The Audacity of Dope

This is how I walk through London when I’m bumping Majid Jordan…

I’m a huge fan of skyline/cityscape pieces, especially when it’s as smooth as this timelapse film of Toronto from Ryan Emond. I need to get to the T. Dot soon. I’m still not ok with Drake popularizing folks calling it “The 6” though. That name is taken.

Filthy. Those Toronto boys don’t play…

Majid Jordan, the duo best known for their work on Drake’s “Hold On We’re Going Home,” are prepping their new EP and “A Place Like This” acts as the lead single and title track for the project.  As an added bonus, we get visuals at the same [damn] time the song is released, which almost always works as a smart marketing move (you never get a 2nd chance at a 1st impression).  It plays well here (that drop and laser effect at 2:53 is doooooope), and the visuals provide an interesting contrast to the images/messages that we’ve seen from another Toronto alt-R&B artist affiliated with Drake.  As much as people would like to think of that party scene as being all fun and games, it can quickly drag you under if you aren’t careful.

“It’s hard to teach a child when it gets like this //

What they offering you in a place like this //

What they promising you when it gets like this?”

If you’re late to the Majid Jordan bandwagon, be sure you track down their Afterhours EP they released before signing to Drizzy’s OVO Sound label.  Some of my favorite music of the past few years and the new project will surely pick up where that left off.  It drops July 22nd.

Rochelle is one of the dopest up and coming R&B singers around, and yet another talented artist from Toronto. The T-Dot has really had it on lock the last few years, very impressive. Can’t help but hear a little Aaliyah in this KLSH produced jam. Baby Girl would be proud.

Shad’s lead single from his upcoming Flying Colours album.  I mean…I don’t even have to say anything at this point.  Dope beat from Skratch Bastid, smooth hook from Sox, and Shad does what Shad does.  That second verse though.  Damn.

*REWIND*

The homey, and still my vote for the best writer in the game, Shad, just dropped a new EP with Skratch Bastid (one of the dopest DJ’s in the world, if you’re sleeping).  Download the quickstrike right here:

The Spring Up is the result of fortunate timing, grapefruit Perrier, a shared high school obsession with Outkast’s Aquemeni, and a couple of sessions at Skratch Bastid’s Toronto studio this April. The 5 track collection marks a moment in time for the pair; embodying the spirit of Spring and also serving as a sort of prelude to Shad’s upcoming full-length, to which Skratch Bastid also contributes. The collection features a production assist from DJ Jazzy Jeff, and a turn on the mic from compatriot Cadence Weapon.

Not sure I’ll ever really need to watch this video again, but the song is mean. Drizzy!

*books ticket to Beach Blast*

I love that Drizzy had everyone thinking this was a(n attempt at a) hard, street record and then when the video drops, we see it open with kids playing soccer and extended comedic scenes with his boys.  Even when it gets a little darker at the end, it’s still centered around laughs with his homies.  Be careful with putting the whole team on though, Drizzy.  Go ask Hammer.

Also, this video solidifies Drake as the unequivocal king of unintentionally hilarious video faces.  He’s gotta be in on it at this point, right?

Honestly, per capita, Canada…and specifically Toronto…is killing most regions in the US in terms of quality music these days.  The Smash Brovaz are comprised of Junia-T and Crooklin and the duo have been releasing dope records all over the place recently.  “The Kitchen” is their latest release and should take you back to that classic mid-90’s sound.  There’s something semi-Wu-Tang-ish with the Junia’s haunting vinyl crackling beat.

Download the track here (clean and instrumental included for the DJ’s too!).