slinkmode Productions.

Seen on HHC!

Behind the Scenes of Big Brick’s new video/single “Superstar” which features Captain Hooks.

Look for it 2010.

Directed by Shawn Haynes.

This is admittedly a little late, but…better late than never! Shouts to Sean D for reaching out and blessing us with the piece. If you are a supporter of the arts and arts-based initiatives/events like Manifesto be sure to check the Beautifulcity.ca post below also!!!

Manifesto Review
By Sean Deezill

The wonderful city of Toronto recently hosted Manifesto, a 4 day long festival celebrating hip hop and the essence of a culture that is certainly more than just music. Attracting over 12,000 people at the Main Event on Sunday, September 20^th, an event that was headlined by Reflection Eternal (recently reunited), 9^th Wonder, Bajah + The Dry Eye Crew, and Colin Munroe, the Manifesto team developed [for the 3^rd straight year] a tremendous feat of providing the city of Toronto with over a month of hip hop relative activity. Whether it was the Barbershop competitions with discounted hair cuts and fresh designs, the free-for-all graffiti wall, the hip hop workshops instructing turntablism and breakdancing, the Freshest Goods Market (similar to 100 different merch tables), the hundreds of new talent exposed in front of thousands, the film festival, or the massive art exhibition, Manifesto really brought hip hop to a whole new level in the genre’s second birthplace.

One City Series

The One City Series could be seen as the build up and conclusion to the 4-day climax that is the festival. Not to say that these events weren’t top notch, because with acts like K’naan, Classified, J.Period, Jedi Mind Tricks, Slakah the Beatchild, Mayer Hawthorne, Lindo P, and Scratch, it’s clear that talent flooded the city of Toronto during the month of September. One of the most impressive and memorable moments occurred at the Scarborough Fresh Fair, which ended on the note of a beat battle between the soon-to-be-giants Boi-1da, Rich Kidd, MegaMan, Soundsmith, and Northern Profit. It was all love though, especially considering that most of these cats grew up just around the corner from each other. Hard hitting hip hop beats and a great community to share it with? That’s a win-win nearly impossible to come by at the so-called “Screwface Capital” of the world.

The Festival:

The Film Festival
To open up the main events, Manifesto presented Bomb It! from award-winning director Jon Reiss. It takes the complex art of graffiti and explores greater worldwide issues while revisiting the history of the art from the origins of the prehistoric caves to the current global issues surrounding property and crime control. Additionally, the festival featured The Freshest Kids, a film looking at the groundbreaking origins of breakdancing, as well as famous b-boy crews and rappers that supported the risky and funky movement.

Previous: 9th Wonder says “Toronto is the hip hop capital of the world”.

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Jully Black – Need You
OTA Vintage: SWV – Right Here
Jacksoul – Unconditional
UBX: Brandy – Baby
UBX: Brandy – Angel In Disguise
UBX: Brandy – Right Here (Departed)

THE MEGACITY COUNTDOWN (November 24th, 2009)
10. Saukrates – Salt N Pepper feat. Rich Kidd & Richie Hennessey (-2)
9. Ayah – In My Lifetime (NEW)
8. Kardinal Offishall – Clear feat. Fat Man Scoop (+2)
7. Famous – I Wanna Know your Name feat. Oh! (0)
6. Kim Davis – Show Me The Way (rmx) feat. Sammie Starr (-1)
5. Belly – Hot Girl feat. Snoop Dogg (+1)
4. Aion Clarke – Do You Right (0)
3. k-os – I Wish I Knew Natalie Portman feat. Saukrates & Nelly Furtado (0)
2. Drake – Forever feat. Kanye West, Lil’ Wayne & Eminem (-1)
1. Melanie Fiona – It Kills Me (+1)

THE BURN
Jay-Z feat. Swizz Beatz – On To The Next
Jay-Z feat. Beanie Sigel & Amil – Do It Again
Jadakiss feat. Gucci Mane & Swizz Beatz – Who’s Real
Snoop Dogg – I Wanna Rock
Nas – Made You Look
Nas feat. Az – Life’s A Bitch
Az feat. Miss Jones – Sugar Hill
Nas – One Love
Luu Breeze – Stickup For Love Pt. 2
Luu Breeze – Break Em Off
Ryan Leslie – Guardian Angel
Ryan Leslie – Sunday Night

Ryan Leslie – Is It Real Love

Download HERE!

Jay-Z feat. Swizz Beatz – On To The Next
Jay-Z feat. Beanie Sigel & Amil – Do It Again
Jadakiss feat. Gucci Mane & Swizz Beatz – Who’s Real
Snoop Dogg – I Wanna Rock
Nas – Made You Look
Nas feat. Az – Life’s A Bitch
Az feat. Miss Jones – Sugar Hill
Nas – One Love
Luu Breeze – Stickup For Love Pt. 2
Luu Breeze – Break Em Off
Ryan Leslie – Guardian Angel
Ryan Leslie – Sunday Night

Robb’s on his free music grind! Here’s another new joint from the MC formerly known as J. Robb! Via The Freqs!

DOWNLOAD: Regular Robb – Rain On Me (Prod.by  Scena)

Tim’s new album Shock Value II coming December 8th. Via 2DBz! 2nd clip caught on RR (after the jump)!

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Seen on HHC!

Colin Munroe talks everyone’s favorite topic – music – with Chedo from  The Come Up Show!

“The Come up Show is a Hip-Hop and R&B radio show that broadcasts from London, Ontario, Canada. You can listen live every Saturday from 6pm-8pm 94.9FM on the radio, Channel 943 on Rogers Digital Cable and listen online…”

Previously: Video – Colin Munroe “Off The Wall Sessions”

You know how on TV shows that are taped live the main character will pause as they enter the scene to allow the clapping to stop before giving his/her first line? This is what Drake needs to start doing. Via RR.

Week 8 already? Damn, time flies! Here’s the final scene from Famous’ Goddess Girl project! If you’ve missed any of the previous scenes from the short film or songs from the soundtrack just visit www.goddessgirlmovie.com!

DOWNLOAD: Famous – How It’s Gotta Be feat. Kim Davis (Prod. by Burd & Keyz)

Previous: NEW VIDEO: Famous – Goddess Girl: The Movie SCENE 7 (Intermission)

Previous: NEW VIDEO: Famous – Goddess Girl: The Movie SCENE 6 (Fresh Cut)

Previous: NEW VIDEO: Famous – Goddess Girl: The Movie SCENE 5 (Time To Decide)

Previous: NEW VIDEO: Famous – Goddess Girl: The Movie SCENE 4 (The Declaration)

Previous: NEW VIDEO: Famous – Goddess Girl: The Movie SCENE 3 (Hater’s Eulogy)

Previous: NEW VIDEO: Famous – Goddess Girl: The Movie SCENE 2 (Screwface Rap)

Previous: NEW VIDEO: Famous – Goddess Girl: The Movie SCENE 1 (I Wanna Know Your Name)

Here’s the jist of it: If you feel like there are too many billboards in the city and and not enough art then you can actually do something to help change that. Help pass a new tax on billboard advertisers to fund enforcement and arts initiatives across the city. Shouts to Che from The Manifesto family for always keeping us in the loop of important initiatives in the community. The time to make your vote and presence felt is now! All the info is below and pop the hood for some more visuals supporting the initiative:

Background

After seven years of work, the tax on billboards for art is close to becoming a reality! Toronto City Council will be voting on the new billboard enforcement bylaw and tax for art on November 30th OR December 1st, 2009. We don’t have much time – and we need your help!

Advertising is increasingly infringing on our public spaces, and the privilege of leveraging our city for commercial ends should come with a responsibility to keep them healthy. Almost all other forms of advertising subsidize content in exchange for your attention. The billboard tax is a fair and just means for private advertisers to take responsibility for their impact on the city.

What it will mean?

What’s at stake is a revolutionary new approach that will help bring balance in our communities. The billboard tax will provide the funds for proper enforcement of the new billboard bylaw as well as generate new funds for art in the public sphere – including murals, sculptures, festivals, accessible arts programming, outdoor performances and more.

This is not just about increasing funding to arts in Toronto (which lags behind most other cities in cultural spending) this is an opportunity to start building the beautiful and creative city we all know is possible: to nourish communities; to reclaim and rehabilitate our public spaces, and to build our city’s economic potential. For every dollar of public arts funding in a regional economy, eight dollars are generated (McKinsey Co.) Investment in arts and culture is proven to be effective in cultivating healthy and prosperous communities — don’t miss this opportunity to be a part of transforming our city!

Implementation of the bylaw and tax would dramatically increase arts funding in Toronto while democratizing access to expression public space. At the target of 18 million in revenue it would create the opportunity for:

– An historic increase to Toronto’s arts and culture budget, potentially doubling the number of artists and projects receiving grants.

– Providing approx. $100,000 annually to each Toronto ward for urban beautification, streetscape improvement, and green initiatives

– Provide approx. $300,000 annually to each of Toronto’s 13 priority neighbourhoods to support accessible youth arts programming.

– Creation of a well-supported bylaw enforcement team to keep pervasive illegal advertising in check and an arms-length variance system.

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Toronto! Take Action Today:

1 – Call and write your councillor. Let them know that the revenue should not be hijacked or pushed down to nothing. Click here for info and key asks:http://tinyurl.com/yj9cn5f

2 – Show your support at City Hall on Nov 30th / Dec 1^st RSVP here: 

http://tinyurl.com/y9x4xyt

3 – Spread the word.

Go to http://www.beautifulcity.ca to find your councillor, scripts, updates, links and facts.

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