Screwface Is The Best Face
By Jonathon “Bizz” Brown
Theo 3 coined the term years ago – Toronto is the “Screwface Capital.” Bishop caught the wrath hard especially in his early days. Kardinal felt it first-hand throughout his rise. Drake recognized it early on. And every other artist of the new generation coming from the GTA can’t escape it. The mentality that fandom is not feasible when the artist and fan both call Toronto home. It just can’t be done. The default setting for hip hop fans in Toronto is what I call the “transit-face,” because it’s the same expression you find on faces inside buses, trains and streetcars daily. That expression that somehow simultaneously says “I’m not mad at you, but I’m just not interested in giving you the impression I might like you – even if I do.” It’s the same look women from the city strap on during Caribanna – of course they make sure they look good, but that doesn’t mean they want you to talk to them. The reasons for such a bizarre mentality are varied and complicated, but luckily not the point of this column. Instead, I explain a bold new way of looking at the effects of the screw face mentality…
In a very real way, artists that begin amidst, grow within and weather the storm that is several million screwfaced fans – are better off because of it. Sure, immediately they might not think it. Because who in their right mind prefers stagnant, hardnosed fans with commitment and PDA issues anyway? But all of them learn to deal with it, don’t they? The ones that find success find it within such a climate. So why does that happen? It happens because they learn to attack their craft from behind the eight ball. They learn to taste defeat before they start the game. They feel threatened to perform. And because of this tension, because of this pressure, because of this need to prove their worth to the city they love – they hold themselves to a higher standard. They worry about what they know and what they can control – their material and their performance. They don’t sit back and wing it, they don’t slouch and get fat, they don’t rest on the back of old material because they know if they do their hometown is going to pull their card – because that’s what we do.
A veteran comedian can get on stage and win the audience with pure cadence. A star player can get a favorable call off his natural aura. But somehow the influence of past achievements or worth doesn’t apply in the Screwface Capital. And its in that climate our best artists learn their craft. In a sense, the Screwface Capital is their boot camp because they’ll be hard pressed to go anywhere else in their travels that will give them as hard a time as the place they come from. And that means they brace for that resistance and push so hard that when it isn’t as intense – they realize they can get a lot of love because they’re prepared. Our artists are actually tested by the screwface instead of gassed up by a city of yes-men and groupies. And at the end of the day, regardless of who anyone thinks should be recognized more than they are, nobody can claim that Toronto lays down and accepts subpar music as hot. And for that reason, in the long run the screwface is the best face for artists coming from Toronto. That’s The Fine Print
Shouts to Mista Bourne who quasi-provoked part of this column with his latest video blog.
You know i love the part about the women dressing up but doesnt mean they wont to be approached lol… Toronto deffinitly breads some of the hardest working and original artists in todays music. But if theres one thing i hate more then a bad artist is the yes man behind him..Keep up the good Bizz ..
Comment by calvin mcgee — August 4, 2009 @ 7:11 pm
well said…for real that was somethin new..nevr took it in that way but its true in a sense…proper article.
Comment by tony — August 4, 2009 @ 11:00 pm
great articles.. said the rite things… but damn where can i get that T.O screwface shirt from??? halla back
Comment by janbaaz — August 4, 2009 @ 11:33 pm
Yo Bizz, that’s a fresh perspective, and I agree with you on the transit-face capital whole heartedly.
But let me just throw this out there:
Canada = 30 million people
United States = 300 million
That’s 1/10th.
We have 10% of the population US does, but also, the market isn’t as concentrated. And it’s not to make this racial, but lets face it, we are only at a 25% concentration level of the US.
So doing the math, 25% of 10% is 2.5%, so that’s 750 000 potential hip hop heads. That’s not enough to make anyone sell platinum! That’s why the music industry is kind of flop. There just isn’t volume in sales, which means profit margins are low, which means corporations (labels) will not invest in the marketing of the artist. Why you think Drizzy is hot? Weezy is his marketing campaign. Simple. Yes, his music is ill too but in the end….
It’s just business, music business, 5% music, 95% BIZZNIZZ…and I know you know dis!
That’s the fine print from a finance stand point.
Comment by G 4 Get Money — August 5, 2009 @ 12:02 am
The dude above me knows what it is……..we can support or not support our artists as much as we want…..but the money is across the boarder……build your brand here…..then go holla at american investors.
Comment by macwiththecheese — August 5, 2009 @ 12:36 am
great article bizzy. you speak the truth
Comment by sniggzy — August 5, 2009 @ 4:52 pm
that’s some next side of things right there. you almost got me feelin productive when i screwface somebody now!
baha…..bizz you kill me
Comment by Y-O — August 6, 2009 @ 10:52 pm
This joint was fire. Growing up in Toronto its easy to complain and say the city doesn’t show you love because of the so called screw face mentality that is so rampant in our mega city culture. But we forget that we grow most in the face of adversity. It is interesting that in a city with such an infantile population compared to its American counter parts it has such a prolific array of artists that put out such quality music. However, we need to support our artists, because if we don’t recognize their worth someone else will eventually leading to a brain drain of talent. Just my 2 cents.
cheers
Comment by California Veto — August 7, 2009 @ 3:47 am
what a diff way to look at…REALIST!!!!! *clapClapclap* to u Mr.Bizz on spreading knowledge!!!!! 🙂
Toronto’s Cheerleader
Comment by DatChikMalix — March 2, 2010 @ 11:30 am