More Fiyah Fi Toronto!

Toronto seems to have had its application for hip hop realness approved. Hip Hop realness? I couldn't think of a better word. Anyways, you know what I mean. We're finally being embraced without snide remarks about Blink 182 remixes and Shania Twain hooks.

It started with our first urban radio station, Flow 93.5. When the urban format was introduced in Toronto about 4 years ago, most of us were just relieved that we no longer had to listen to Buffalo's 93.7. We had something to call our own. But, as time went on, there was a great divergence between the ideals of the "urban purists" and well.... everyone else.

Flow picked up DJ X, who had hosted Toronto's most popular college radio hip hop show, the Power Move (on Saturday's for 3 hours) on CKLN. To many of us who had listened to the Power Move over the years, we hoped that stardom (ie: getting paid to play) wouldn't cloud X's judgement and cause him to abdicate from his responsibilities to "the underground". But he did. Then, he switched stations (for more money, popularity, power, etc.)... Then he got fired. It seems that he sold out and eventually the shit caught up to him

Note: This drama happened in the midst of a fierce competetion between country/ rock-station cum urban radio show Kiss 92. Eventually, Kiss kissed Flow's black ass and returned to their roots. Flow, Canada's first commerical urban radio format ever is now the only urban radio format in Toronto.

Personally, I've ALWAYS despised Flow. I predicted that they would replicate American urban radio and lose Toronto's flavour for everything else like reggae, soca, underground hip hop, and r&b. And they did. However, recently the programming started to change. Local artists were getting more play. Artists like Rikoshay were being bumped in Jane/Finch (not the best representation, but its all i got), where it was common for you to get clowned on for saying Canadian and Hip Hop in the same sentence. Rochester (aka Juice) was being bumped in Scar-town (Scarlem, Screwface Capital or the '03 classic Sars-borough). Aye, even the $500 ripped-jean-wearing-blonde-streaked-mowhawk-sporting-classic-adidas-limted-edition -throwback-flashing Queen Street hipsters were bumping Arabesque at their own free will. Now online, I see Jay Smooth, Okayplayer, and others bawlin out more fiyah! for Kardinal Offishal (Kardi), especially since his recent drop. And you all know that K-OS is our claim to fame.

Yesterday, I heard "Get Money", "Luchini", "I wanna be down" and "Old Time Killin" within 15 minutes during the FLOW Critical Mix. Gettdahf*ckouttahere! My mom (yeah, more on her later) turned that shit up in the bitter breezy 1 degree weather like we lived in Cali driving a drop top convertable. Cold as hell, we drove down the financial district bumpin the joint, laughing because the music just felt that good. Good music can mek we tun fool yuh see?

Now to say that Toronto has officially crossed the threshold into quasi-cross border recognition cannot be official without some certified grade A Canadian beef. Flow, with its unique position is now used as a sounding board for up and coming artists. Most recently, they've been giving JStaxx, the West end emcee some rotation for his track Jane Block. In it he drops some subtle (and weak) disses to a few people, specifically the 10-man crew Camp X. The dirtiest response so far has come from Mhedik, who is also part of Camp X. Expect response from the other 3 or 4 people Staxx disses too. This makes it official... we've got beef.

We've got the hip hop/"urban" seal of acceptability: one famous act, a commercial radio station, and beef. Ohhh, and we've got a mixtape scene. What is a city without a mixtape scene?

So far, Empire Click is doing it up. Here's a recent freestyle session they had on CIUT's project Bounce. These dudes know how to hustle a mixtape. You can catch them ANYWHERE backpacks in tow, convincing Richmond Hill white kids, 20-something professionals, lawyers, polticians, and everyone in between that a SARS (Sick Artitsts Runnin Shit) Mixtape (released '03 and '04) will grant them a ghetto pass to guttaville... and they buy it.

So there you have it folks. Toronto is on the map, even if its like the eye squinting, head turning (maybe if we turn it this way, we'll see it) Where's Waldo kind of map.

This is my place... the T Dot O Dot... where "we're all rude (can't find one girl without an attitude)". I say fukka mountie and maple syrup, we've got hip hop.