It’s a T.dot Thing
[MP3] Dan-e-o – League Of Legends Feat. Thrust, Maestro Fresh Wes, Moka Only, Big Kish & Eternia
Out today! Dan-e-o’s new album featuring this aptly named loaded line-up of Canadian legends of a track. Here’s the PT blurb on the album:
On November 5, 1996, Toronto-based label, Beat Factory released the seminal Canadian hip-hop compilation, Rap Essentials Volume One. Helping to further energize the already-established careers of such north-of-the-border lyrical heavyweights as Kardinal Offishall, Choclair, Ghetto Concept and Rascalz, the album is also credited for launching the career of Scarborough lyricist, Dan-e-o.
With his featured single, “Dear Hip Hop”, Dan-e-o immediately cemented himself as one of Canada’s premier MCs. A quasi-love letter to the music and culture he adores, the Scam-produced single has stood the test of time and has garnered itself “classic” status in the annals of Canadian hip-hop history.
With his fourth album, Dear Hip Hop: 20 Years Later, Dan-e-o both commemorates the two decade milestone of the release of his legendary debut and pays tribute to a long list of inspirations. “The artists I pay tribute to on this album by including them as guests helped pave the way for me to become the artist I am,” says Dan-e-o, “But they themselves have also enjoyed the last 20 years or so of invigorating hip-hop culture. So this new album is as much about celebrating Canadian hip-hop as a whole as it is about my first single. Really, I’m just a chapter in a much bigger story.”
Among the honoured guests on the album are URBNET label mate, Moka Only, “Northern Touch” legend, Thrust and the Godfather of Canadian hip-hop himself, Maestro Fresh Wes. They all appear on the posse cut and lead single, “League Of Legends”, which is produced by Scam – reuniting Dan-e-o with the producer of “Dear Hip Hop” 20 years after its release.
Dear Hip Hop: 20 Years Later is a unique combination of re-mastered gems recorded during the mid-90’s and brand new golden era-esque bangers, which include “Rap Essentials”, an ode to the compilation that started it all with alumni, Mathematik and Deuce Deuce of Concrete Mob and a symbolic tribute to J Dilla entitled “Spit” featuring the late legend’s brother, Illa J.
Track Listing
01. Dear Hip Hop
02. Constipated
03. Mental Mirage
04. Son Daze
05. Mic Surgery
06. Dear Hip Hop (The 2nd Letter) (feat. Choclair, Frankenstein & Grimace Love)
07. Incarceration
08. So Deep
09. Danish (feat. Nish Raawks)
10. Dear Hip Hop (Remix)
11. League Of Legends (feat. Thrust, Maestro Fresh Wes, Moka Only, Big Kish & Eternia)
12. Rap Essentials (feat. Mathematik & Deuce Deuce)
13. Spit (feat. Illa J)
14. 20 Years Later (feat. Fraction & Cable)
BUY / Download Dear Hip Hop: 20 Years Later – Dowload Urbnet | Tidal | Spotify | iTunes/Apple
[MP3] Andreena – Catch Me
Been out for a few weeks now: new single from Toronto’s Andreena (Mill). Welcome back, girl. You’ve been missed!
[MP3] Listen to Two Tracks from Nav and Metro Boomin’s Perfect Timing Album
Back in April, I had the honor of getting to attend, Rexdale, Toronto rapper-producer, Nav‘s debut performance, a hastily arranged warm-up at The Mod Club before his official debut show, festival or otherwise, at Coachella. No pressure! The sold-out show was interesting to say the least.
Like The Weeknd, to whose label Nav is signed, it’s hard to get past the rampant nihilism, self hate and casual misogyny in his music even when it’s wrapped up in such a catchy sounding musical package. The room was packed with kids, the vast majority of whom were 25 or under, mostly brown and Asian but a multi-cultural crowd. Nav is a very low key presence on stage that maybe wouldn’t work in a ‘traditional’ hip hop setting if you know what we mean by that (and if such a thing even exists any more). But it worked well enough for Nav or at least the audience didn’t seem to be bothered by it.
That being said, when he brought out Travis Scott as a surprise guest mid-way through his set, he kind of got blown off the stage by his guest! Scott’s energy was incredible and the audience, unsurprisingly, went bananas! Overall, Nav definitely still has some work to do to become a more compelling live performer, but if you want a sense which direction music & youth culture in Toronto are going to go over the course of the next part of the 21st century, even more so than Drake, what Nav’s doing might be the best representation or indication of it. To wit, he finally just dropped a long-rumored collab album project with fellow American super-producer, Metro Boomin‘ titled, Perfect Timing. “Hit” was the first single released from the album.
To see the rest of the pics from Nav’s performance at Mod Club, shot by Nadream 70, head to the Different Kitchen FB page HERE.
Three Years Later: THIS ONE GOES TO ELEVEN… the album Revisted
Three years ago yesterday, the THIS ONE GOES TO ELEVEN… album was released. You can listen to it by hitting play above.
As a couple folks noted on my Facebook, “This sh-t still knocks….” Read all about it HERE.
Artist interview bonus reading:
01. The Names Are Known
02. King Reign (R.I.P.)
03. Keita Juma
04. Brendan Philip
05. Noah Vinson (note: now known as Prince Wiser)
06. Joel. / Arthur Lewis
07. J.Nolan
08. Jai Nitai Lotus
09. Audego
10. Emay
11. Third Mind
12. DJ M-Rock (note: now known as 416 Maneesh)
13. Mickey Factz
