Dream Warriors were a Canadian hip hop duo from Toronto, Ontario, comprising King Lou and Capital Q. Described as "a pair of deft, intelligent rappers" by John Bush of AllMusic, they were major contributors to the jazz rap movement of the early 1990s. Their 1991 debut album, And Now the Legacy Begins, was cited by Bush as one of the finest alternative hip hop records of the golden era. Before the release of their second album Subliminal Simulation in 1994, the duo became a group with the addition of rapper Spek and DJ Luv. In 1996, they released a third album, The Master Plan, before the two new members left the group a year later. Though their subsequent releases did not garner similar commercial success as their debut, the duo released a well-received greatest hits album in 1999. Their final album, The Legacy Continues..., was released in 2002.
Reginald Noble, better known by his stage name Redman, is an American rapper, DJ, record producer, and actor. He rose to fame in the early 1990s as an artist on the Def Jam label.
Wesley "Wes" Williams is a Canadian rapper, singer, record producer, actor, and author. He is known professionally by his stage names Maestro Fresh Wes or Maestro as a musician, and is credited by his birth name as an actor. One of the earliest Canadian rappers to achieve mainstream success, he is credited as the "Godfather of Canadian hip hop". His debut album, Symphony in Effect (1989), was the first certified platinum album by a Black Canadian artist.
The Canadian hip hop scene was established in the 1980s. Through a variety of factors, it developed much slower than Canada's popular rock music scene, and apart from a short-lived burst of mainstream popularity from 1989 to 1991, it remained largely an underground phenomenon until the early 2000s.
The Lost Tapes is a compilation album by American rapper Nas. It was released on September 23, 2002, by Ill Will Records and Columbia Records, who wanted to capitalize on what was seen in hip hop music as Nas' artistic comeback the year before, and compiles previously unreleased tracks that were discarded from recording sessions for the rapper's previous studio albums I Am... (1999) and Stillmatic (2001). It features production by L.E.S., The Alchemist, Poke and Tone, and Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie, among others. With low-key, sparse sounds and observational lyrics about urban life, the songs are largely autobiographical and nostalgic, departing from the thug persona of Nas' previous records.
Michelle McCullock, better known by her stage name Michie Mee, is a Canadian rapper and actress. Canada's first notable female MC, she is considered a national hip-hop pioneer.
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.
Kareem Blake, better known by his stage name Choclair, is a Canadian rapper. He was one of the most successful Canadian rappers in Canada in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Choclair has been nominated for six Juno Awards, winning four.
Luke Boyd, better known by his stage name Classified, is a Canadian rapper and record producer from Enfield, Nova Scotia.
"Let Your Backbone Slide" is the debut single by Maestro Fresh-Wes, released in 1989 from his first album, Symphony in Effect. In Canada, over 50,000 copies of the single were sold, making Maestro the first Canadian rapper to have a gold single. It also reached #1 on The Record Singles Chart, in April 1990. In the United States, 25,000 copies were sold in its first few weeks of release. It remained the best-selling Canadian hip hop single of all time until 2008, when it was eclipsed by Kardinal Offishall's "Dangerous".
The Procussions are an American hip hop group based in Los Angeles, California, consisting of rapper Mr. J. Medeiros and rapper-producer Stro Elliot and rapper Resonant. Known for their eclectic production, socially conscious lyricism, and dynamic live show, the group recorded two albums – one with the reborn Rawkus Records – and an EP before disbanding in 2008 to pursue solo efforts. The group reformed in 2012, funding a new recording via Indiegogo. The resulting self-titled album was released on September 24, 2013.
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.
Symphony in Effect is the debut album of Canadian rapper Maestro Fresh-Wes, released in 1989 on Attic/LMR Records. In Canada, the album was certified platinum and was the second-best selling Cancon album in Canada of 1990. It remains one of the best-selling Canadian hip hop albums of all time. The first single "Let Your Backbone Slide" became the first hit single in Canadian hip hop history, and appeared on Billboard's Hot Rap Singles chart. A second single, "Drop the Needle", was released in 1990.
Da Grassroots is a Canadian hip-hop production team from Toronto, Ontario, composed of Mr. Attic, Mr. Murray, and Swiff. The Juno Award-winning group contributed to the development of Toronto hip-hop throughout the 1990s, highlighted by the release of their debut album Passage Through Time in 1999.
"Naughty Dread" is a hip-hop song by Kardinal Offishall. It is his debut single, released in 1996 on Knee Deep Records, before being featured on the Rap Essentials Volume One compilation album. The song contains a sample of "Natty Dread" by Bob Marley & The Wailers. It earned him a Juno Award nomination for Best Rap Recording in 1997.
Maestro Zone is the third studio album by Canadian rapper Maestro Fresh Wes, released April 21, 1992 on Polydor/PolyGram Records. It is a re-packaged version of his previous album, The Black Tie Affair, featuring four new songs. The only single was "Another Funky Break ". In 1992, just before the album was released, Maestro moved to Brooklyn, New York in an attempt to expand his fanbase in the US. It was nominated for Best Rap Recording at the 1993 Juno Awards.
Naaah, Dis Kid Can't Be from Canada?!! is the fourth studio album by Canadian rapper Maestro Fresh-Wes, released in 1994 on Attic/LMR Records. Singles from the album include "Fine Tune da Mic" and "Certs wid Out da Retsyn". Most of the production was handled by Maestro, with contributions from D.I.T.C. member Showbiz.
Built to Last is the fifth studio album by Canadian rapper Maestro, released December 8, 1998 on Attic Records. It was his first album released exclusively in Canada. Before its release, he shortened his alias Maestro Fresh-Wes to simply "Maestro". Singles from the album include "Stick to Your Vision" and "416/905 ". It was nominated for Best Rap Recording at the 1999 Juno Awards.
Ritchie Acheampong, better known as Rich Kidd, is a Canadian hip hop recording artist, record producer and film/video director from Toronto, Ontario. He is a two-time nominee for the Juno Award for Rap Recording of the Year as a solo artist, garnering nominations at the Juno Awards of 2013 for The Closers and at the Juno Awards of 2014 for In My Opinion. In 2013, he formed the project Naturally Born Strangers with collaborators Tona and Adam Bomb. That group's debut release, The Legends League Presents: Naturally Born Strangers, won the Juno Award for Rap Recording of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2015.
Mass Appeal Records is an American independent record label founded in 2014. The label is the music division of the Mass Appeal Media Group. In May 2014, it was announced that American rapper Nas was launching an indie label with Mass Appeal with Peter Bittenbender of company Decon. The label's current roster includes artists such as: Nas, DJ Shadow, Mannie Fresh, Dave East, Fashawn, Black Milk, and Keyon Harrold.
