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.
"Northern Touch" is a Canadian hip hop single,which was released in 1998 by Rascalz in collaboration with Checkmate,Kardinal Offishall,Thrust and Choclair. It is one of the most important individual songs in the history of Canadian hip hop,which almost singlehandedly transformed the genre from a largely ignored underground movement into a viable commercial endeavour.
Jason Drew Harrow,better known by his stage name Kardinal Offishall,is a Canadian rapper and record producer. Often credited as Canada's "hip hop ambassador",he has been regarded as one of the country's most prominent hip hop producers during the 2000s and is distinctive for his 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 rappers in Canada in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Choclair has been nominated for six Juno Awards,winning four.
Ghetto Concept is a Canadian hip-hop duo from Toronto,Ontario,composed of Kwajo Cinqo and Dolo. Infinite,who is currently a solo artist,is a former member of the group.
Rascalz are a Canadian hip-hop group from Vancouver,British Columbia. The group played a crucial role in the artistic and commercial development of Canadian hip hop as well as specifically for the Westcoast scene in Vancouver popularizing the term “Van City”. The group consists of emcees Red1 and Misfit,and record producer DJ Kemo. Breakdancers Zebroc and Dedos were also part of the group.
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.
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".
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.
Carl Abou Samah,better known by his stage name Karl Wolf,is a Lebanese-Canadian musician based in Toronto,Ontario,Canada.
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 Distribution and 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.
"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.
"Beautiful" is a song by Senegalese-American singer Akon,released on January 6,2009 as the third single from his third studio album,Freedom. It features American pop singer Colby O'Donis and Canadian rapper Kardinal Offishall. The song has also been released in other three international versions,with different featured artists replacing both Colby's vocals and Kardinal's rapping:in Portuguese with Brazilian singer Negra Li,in Dutch with Dutch singer Brace,and in Spanish with Mexican singer Dulce María. The original version of "Beautiful" peaked at number nineteen on the Billboard Hot 100,and peaked within the top ten of the charts in Israel and the United Kingdom.
"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.
"Freak" is a single by British musician Estelle. The song,which features Canadian rapper Kardinal Offishall,was produced by French DJ David Guetta. It contains an interpolation of "Back to Life" by music group Soul II Soul in the chorus. "Freak" was featured on the soundtrack to Step Up 3D and the reissue of David Guetta's album One Love,entitled One More Love.
X-Quisite was a Canadian R&B girl group,originally consisting of Nicole Holness,Melanie Fiona Hallim,and Andreena Mill. Soon after being established in 2002,the trio were signed to Linus Entertainment,through which they released their self-titled debut X-Quisite in 2003. Later in 2003,Hallim and Mill were replaced by Terri Oliver &Nirvana Savoury. The group had a number of successful singles from their debut album,most notably "Bad Girl","No Regrets" and "Sassy Thang". In 2004,the album earned the group a Juno Award nomination for "R&B/Soul Recording of the Year". The group disbanded in 2005,with all members moving on to pursue solo careers.
