Hip Hop Retrospective :: Pt 1 The Northern Touch

by Harrison Samphir

Dear hip hop, I’ll love you ‘til I die

To taste the grace of your embrace, I will try

My mission is to utilize my skills on the mic

To rid you of the losers, abusers and stereotypes

– Dan-e-o, “Dear Hip Hop” (1996)

For many reading this, it might be difficult to imagine what Canadian hip hop looked and felt like in the mid- to late-1990s. Younger folks, for example, might remember Kardinal Offishall’s fourth record, or recognize Drake in a Sprite commercial – but could they identify the underground raps of Da Grassroots out of Jane & Finch in North Toronto? We’re not pointing fingers here, instead we are directing your attention toward Canada’s bygone “golden age” of hip hop music: that lost era of dub-influenced boom-bap drums and lyrics that combined East New York scheming with Caribbean flavour. Indeed, this nation’s pioneering rap stars are also a symbol of Canada’s multiculturalism. Our mosaic of ethnic groups and their associated cultures have largely determined the subculture. In this first installment of Stylus Magazine’s Hip Hop Retrospective, we feature some icons of this movement and the under appreciated records they importantly released.

 

Various Artists

Rap Essentials Volume One

1996

It seems fitting to begin with a Canadian compilation album released by a now-defunct urban music label that features three songs which earned nominations for Best Rap Recording at the 1997 Juno Awards. Kardinal Offishall’s “Naughty Dread,” Rascalz’ “Fitnredi” and the mellowed “Bright Lights, Big City” by Toronto duo Scales Empire all received the accolade, but accompany other icons such as Ghetto Concept, Choclair and Citizen Kane on this disc. It’s only a 12-track affair, but perhaps the most complete and panoptic collection of Canadian hip hop ever assembled.

 

Frankenstein

UV

1998

“Smooth like an operator/Warmer than an incubator/Proven time again that [his] style’s much greater,” Frank Fallico is a rapper, producer and remixer from Toronto, Ontario. Having mastered 12” VLS for T.O. icons like Choclair and Maestro Fresh Wes, Frankenstein dropped his debut full-length UV to minor sales and glowing acclaim in 1998. Today, Frankie Ano’s only complete release still shines with a jazz-hop aesthetic and laid-back yet incisive urban songwriting. Please, don’t continue to sleep on this record!

 

Da Grassroots

Passage Through Time

1999

If any record captures the cultural mosaic of Canada’s largest city–what with its disparate Caribbean and African populations–it’s Da Grassroots’ debut LP Passage Through Time. Influenced by dub, reggae and hip hop elements, the production trio consisting of Mr. Attic, Mr. Murray and Swiff brought much-needed light to the Canadian hip hop scene with this acclaimed release which also features a young k-os on the track “Eternal” along with Toronto mainstays Saukrates, Thrust and Mr. Roam. Notable for its varied sampling and instrumental segments, Passage is also a worthwhile listen for the many lyrical styles of its emcees who blend toasting with an east-coast rhyming fluidity.

 

Mathematik

Ecology

1999

During a recent trip to Toronto, I took a stroll down Queen Street West to the famous Cosmos Records where I (astonishingly) found an original pressing of Mathematik’s double LP Ecology, preserved in near-mint condition. While I wasn’t able to foot the $200 price tag, I felt content holding a piece of Canadian rap history in my hands. For those who don’t know, Ecology is a seminal showcase of lyrical talent, expansive vocabulary and on-point production (courtesy of the Down to Erf crew), brought together by Math-U’s youthful voice and articulate reflections on life, b-boying and hip hop culture. Don’t miss the tracks “Plastic” and “Rhyme Training;” the latter features a sample from Bill Withers’ smooth ’72 jam “Kissing My Love.”

 

Cipher

360°

1998

After attending Boston’s renowned Berklee College of Music in the early 1990s, producer/engineer Clean and emcee G² returned home to Vancouver to pen 360° an overlooked paragon of the West Coast Canadian hip-hop scene. Characterized by shadowy, underground production and the sinuous rhyming of G², the 16-track disc is an esoteric trip through back-alleys, b-boy huddles and late-night chronic sessions. Its standout single, “Peeps,” even received heavy radio-play and landed the number two position on MuchMusic’s Rap City. While a vinyl copy is nearly impossible to track down, find Cipher on iTunes.