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New Music: The Get By
Love that underground Toronto hip-hop music? Well, say ‘hello’ to The Get By. Made up of two emcees (Justis and Mantis) and radio and club DJ Pangea Delphi, they know how to drop a beat.
Definitely not new to the Canadian hip-hop industry, The Get By has shared stages with Talib Kweli and Hi-Tek (Reflection Eternal), Asher Roth, People Under The Stairs, Rapper Big Pooh (of little brother fame), Kardinal Official, Classified, Shad K, DJ Red Alert, Scratch from the Legendary Roots and lots more.
This Toronto-based group will be releasing new music every Monday until their album release in early September. Check out their myspace and get familiar.
Check out this off-track song, “Cruise Control.” Download it here! What do you think of it?
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Miles Jones! Jones!
Miles Jones is a rising star in the Toronto hip-hop scene, but for those who know him best this does not come as a surprise. Bass runs through Jones’ veins. His grandfather helped pioneer the reggae movement at Studio One in Jamaica where Bob Marley and many others recorded their first big hits, while his father Hedley Jones aka Deadly Hedley Jones Jr. was an influential DJ on CFNY-FM and the early Toronto club scene.The future is bright for this young emcee, Miles a man of great drive and passion has taken responsibility for his own destiny, funding and executive producing his new album Runaway Jones. Miles had the chance to work with some of his childhood icons as well of some of today’s rising stars, including the first single Never Too Late that was produced by Detroit’s Black Milk.
Listen and Download “Never Too Late (remix) feat. Classified”
For more Miles Jones click here.
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hey D.O. you’re pretty darn good
Throughout his young career, D.O. has done it his way, using his artistic skill, creative vision and business acumen to book hundreds of shows across North America (including several cross-Canada tours) and sell thousands of CDs. That’s a quick snapshot of what D.O. (aka Defy the Odds) has brought to the Rap game. And, he’s just getting started!
This summer, D.O. will release his sophomore album, Stay Driven, featuring production from JUNO-nominated producers Classified, Slakah the Beatchild, Marco Polo and Metty the Dert Merchant from Sweatshop Union. Key singles include “This Grind” (more than 20,000 plays on MySpace) , “Unfinished Business” and “Now I Understand” featuring Classified.
I had a chance to hear the album today. From the album’s intro (D.O. doing the sound effects of a car going from 1st to 5th gear) I could tell I was in for something a little different.
When the beat dropped on ‘Watch Out’ I could have sworn I was going to hear Bob Seger scream out “Just take those old records off the shelf!” LOL, I don’t know if I was hearing things but the piano on the track sounds a lot like the piano on ‘That Old Time Rock and Roll’ to me; which probably made me enjoy the song all the more when the bass line came in.
D.O. seems to have a lot of those old records off the shelf and on the turntable, as he references his countryman D.L. Incognito and Hip Hop Legend Rakim Allah.
On ‘Now I Understand’ D.O. opens up with a sort of manifesto first verse:
“It wasn’t for the fame, the reason that I got into the game, wasn’t to add a few dollars to my name, only wanted to come and spit flames, be like Rakim and rock a phat gold chain, but now a few things changed, and it ain’t the same when i step off stage, cuz when they holla, say my rhymes made a change, so its different when I sit down to write a page, think it through, can’t come with any rhymes tho, much more than just a punch line flow, its crunch time tho, take a look what’s going on, everyday a child lost as another mother mourns, yeah, so now i understand, travel coast to coast, then reach different lands, microphone in my hand, and, only difference is now we got the plan.”D.O. and Slakah the Beatchild have A Tribe Called Quest chemistry on ‘Small Town’. This is a track I can definitely relate to, growing up in Brampton, “we be shooting hoops til they took down the rims, over at the park where I got my first kiss”.
The Bully interlude with D.O. beat-boxing blends perfectly into The Bully track, a song produced by Toronto’s own Marco Polo that details a young boy victimized by bullying. D.O. doesn’t sugar coat anything on this track, showing Slick Rick-esque story-telling skills, all the way to grim ending. Perhaps the best song on the album, in my humble opinion.
Stay On It stands out because it’s that kind of track that you can wake up, get dressed, and go out and conquer the world to. “Ambition as far as my eyes can see.”
Music to ‘Stay Driven’ to for real, D.O.’s sophomore effort reminds me of Killer Mike’s I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind because it stresses perseverance through struggle.
After my first listen to D.O.’s album, those were the tracks that stood out to me. I have to say he is definitely up there with Toronto’s finest. With beats from some of T.O.’s best (Marco Polo, Slakah the Beatchild, Classified etc.) and rhymes that actually say something, D.O. is sure to turn some heads and open some ears (and hopefully wallets!) Keep doing your thing homay, or as you’d say STAY ON IT! (pause)
For more info on this multi-talented lyricist, check out www.doyall.com or www.myspace.com/ddoto.
STAY DRIVEN IS SET TO RELEASE ON JULY 7TH
Catch D.O. at the RELEASE PARTY AT REVIVAL THAT NIGHT AT 10PM SHARP!
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BOOM BOOM POW!
You’re now rocking with the best!
Black Eyed Peas, Classified, and Rise Against Added As Next Round Of Performers For The 2009 MUCHMUSIC VIDEO AWARDS
– The 2009 MMVAs, co-hosted by the Jonas Brothers air live Sunday, June 21 at 9 p.m. ET –
– MMVAs 09 RED CARPET SPECIAL goes live at 8 p.m. ET – So get ready early and look your best.
Toronto, ON (June 3, 2009) – Much pumps out the beats and raises the heat on June 21 with a new set of MMVAs performers announced today. The 2009 MUCHMUSIC VIDEO AWARDS welcome the quintessentially hip Black Eyed Peas, Canadian beat-master Classified, and hard core rockers Rise Against to the artist line-up ready to take over Much HQ in Toronto. The date to mark is Sunday, June 21 at 9 p.m. ET with the MMVAs 09 RED CARPET SPECIAL at 8 p.m. ET. Previously announced performers include Lady Gaga, Kelly Clarkson, Shiloh, Billy Talent, Alexisonfire, and co-hosts the Jonas Brothers. The party of the season is a guaranteed good time whether fans are live in the crowd or watching from home. Music lovers should stay tuned for more announcements on the celeb line-up soon.
“We can’t wait to get to Canada and show MuchMusic and our amazing fans the New Black Eyed Peas Experience!!!” said the Black Eyed Peas.
“It feels great to be nominated, especially on such a national level,” said Classified. “I work hard on my music and my art and when people award you for it, it feels great.”
“Being so proud of the video and the message behind it, we are really excited that so many people embraced it across Canada,” said Tim McIlrath of Rise Against. “Being nominated for the Best International Video Of The Year provides the video and the message behind it, the opportunity to be shared with that many more people, so we thank MuchMusic, the Canadian viewers, and our die-hard fans for providing us that opportunity. We can’t wait to play live for you at the MuchMusic Video Awards, see you then!”
Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas are back in business with their brand new release, The E.N.D, out on June 9. This hip-moving, hyperactive dance album has already taken the club world by storm with its #1 single “Boom Boom Pow”. The Black Eyed Peas’ are making their second MMVAs appearance, bringing yet another high-energy, air-pumping performance to MMVAs fans.Classified
With more than 10 years of experience on the music scene, rapper Classified became successful by his own rules. A resident of Enfield, Nova Scotia, Classified has proved beyond a doubt that East Coasters have urban flava to spare. Through his own music label Halflife Records, he has produced other artists and helped his beloved N.S. scene gain notoriety. Classified won the 2006 MMVAs Best Rap Video and this year he performs for the first time on the MMVAs stage. Play that funky music white boy.Rise Against
Rise Against make their first appearance at the 2009 MMVAs. Known for their political musical edge, the Chicago quartet bring a distinctive punk sensibility to this year’s MMVAs. Their fifth studio album, Appeal to Reason spawned the single “Re-Education (Through Labor)” which is up for International Video Of The Year – Group.Official sponsors for the 2009 MMVAs include Pepsi, Nokia, Molson, Subway and Virgin Mobile.
About MMVAs
MuchMusic gives fans the experience of a lifetime by putting them as close as humanly possible to their favourite artists and celebrities at the 2009 MUCHMUSIC VIDEO AWARDS. The show airs live on Sunday, June 21 at 9 p.m. ET with a star-packed Red Carpet special beforehand at 8 p.m. ET. Past years have seen performances by Rihanna, Avril Lavigne, The Killers, Simple Plan, New Kids On The Block, City and Colour, Kanye West, Kardinal Offishall and Akon, Nelly Furtado, Britney Spears, Hedley, Fergie and many more. At the MMVAs, the audience is the priority; Much gives them the best seats in the house, whether a foot from the stage or a foot from a television, computer, or mobile phone. Fans should hit up Much regularly at muchmusic.com or Twitter @MuchMusic for the most up-to-date info about the event of the year.
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Classified
Classified’s got a new video for the street-single “Trouble.”! Check it out here What a dope ass video! It’s done in an animated style that reminds me of the Boondocks. The typography is on point, it’s like karaoke styles but love the way it rolls out! You have to watch this 😉
The full album is set for release on March 3rd, and the video for the first official single will be released in mid-January.
Enjoy! Let me know your thoughts!
