Shouts to The National Post for gathering some of hip-hop’s finest to talk hip-hop and spit some bars!
If all you know about Canadian hip hop is from a former actor on a high school drama, then you need to watch this video. On May 30, 2010, The National Post‘s Ben Kaplan and John Richardson gathered eight MCs at Wrongbar in Toronto to explore Drake’s spot in the history of the great Canadian MC.
Each MC – Shad, Cadence Weapon, Buck 65, Maestro, Saukrates, D-Sisive, Famous and Muneshine – also performed a verse from their catalog. For more videos from National Post, including The Ampersand’s In Studio and Soundcheck series, visit our YouTube page.
DOPE weekly event kicking off this Friday night at Lambadina Lounge. Shouts to the one and only, incomparably eclectic and inspirationally dangerous Tika Simone for spearheading what looks to be a really promising weekly event. First featured artist is Erik Flowchild! All the info under the hood!
The Open Mic is for music lovers and appreciators and is AUDITION-ONLY. We also have a headliner each week and it starts Friday, July 2nd…and it’s every Friday after. – Tika Simone
I love this woman. It’s ok for me to post that because she knows I do (I think…well, she does now! lol)! Shouts to Ivana for real though for not only being a pioneer/living legend in this whole Toronto music movement but for dropping her latest album Santilli (available now)! Here’s the official press release as well as track listing for the album. More under the cut. And check for Ivana live this Friday at HMV 333 and this Saturday at Yonge/Wellesley!
Toronto, ON – June 2010 – Toronto native Ivana Santilli, CP Records’ first lady of R&B and Pop, is excited to announce the release of her new record, Santilli, out June 29th. Aptly taking her last name, the album is a gorgeous musical cocktail that is much like Ivana’s heritage. It blends history with present day, a true picture of what makes Ivana… Ivana. Ivana will kick off the album with a performance on the Wellesley Stage at Pride on July 3rd. The second single, Letting Go, is at radio now.
Santilli is a collection of twelve songs that Ivana felt strongly belonged together. Six tracks and three remixes from her 2008 release, TO.NY, and three new songs. “I felt like I wasn’t done with the songs that were on TO.NY, and I really believed that they belonged with the new songs I had written,” describes Ivana, “so I just went with what I felt good about, and that was a blend of the past and new. I’m very proud of what this album represents to me.”
New viral campaign from one of MTL’s finest, Magnum 357. Cameos from Royce Da 5’9″, Adam Bomb, Big Apple, Soze from Mosaic Music and more.
“Put on for Real City” is a web series based on the come-up of Magnum 357. Whether it be live performances, studio sessions. interviews or just day to day life, the series serves as a marketing tool to promote upcoming projects as well as give the fans an insight of what goes on behind the scenes of an up & coming artist.
hyperadmin | The Fine Print | Wednesday, June 30th, 2010
Driving across Canada
The tour begins in our home town of Toronto and will end two weeks and over 4400km later in Vancouver. There’s myself, Duxx and Nikos of Concrete Guerilla Clothing in the car, with DJ Dames Nellas & Peter Jackson riding on the tour bus with Slaughterhouse & Pharoahe Monch. We hit the road on a Sunday evening on route to Thunder Bay. I immediately realize two things: Duxx smokes a lot of weed (he’s a dread I should’ve figured) and Nikos is “The Transporter.” He drives twelve hours straight from 6pm to 6am!
“I’m a people person,” says Duxx when talking about our sales tactics in Thunder Bay. “My thing is I walk around the room and talk to everybody, make everybody my friend. Of course they’re ready to talk to the big white dread dude right? Then I tell them we have shirts over there and I’ll hook them up. I work the room. Watch on this tour…”
hyperadmin | OTA Live | Wednesday, June 30th, 2010
Famous – How It’s Gotta Be feat. Kim Davis
OTA Vintage: Freeway – What We Do feat. Jay-Z & Beanie Sigel
Untitled – The Champ
UBX: Xscape – Understanding
UBX: Xscape – Do You Want To
UBX: Xscape – The Softest Place On Earth
Megacity Classic: Rascalz – Top Of The World feat. k-os & Barrington Levy
THE MEGACITY COUNTDOWN (June 29th, 2010)
10. DJ Agile feat. Liya – Focused (NEW)
9. P. Reign – In My Hood (-1)
8. JD Era – You Know This (NEW)
7. A-Game – Airplanes (-2)
6. Show Stephens – So Amazing (0)
5. Shad – Rose Garden (+2)
4. Rochester – One Night feat. Daniel Daley (0)
3. Tanika Charles – Silly Happy Wild (0)
2. Melanie Fiona – Ay Yo (0)
1. Drake – Find Your Love (0)
THE BURN
Wolf J feat. KJ & Shi Wisdom – Ante Up!
Drake – Find Your Love
Colin Munroe feat. Black Milk – Piano Lessons
Rich Kidd feat. Saukrates & Colin Munroe – So Much More
Tona feat. Adam Bomb – No More
Tona feat. Richie Hennessey – Blue Shield
Rich Kidd – Take It Slow
DJ Agile feat. Liya – Focused
Rich Kidd – Don’t Sleep On Me
Lotus & Troy Dunnit feat. Fyba Optyk – The Big Dirty
Biggie – Kick In The Door
Snoop Dogg feat. Nipsey Hussle & Problem – Upside Down
Jack Flawless feat. Hakeem – Found A Girl
Luu Breeze – Stick Up For Love Pt. 2 feat. Show Stephens
Wolf J feat. KJ & Shi Wisdom – Ante Up!
Drake – Find Your Love
Colin Munroe feat. Black Milk – Piano Lessons
Rich Kidd feat. Saukrates & Colin Munroe – So Much More
Tona feat. Adam Bomb – No More
Tona feat. Richie Hennessey – Blue Shield
Rich Kidd – Take It Slow
Dj Agile feat. Liya – Focused
Rich Kidd – Don’t Sleep On Me
Lotus & Troy Dunnit feat. Fyba Optyk – The Big Dirty
Biggie – Kick In The Door
Snoop Dogg feat. Nipsey Hussle & Problem – Upside Down
Jack Flawless feat. Hakeem – Found A Girl
It is with great sadness that I make this blog post. Last night, Anthony “Durty Keyz” James, from the production duo Burd & Keyz, passed away at the age of 23. Cause of death is still not %100 confirmed but I do know that he was feeling sick as of late last week but when he got to the hospital yesterday it was apparently too late. Some type of infection or something. His passing is completely unexpected and is yet another reminder to us all, as cliche as it may sound, that anything can happen in life and that we should cherish each moment we have alive on this Earth. I really don’t know what else to say here other than I would like to believe that he is in a better place. I feel honored to have had a close professional (and budding personal) relationship with Keyz. He was truly a genuine and nice guy with great talent and even greater potential. For those not familiar with his work, here are a couple of tracks he produced as part of Burd & Keyz. And check the beat demo below to get an idea of the musical direction the duo was headed in. Condolences, respect, thoughts and prayers to his family during this hard time. RIP KEYZ.
Huge shouts to Eternia and MoSS for releasing their album At Last today! All I can really say at this point is CONGRATS. It’s been a pleasure to watch Eternia grind in this music biz the way she does. Her story/blueprint is one that should not be overlooked by all you MCs who are trying to “make it”. Yes, Drake is where most artists want to be, but his path to success was specific to his exceptional situation. Artists like Eternia, Shad and even Melanie Fiona have stories and paths to success that are way more realistic for new artists to follow. But I digress…At Last is available now!
Tues. June 29, 2010: No More “Road to Release” Episodes, the album is available AT LAST!! Eternia & MoSS have been waiting for this day for years (quite literally) so on the day of release Eternia speaks to the world directly about the ‘leaked’ album, her Fat Beats in-store appearance, and those who were instrumental in making this album a success.
This video also features a sneak peek of the unreleased Music Video “GOODBYE”, directed by Mark Carrenceja of Noisemaker Media.
