Author: David Larkins
Published: December 31, 1969
Tool: [ email ]
While the culture of hip hop was blossoming and honing its identity in New
York in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, it’s hard to believe that anyone in
Canada was right there doing the same thing.
So it’s fair to say that Canadians were late-comers to the hip hop world —
but not by much. Not long after the initial boom of breakdancing and ghetto
blasters affected numerous corners of the United States, it began to seep
across the border into Canada and, with that move, began to be defined in a
whole new light.
With every new area of the globe that hip hop touches, a new life and vision
for the music and culture is born. So, considering the undeniably close
proximity of the two countries, it is naive to believe that the Canadian
scene is any different. But yet Canadian hip hop artists still struggle for
recognition in the U.S.
Some 80 per cent of all Canadian residents live near the U.S. border making
the influx of American culture unavoidable. But the same can’t be said the
other way around. While Canadians are inundated with visions of CNN,
Seinfeld and the New York Yankees, not much of the U.S. is treated to the
likes of CTV, Traders or the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. And the same goes for
hip hop: Notorious B.I.G., Eminem, Method Man. Kardinal Offishall,
Saukrates, Rascalz. Three pretty well-known American artists, matched up
with three well-known Canadian artists. But why? Truth be told, Canadian hip
hop is among the most cutting-edge material being produced as we speak.
True, it is borne out of the history of American hip hop, but its identity
is all its own. For all the regurgitated material produced by the likes of,
say, Swizz Beats, one only has to look as for as Toronto, Ontario to get
back to the originality and flavor of true hip hop.
Going back in time, while M.C. Hammer was rocking “Can’t Touch This,”
Maestro Fresh-Wes was doing the same in Canada with “Let Your Backbone
Slide,” a party jam that stands next to and embarrasses much of what has
passed for ‘classic’ old-school American hip hop. But not many people know
about it.
It is now the year 2000 and ask any artist in Canada and they will tell you
— the industry in Canada sucks. Labels still don’t want to take a chance on
hip hop acts unless they have the probable widespread appeal of someone like
Choclair. (But in this day and age, Chocs is still the only Canadian artist
to have signed a major record deal).
Canadian artists have learned quickly that if they want to get something
done, they have to do it themselves and start their own labels. They have
taken business matters into their own hands. Kwajo of Toronto’s Ghetto
Concept, one of the nation’s more popular acts, answers the phones for GC’s
own 7 Bills Entertainment, probably not something you would find among your
Def Jams and Bad Boys.
To the average American head, Canadian hip hop should be regarded as about
as underground as it gets. Sure by now many have seen the video to
Choclair’s “Let’s Ride,” but that is only a microcosm (and not really a good
microcosm) of what Canada has to offer. And so, here the scene brews waiting
for its chance to explode.
With all the great material that the U.S. can provide, surely there is room
for Canadians to do their thing and, one day, safely be mentioned in the
same breath as the American heavy hitters.
Let Canada supply you with the likes of Saukrates, Infinite and Checkmate
(to name a few and each among the tightest lyricists on the continent) and
watch as they blow your mind and show you that true hip hop is taking place
north of the border.
One look and you will know — Canada is not a scene on the come up, it’s one
on the blow up.
