| Black Jays | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2000 |
| Founder | Kardinal Offishall Solitair |
| Genre | Hip-Hop R&B Reggae |
| Country of origin | Canada |
| Location | Toronto, Ontario |
Black Jays is a Canadian independent record label, production company, and musical collective, specializing in hip-hop, R&B, and reggae music. Founded in 2000 by rappers Kardinal Offishall and Solitair, it was originally known as Silver House and the Girl (S.H.A.G.). In 2004, the group came to prominence after releasing a remix album and mixtape. The Toronto-based group's name is derived from the Toronto Blue Jays baseball team.
Kardinal Offishall and Solitair are members of The Circle, a hip-hop collective which was formed in the 1990s. [1] In 2000, they founded the S.H.A.G. production company. [2] The next year, the company's logo and credits appeared on Kardinal's major-label debut, Quest for Fire: Firestarter, Vol. 1 . In 2004, now known as the Black Jays, Kardinal and Solitair produced The Black Jays Album, a remixed version of The Black Album by Jay-Z. The New York Times reviewed the album, stating that the production team "links minimalism to reggae." [3]
Later that year, the Black Jays released a mixtape entitled Kill Bloodclott Bill. Led by Kardinal, the mixtape was aimed at major labels, "Bill", as a result of Kardinal's label problems with MCA Records in 2003. [1] [4] "Bang Bang", a song from the mixtape, was nominated for a Juno Award in 2005. Kill Bloodclott Bill featured new artists on the group's roster, including Ro Dolla (a member of The Circle), Lindo P, and Mayhem Morearty. Solitair also released a mixtape in 2004, entitled The Return of the Silver Surfer. [5]
In 2005, Mayhem left the group and recorded a diss track over Kardinal's song "Husslin'". [4] A year later, Kardinal responded to the diss track when he released a remix of "City Is Mine" by Drake. [6] Additionally, in 2005, Kardinal released his third album, Fire and Glory , on Black Jays through a co-venture with Virgin Music Canada. [4] Kardinal produced three songs for his 2008 album, Not 4 Sale , under the Black Jays label.
In 2007, a division of Black Jays, known as Black Jays International, was created. Members include Estelle, Cipha Sounds, Black Chiney, Nina Sky, and Nottz. [1] [5]
Cipha Sounds is an American DJ, comedian, and radio and television personality of Puerto Rican descent. He is mostly known for his work as a DJ, a VJ for MTV, and as a comedian.
Jason Drew Harrow, better known by his stage name Kardinal Offishall, is a Canadian rapper, record producer, DJ, and record executive. Often credited as Canada's "hip hop ambassador", he is regarded as one of the country's best hip hop producers, and is best known for his distinctive reggae and dancehall-influenced style of hip hop.
Dominick J. Lamb, better known by his stage name Nottz, is an American hip hop producer and rapper from Norfolk, Virginia. Nottz has produced for some of the biggest names in hip hop, including Busta Rhymes, Rah Digga, Scarface, Snoop Dogg, Cassidy, Ghostface Killah, Kardinal Offishall, Royce da 5'9", Little Brother, The Game, Dwele, Termanology, Bilal, Asher Roth, Slaughterhouse, Pusha T, Torae, Rapsody, Shateish and Talib Kweli among many others.
Fire and Glory is the third studio album by Canadian rapper Kardinal Offishall, released November 15, 2005 on EMI/Virgin Records, exclusively in Canada. Two hit singles were released from the album, "Everyday (Rudebwoy)" and "Feel Alright".
Sheldon Pitt, better known by his stage name Solitair, is a Canadian rapper and record producer from Toronto, Ontario. He is a founding member of the now defunct Black Jays record label and production team. Solitair has been producing hip hop and R&B for nearly 20 years, and has produced for Nina Sky, Glenn Lewis, Cham, Maestro, Rascalz, Kardinal Offishall, Ivana Santilli, Jully Black, Choclair, and Sugar Jones among others.
Quest for Fire: Firestarter, Vol. 1 is the second studio album by Canadian rapper Kardinal Offishall. It was released on MCA Records, his first album for a major label. It is a recompilation album, which includes older songs and demos that he used to get signed. The lead single, "BaKardi Slang", became his first single to appear on a Billboard chart. The second single, "Ol' Time Killin'", was a minor hit. The album received generally favorable reviews from music critics.
Eye & I is the debut album of Canadian rapper Kardinal Offishall, released independently in December 1997, on Capitol Hill Music, and distributed by St. Clair Entertainment. The album was critically acclaimed. One single, "On wit da Show", was released from the album.
Not 4 Sale is the fourth studio album by Canadian rapper Kardinal Offishall, released September 9, 2008 on Kon Live/Geffen Records. It is his second international major-label album after Quest for Fire: Firestarter, Vol. 1, released in 2001. It was a critical success, and included the top five Billboard Hot 100 single "Dangerous", and the minor hit "Numba 1 ".
"Dangerous" is a song by Canadian rapper Kardinal Offishall featuring American singer Akon. Produced by DJ Kemo and hAZEL, it was the first single from his fourth album, Not 4 Sale. It was released to radio in March 2008, and on iTunes on April 1. On the week of May 13, at the American iTunes Store, the song was offered as a free download. The song won the award for Single of the Year at the 2009 Juno Awards. In January 2023, the single was certified 4× platinum by Music Canada and 3× platinum by the RIAA.
"Belly Dancer" is a song by Canadian rapper Kardinal Offishall featuring American musician Pharrell Williams, who produced it with Chad Hugo as The Neptunes. Released on March 25, 2003, it was originally the first single from the former's unreleased album, Firestarter Vol. 2: The F-Word Theory.
"Ol' Time Killin'" is a hip-hop song by Kardinal Offishall featuring Jully Black, Allistair, IRS, and Wio-K, released in 2001. Produced by Mr. Attic, it was the second single from his second album Quest for Fire: Firestarter, Vol. 1.
"BaKardi Slang" is a hip-hop song by Kardinal Offishall. Produced by Solitair, it was the first single from his second album Quest for Fire: Firestarter, Vol. 1. The single was released in Canada in 2000, before being re-released in the U.S. the following year. It became his first single to appear on a Billboard chart, as well as his first Top 40 hit as a solo artist in Canada.
"Husslin'" is a hip-hop song by Kardinal Offishall. It was the only single from his EP of the same name. The song also appears on his second album, Quest for Fire: Firestarter, Vol. 1. Released in early 2000, the 12" single quickly became an underground favorite, and it was #1 on many college radio charts in the U.S. After its release, radio-tracking publication Gavin Report called it "By far, the hottest 12-inch on the platter right now. With three cuts to choose from, you can't go wrong." The song has a catchy chorus and a powerful horn sample.
Dwayne Chin-Quee, better known as Supa Dups, is a Jamaican record producer, a drummer, and selector based in Miami, Florida. He is a member of the Black Chiney sound system. His father is a second generation Chinese Jamaican, and his mother is of Hakka Chinese, German, and African descent.
"On wit da Show" is a hip-hop song by Kardinal Offishall. It was the only single from his debut album Eye & I. The song also appears on his second album, Quest for Fire: Firestarter, Vol. 1. The original version of the song was released in 1996 as a B-side of "Naughty Dread". In 1997 Kardinal recorded a remix of the original, which was released as a single.
"Bang Bang" is a hip-hop song by Kardinal Offishall. Released in 2004, the single appears on his mixtape, Kill Bloodclott Bill. The song, which contains a sample of "Bang, Bang" by Nancy Sinatra, was nominated for Rap Recording of the Year at the 2005 Juno Awards.
"Money Jane" is a song recorded by Canadian DJ group Baby Blue Soundcrew featuring Canadian rapper Kardinal Offishall, Jamaican musician Sean Paul, and Canadian singer-songwriter Jully Black. It was released by Universal Music Canada in 2000, and was the first single from the group's debut studio compilation album Private Party Collectors Edition; a remix was included on Offishall's 2001 album Quest for Fire: Firestarter, Vol. 1. "Money Jane" is a Canadian hip hop and dancehall song with lyrics about a wealthy woman who provides financial and material support for her male companion. The song is noted for its influence on Toronto's hip hop music scene, and is credited with launching Paul's international music career.
Canadian rapper and record producer Kardinal Offishall has released five studio albums, one extended play (EP), thirty-three singles, and five mixtapes.
Reloaded is the fourth studio album by Canadian hip hop group Rascalz, released in 2002. The album debuted at #22 on the Canadian Albums Chart. The single was also a success in Germany reaching #14 on the German Black Music Chart. Reloaded was among the top 30 best-selling rap albums in Canada in 2002 and the third best-selling rap album of the year by a Canadian rap artist.
Allow Me to Re-Introduce Myself, also known as A.M.T.R.I.M., is a collaborative mixtape album by Canadian rapper Kardinal Offishall and American hip hop producer Nottz, released June 15, 2012. Originally recorded as a studio album, they decided to release it as a free download for their fans.
