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The Peabody and International Emmy Award-winning host of Hip-Hop Evolution, Canadian rapper Shad is something of a hip-hop polymath. Born in Kenya to Rwandan parents and raised in London, Ontario, he holds a master’s degree in liberal studies from Simon Fraser University, is the former host of CBC Radio’s Q, and once beat Drake for … Continue reading Shad: “We really need each other”
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An award-winning photographer based in Houston, TX, Todd Spoth has photographed U.S. presidents, Olympic athletes, and recording artists alike. Known as “Uncle Todd” to more than a few hip-hop artists’ families, Spoth has played golf with rapper Scarface and been doused in slime with NBA All-Star Chris Paul. Todd currently serves on the board of … Continue reading Todd Spoth: “[Photography is] the only class I’ve ever failed in my existence”
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TOBi is having his moment. In the last four months alone, the Nigerian-Canadian singer-songwriter has been name-checked by the likes of Snoop Dogg and Jamie Foxx, and invited to Los Angeles to work on music with The Game. (“My fans are now your fans,” the Los Angeles-raised emcee posted on Instagram.) Add to that the release … Continue reading TOBi: “Everybody’s fighting a hard battle”
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On a damp Wednesday morning in Toronto, Shad is standing barefoot in the driveway of his stacked townhouse complex, decked out in shorts and his ubiquitous Manifesto hoodie. He is doing so because an interviewer is lost, having already knocked on the wrong door once. Upon meeting, he smiles and apologizes that first, he need … Continue reading Shad: “I’m always looking for hope”
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When it comes to sheer versatility, few in the Canadian music industry can hold a candle to Beatchild. The Toronto-based artist and Sarnia native has collaborated with the likes of Drake, Shad, and Melanie Durrant, while proving his chops not only as an emcee, but also as a producer and multi-instrumentalist. On 2018’s Heavy Rockin’ Steady, … Continue reading Beatchild: “Why would I rush my art?”
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Chali 2na is a born storyteller. Gifted with one of the most iconic voices in the history of hip-hop — a deep, rich baritone that rides over the groove and pulls you in with gravitational force — the Jurassic 5 and Ozomatli emcee breaks into a smile as he begins to tell his greatest story … Continue reading Chali 2na: “In the end, it’s all artistic expression”
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My Son The Hurricane is used to standing out onstage — after all, not too many bands come with 14 members these days. But after their latest scene-stealing cross-Canada tour, the Niagara/Toronto brasshop funk collective is standing out in a whole new way. “It’s a dream come true,” says frontman Jacob Bergsma, the always-energetic emcee. … Continue reading My Son The Hurricane: “We’re nowhere near perfect, but we’re finding a recipe that’s working”
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Adulis ‘Chedo’ Mokanan has made a career of picking the brains of artists and creatives. As host and founder of The Come Up Show, a radio show and website described by CBC Music as a “hip-hop centrifuge” and one of the Top 10 Canadian music blogs, Mokanan has interviewed over 500 artists in his decade … Continue reading Adulis ‘Chedo’ Mokanan: “Everybody has their own journey”