TORONTO SPOTS

PLAY DE RECORD

TORONTO HIP HOP SPOTS

oronto is a huge, awesome city, and the continue a trend of making Canadians appreci- T hip hop culture is possesses is a special ate their talent before anyone else does. It’s al- blendof probably a hundred different cultural most better than it’s ever been, but at the same identities. The worst-kept secret about the Meg- time, things could be a whole lot better! That acity is that its local music industry has chron- being said, there are a few places across the ically failed to nurture its local music scene, city of Toronto that have kept the spirit of hip ugene Tam, Donna Tam, Jason Palma, Nav, due! If that wasn’t enough, they have even started the mostly crushing the dreams of many fresh MCs hop alive throughout all the years “the T. Dot” E (Brodie!) a -nd the whole staff of Play De Record Play De Record Academy, that teaches people how (and singers). This city is a technologically has been struggling and hustling to make its at 357a Yonge St. can never be given too much sup- to cut/scratch/mix and produce on all the amazing and socially privileged wasteland incubator of name known to the world. And thanks to a few port love and respect, for keeping the pulse of music equipment the store sells. Phenomenal commitment alive in the heart of Toronto since 1990. Offering to spreading the love of music. I truly believe that world-class talent, where diamond roses grow of the most recent successes of the past few everythingfrom vinyl, CDs, mixtapes, DJ equipment, a person shouldn’t be able to say they support Toron- from soft concrete, while stingy screwface years, one of them being Mr. Aubrey Graham of concert tickets, t-shirts and other exclusive gear, to hip hop if they have not supported Play De Re- capitalism keeps the majority of the ultra-talent- course, Toronto is being respected for all the record bags and crates, and other goodies you have to cord. It’s a must-see destination for all hip hop (rock/ ed MCs from being economically supported by multi-dimensional artists it has quietly nurtured go there to experience and discover, this record store soul/R&B/house/disco/jazz/electronic/etc.) lovers, their hometown, before they choose to either from time. Yet, without these few locations, has everything one coulask for... and if they don’t have from our city and all visitors worldwide. One love to move to New York/L.A./Europe, or just stop it, they can order it for you! I remember when ‘Play Eugene! Toronto would not be what it is today... De’ (as it is affectionately known) used to have in- making music. A few have found success worth store guest appearances... one of my favorites being celebrating on a variety of record labels around when a young Nasir Jones came through and signed the world, hopefully which will a huge poster of ‘Illmatic’ for Eugene. Nuff respect TORONTO HIP HOP SPOTS TORONTO HIP HOP SPOTS

THE COLLECTIVE REGENT PARK THE OPERA HOUSE

ocated just north of McDonald’s at the corner of find in Toronto (except for the Keele Station wall, or L Queen and Spadina, there lies the illest hip hop art the Scarbourough Town Center LRT wall, which store that ever did exist in Toronto. Formerly known are other awesome spots to check). Featuring tours as the Bombshelter (peace to Zion), it is now owned from Tour Guys (big up to Kit Knows!) that show and operated by legendary b-boy Heistro, and it con- the slightly-hidden graffiti tour to tourists who have tinues the tradition of providing the artists of the city never seen it, it’s a nice touch for people wondering with all the spray paint and markers and other stuff where Toronto’s underground art community does they need to beautify the falling walls of Babylon. its thing. Big up to all those who were here at the end There’s lots ofhistory in that location: 100 Miles (one of the Toronto summers when the 416 Graffiti Expo of Toronto’s first independent clothiers in the early would be held at the end of Portland St. right by 90’s) was just upstairs, as was Apple’s House of Hip Queen West, before Bathurst Ave., where graffiti, hip Hop. Now, the Collective sells art, comics, music, hop music and b-boys/b-girls galore would unite to video games (even the old school classic systems like re-paint the alleys with new pieces at the end of every NES and Genesis), imported toys and more. The summer! Now, there’s a Loblaws in that parking lot. rguably the realest hood in Canada, if not one of Not exactly an outlet for culture or retail merchan- store also holds ‘Concrete Sessions’, where they teach But inside the Loblaws, there’s a shitload of graffiti! A the first well-known Canadian projects tene- dise, but if you haven’t seen a hip hop show at the the youth how to break and other hip hop funda- Even they knew they had to represent the tradition... ments (peace to the families and the survivors of the Opera House in Toronto, your screwface capital hip mentals. DJs such as Kae Wonder, Grouch, Andy Jane and Finch neighborhood housing experiment), hop experience is simply incomplete. For well over 20 B-Bad, Arcee, Royale, Big Jacks and more, have all Regent Park has seen some serious highs and lows consistently crazy years, the Opera House on come thru to spin at The Collective for their exclusive over the years, and at this point, is enjoying a rejuve- Queen Street East that’s just east of Broadview Ave. nights, and they even set up huge graffiti handstyle nation (and some would call it “a gentrification”) like is one of the city’s most wellrounded concert venues murals for special guests to enjoy and share while they never before. It used to be Canada’s largest housing of all-time, and has been consistently supporting hip vibrantly make a little it of hip hop history every Fri- project, with a majority of the families in Regent qual- hop culture since the early 90’s (thanks, Athena!), day and Saturday night. Peace to Jedi, Shane, Martial ified for “low-income housing” and actually struggling when many venues would not allow rappers or DJs to Artistik and everyone who holds it down at the to survive below the poverty line. Of course, those are use the location (sometimes for good reason, some- Collective, and spreads that true school graffiti -es the PERFECT conditions for hip hop to be created. times because of pure racism). Countless MCs have sence through the streets of Toronto! Most infamously, Toronto hip hop veterans Point rocked the Opera House and proclaimed their Blank (Imperial, Trouble, Stump, Kidd, RPD, Jack- undying love for Toronto from that stage, in a venue al and Pikihed) have repped Regent Park, releasing that holds nearly 1500 music lovers (when it’s over “Born and Raised in the Ghetto” which was nomi- capacity, ha ha). It’s impossible to list all the perfo- QUEEN WEST ALLEYS nated for a Juno, and released their self-titled debut mers who have blessed the stage at the Opera House, in 2008. That was around the same time the city of but here’s a few: The Roots, Common, Boot Camp Toronto finally decided to create some equality in the Click, GZA, KRS-One (plus an impromptu freestyle Queen West Alleys For well over 15 years, the Queen hood, and thus began the revitalization/gentrification from RZA), Inspectah Deck, Masta Killa, Pharoahe West Alleys have been a mainstay for all lovers of of Regent Park. And now, over a decade later, the Monch, El-P, Mr. Lif, , Cage, , Ill graffiti, wall art, cityscapes, “urban murals” or whatev- neighborhood is cleaner, more economically-stable, Bill, , Slaughterhouse, Freeway, AZ, Ke- er you want to call spray painted art. All the greatest and less violent than ever. There are legendary spots lis, Saukrates, Swollen Members, a bunch of KOTD in Toronto have been there: EGR, Elicser, Skam, like on Sumach St. where many videos have been events... Hell, the very first time ever came Fathom, uber, the list goes on... and they have all cov- filmed, and there is a whole new era being created in to perform in Toronto, it was at the Opera House. ered this 3 block stretch of concrete and small condo the new age Regent Park. The two-story slums are That is how legendary the Opera House is! wallspace with some of the best visual art you will mostly gone. It’s a blessing for the most part.