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Home , JRDN, Kreesha Turner, Maestro Fresh Wes, Melanie Fiona, Michie Mee, Rich Kidd

MEDIA COVERAGE SUMMARY REPORT

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Drop The Needle: Stylus Awards

Last week the annual 'Stylus Awards' hit and we chatted with a handful of the Break Through DJ of the Year nominees: DJ Rich-A, Dames Nellas, K So, James Redi, 4th QTR, DJ Ohh, DJ Darsh & DJ Snook. They chose the one that they'd bring with them if they were stranded on a barren island up north and revealed some of their guilty musical pleasures.

And if you missed it, we had the nominees drop a few of their mixes on the Strombo Show a few weeks back.

Published: June 4, 2013

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Published: June, 2012

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Michie Mee Talks Her Stylus Awards Hall of Fame Honour: "I Was Overwhelmed"

By Del F. CowieEven though is widely recognized as a pioneer in the Canadian hip-hop scene, the rapper was still surprised when she found out that she had been selected to receive the Hall of Fame Award at the 2012 Stylus Awards.

"I was like, you're kidding, because I just like to support the Stylus Awards," Mee tells Exclaim! "I saw them induct Maestro and I was happy that they were having MCs involved. This looks like it's going to be the biggest awards show we have celebrating urban music in Canada, as we've tried many awards before. When they said I was next, I dropped a tear, I was overwhelmed."

The Stylus Awards recognizes DJs across Canada for their work behind the turntables. As recently reported, this year the awards will be held at the Danforth Music Hall in Toronto tonight (May 28), capping off a weekend of events bring DJs across the country together through networking, panels and conference events.

Mee's links to DJs goes back to the very beginning of her career. As a teenager, she performed with Toronto soundsystem crew Sunshine Sound Crew before she committed anything to wax.

Mee's style of meshing hip-hop with earmarked her as a pioneer in Canadian hip-hop and has also proved to be influential to both her peers and artists who have followed in her footsteps. While www.hcconsultingonline.com 647. 348. 3468

Maestro Fresh Wes, who also received a Stylus Hall of Fame Award last year, is often thought of as one of the most important historical figures in Canadian hip-hop, he has said that Michie's success was an inspiration to him. Similarly, her influence can be traced in the work of Canadian artists such as .

"It's really cool hearing that from Maestro 'cause he was older than me," she says. "I truly respect it, I appreciate it, because you just never know how other artists think. [You think] they are focused on their own career. To hear it was humbling. Big time. To have that influence on two totally different right and left MCs, that's big. It makes me feel good."

Past Hall of Fame winners have included Toronto hip-hop radio pioneer Ron Nelson and the late DJ Teddy P, father of Cadence Weapon.

The awards ceremony will also feature a tribute to Beastie Boy Adam Yauch, who passed away earlier this month. That tribute will be produced by Saskatoon's DJ Anchor, who is nominated for four Stylus Awards this year.

Other DJs and producers nominated include 4 Korners, Wristpect, T-Minus, Boi 1da, and Noah "40" Shebib. Also among the 2012 Stylus Awards nominees are Kardinal Offishall, , the Weeknd and "

Published: May 28, 2012

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Drake, Weeknd, Kardinal Offishall, deadmau5 Nominated for 2012 Stylus Awards

By Gregory Adams

Ready to toast some homegrown talent, the 2012 instalment of the Stylus Awards has rolled out its list of nominees.

The festivities, now in their seventh year, will take place throughout the weekend of May 26 to 28 in Toronto through SpinFest, a three-day event celebrating DJ and club culture via concerts and speakers (which have yet to be revealed). The weekend's activities will culminate in the awards show, which takes place May 28 at the city's Danforth Music Hall.

Heavyweights like Drake and the Weeknd raked up a couple noms each, with both being pre-approved for Fan Choice Artist of the Year award. Drake also earned a nom for Canadian Single of the Year ("The Motto"), while his buddy the Weeknd grabbed a nomination for Canadian R&B Single of the Year ("High for This").

Nominated as well this year are Noah "40" Shebib (Canadian Producer of the Year), Slakah the Beatchild (Video of the Year), (Artist Mixtape of the Year), deadmau5 (Electro DJ of the Year), Kardinal Offishall ( Single of the Year, Fan Choice Artist of the Year), A-Trak (Electro DJ of the Year) and (Canadian Hip Hop Single of the Year).

Also scoring some noms are Saskatoon's DJ Anchor, Toronto's 4 Korners, Charlie Brown, Lissa Monet and Dames Nellas, as well as Mike Tomas and Keith Dean. Plus, Hall of Fame awards will be given to iconic Canadian rapper Michie Mee and DJ Bunny.

Published: April 11, 2012 www.hcconsultingonline.com 647. 348. 3468

Stylus Awards 2012 featuring Michie Mee, , Kreesha Turner, the Airplane Boys

Danforth Music Hall, Toronto ON May 28

By Kevin Jones

Canada's annual celebration of urban and club culture, the Stylus Awards, received a bit of a slimming down this year, stepping away from its usual home at Toronto's flashy Liberty Grand Complex and choosing instead to take up residence in the newly renovated Danforth Music Hall. This slight scaling-back had no effect on the show's historically smooth production, however, and perennial show host Trixx was back in the driver's seat, keeping the generally well-paced presentation on the rails with his deep belly-chuckle-inducing comic relief.

Helping kick things off was a series of well-produced video cyphers (see below), which would return with various heat-dropping lineups throughout the night, with such notables as Rich Kidd, SonReal, Shi Wisdom and a baby-sporting Blake Carrington each blessing the mic. That initial video was closely followed by an animated performance by the Airplane Boys, who rode their backing band's boisterous bounce out into the crowd as their music video flickered across the stage's multiple screens in the background.

Things really picked up when Trixx finally enter the scene, who, taking cues from other award-show- conducting greats, immediately began snapping on everything and everyone who caught his eye. The Weeknd was promptly called out as the new depressing face of R&B (and one that should more aptly be calling himself "Monday"), the show's attendees were each given licks by area code, and the white people up front earned their lumps for being, well, the white people up front.

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The ongoing comedy routine that would inevitably help to carry much of the night's proceedings continued on in a special edition of MTV's popular Jackass-style Silent Library competitions, featuring local DJs Starting from Scratch, Ritz (who bore the brunt of the abuse) and few other mainstays. The unusually lengthy vids started out funny, but the laughs only lasted for as long as you could stomach frat-boy humour, which, dishearteningly, seemed to be the entire night for most in the venue.

Musical performances, most of which served as a showcase for artists up against the likes of Drake, the Weeknd and other global stars in their respective categories, ran hot and cold. Most performers, including singer Kreesha Turner and the aforementioned Airplane Boys, held their own given the circumstances. However, low marks go to A-Game, not for the poor audio mix that left everything but the cussing nearly indecipherable, but for not so much performing their songs as screaming them while flying around the stage flashing the finger to every camera pointed in their direction (in a show of rebellion against photography, you might presume).

For the most part, the night moved along at a decent clip, with top prizes handed out to Drake (Canadian Hip Hop Single), the Weeknd (Fan Choice Artist of the Year, R&B Single), Charlie Brown (Breakthrough DJ) and, among others, Tasha Rozez, who earned one of the night's biggest applause for her Top Female DJ win.

Honoured Hall of Fame inductee Michie Mee helped wind things down with a gracious acceptance speech following a praise-filled video introduction, after which she took to the stage for her own showcase of classics, a Jamaican flag waving proudly in the background by contemporary Lindo P. Of course, the show wouldn't be complete without Canuck hip-hop godfather Maestro Fresh Wes taking some time to drop a little history of his own, as the MC legend took the crowd on a memory-lane trip back to the birth of the term "T. Dot," and to his memories of fallen Beastie Boy MCA stage diving back in '84, in reference to a tribute earlier in the show.

As awards shows go, this year's event played as an entertaining lmoment of self-congratulations for a industry teeming with folks doing big things, in spite of the notable absence of some of the night's biggest winners and nominees. With its high production values and professionalism, joke-man Trixx at the helm, and, perhaps most importantly, no real drama, 2012 should go down as yet another successful year in the minds of organizers and attendees alike.

Published: May 30, 2013

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Culture_music

What do you say, Michie Mee? On the eve of her induction into the Stylus DJ Awards Hall of Fame, the revolutionary Canadian emcee talks about rap, racism, and why “Canada Dry” is a stale diss that’s lost its fizz. BY: Sarah Liss

1. She’s a rap legend who will school you, literally.

The first Canadian emcee to get signed to a major label, 41-year-old Michie Mee (née Michelle McCullock) released “Elements of Style,” her groundbreaking single with DJ L.A. Luv, 25 years ago. Back then, Michie would grit her teeth and endure listening to hip-hop fans wax ecstatic about some underground artist named “Mitchie” they’d discovered alongside Salt N’ Pepa in New York. The Canadian hip-hop scene was a game of broken telephone, she says, and videos weren’t as de rigueur as they are now, so folks had no idea what she looked like—or even that she was from Toronto. Today, “Michie Mee” is a topic on the TDSB syllabus—students are provided with an overview of the performer’s career and asked to research other female hip-hop artists. www.hcconsultingonline.com 647. 348. 3468

2. Her son has no interest in following in his mother’s footsteps.

Since her debut, she’s watched hip-hop morph from an underground art form that struck fear in the hearts of white, suburban parents into the de facto template for Top-40 pop music. But Michie’s quick to note that the evolution of hip-hop culture goes way beyond the genre’s mainstream popularity. “It’s a very serious business,” she says, “and these days, kids realize they can go to school, finish university, get a degree, and then start their rap careers.” In other words, being a starving artist’s no longer enough; thanks to well-established role models like Jay-Z and , next-gen talents have the sense that mogul status is within their reach. Michie’s 20- year-old son, for example, “doesn’t want anything to do with being an artist,” she says, laughing. “He wants to engineer, produce—really, he wants to manage these 10-million artists who are all coming up.”

3. looks to Canada for its hip-hop heroes.

For years, Michie explains, Canadians were a punchline in hip-hop. “Hell, Drake still gets clowned,” she says, pointing to his widely publicized “beef” with fellow rapper as an example. “It was all marketing, really, but Common had that lyric about ‘Canada Dry’? I love that guy, and he knows it, but it’s such an old, overused diss, and we’re at a stage where it’s not even funny. The best producers are coming from Canada, and the joke’s not on us anymore.” She’s seen proof of this, she says, through her work with Toronto-based Manifesto, a community-oriented non-profit dedicated to promoting and developing hip-hop culture. Michie’s been involved with the organization since it was founded in 2007 and insists it changed her life—especially after it expanded to include a satellite chapter in Jamaica. “It gave me a new perspective on Toronto and the impact we have on a worldwide scale. Jamaica’s a tiny island, but it influences the whole Caribbean, and they look to Canada.”

4. Segregation still exists in pop music.

Michie’s extensive CV also includes acting and a serious stint in the band Raggadeath, a collision between dancehall and hard rock (hence the name), which released two full-length and an EP before fizzling. Sure, she’s celebrated as a founding mother of Canadian hip- hop, but Michie’s also got the heart of a rocker. “Your friends have a huge effect on your musical influences, and the guys I hung out with, they had apartments and worked at bars all along Queen West. Whenever I just needed to get out of Rexdale, I’d head there.” Michie had already established herself as an emcee, and the industry Powers That Be couldn’t figure out how to explain to people that their queen of hip-hop wanted to make rock ’n’ roll. “These titles were given to me before I was ready for them,” she says. “There was nothing for me in hip-hop. Women weren’t selling records and the industry was changing. All my buddies were rock guys, and they went off to be in bands and won Junos. I got beat up, damn right. It’s a test. It’s a damn racist, segregated world. Only tough girls can make it, and once you get a taste of getting in, you don’t want to let go.”

Published: May 23, 2012

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Melanie Fiona livin’ ‘The MF Life’

It’s a warm weekday afternoon in downtown Toronto, and inside The Hoxton nightclub, dozens of fashion-conscious club kids, dancers and extras stand around waiting for their next cue. A music video is being shot for Canadian R n’ B singer Melanie Fiona’s song “Change The Record.” And while all the hustle and bustle is taking place on the dance floor, Fiona is tucked away in the venue’s basement.

The sheer chaos going on around her on this day mirrors the whirlwind the last year has been for Fiona, culminating with winning two Grammy Awards earlier this year for her work on Cee-Lo Green’s song “.” A also hasn’t hurt either and she’s up for a BET Award in a category with some music heavyweights including Beyonce, and Mary J. Blige.

“Phenomenal,” the singer says in describing the past year as her hairstylist frantically gets her ready for the shoot. “It’s been thus far the greatest career year I think of my life. I’ve been fortunate enough to accomplish a lot and do a lot and see a lot. You know, it’s a wonderful feeling. I just feel inspired to keep pushing and continue to achieve.”

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Despite a few scheduling hiccups which delayed her album ‘The MF Life’ getting to fans, Fiona also dealt with switching labels while creating the record. She says she kept her focus on creativity.

“I just stayed in the studio and just kept making music,” she says. “I had a lot of push backs when it came to my album release date. That was a little bit frustrating. But I do believe that nothing happens before it’s time and everything happens at the right time.”

The sophomore album, the follow-up to 2009’s ‘The Bridge,’ contains a fine mix of radio- friendly R n’ B along with some old-school, heart-tugging soul. Fiona also has guest appearances from rapper on “Running,” T-Pain on the album’s finale “6 AM” and on “L.O.V.E.” The singer says it was just a matter of scheduling to land the artists except for Legend.

“John Legend and I actually did the song together in the studio,” Fiona says. “Yeah, it was logistics and every artist has their own crazy hectic schedule. I’m so appreciative of the fact that every artist made the time to be able to be a part of it. I’ve fortunately built some great relationships with these fellow musicians in the industry. It’s a very humbling experience to know that they want to collaborate with me as much as I want to collaborate with them.”

Although she has a fondness for every song off ‘The MF Life,’ Fiona is particularly attached to “Wrong Side Of A Love Song” which she describes as being “the most emotional and vulnerable” moments off the record.

“That came together very naturally and very honestly,” she says. “I free-styled the song in the studio and (, John Legend) produced it. He kept saying, ‘I have this music that I want you to listen to. I really think you’re going to love it.’ I went into the booth and I virtually free-styled about 85 per cent of what you hear on that record. I then just went back in to plug in the missing links to complete the story.

“I think everybody’s been there,” she adds about the song’s message. “I’ve been there where it just seems like in an instant your whole love life is turned upside down and you’re on the wrong side of that record, the b-side. It’s my proudest moment on the album as an artist vocally and songwriting wise, performance wise. I hope that that record becomes a big record for my career because so far people are loving it.”

Having moved from Toronto to , Fiona picked up and relocated to New York City recently. But regardless of where she lays her head, the Grammy wins have made her known internationally.

“It was such an influx of emotions,” she says. “I was very excited and overwhelmed and I was sad over the death of . Having my family there was just an amazing support system. It’s just an amazing feeling and it’s beautiful to be a part of music history and to know that you’ve created something that’s going to last a lifetime.”

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The only snag might be the fact Fiona is still waiting for a certain something, namely receiving the actual Grammys.

‘I haven’t gotten them yet,” she says with a laugh. “I just got my Juno which is exciting so it’s got two little wing spots for the Grammys (to be placed) right next to the Juno.”

Following the video shoot in Toronto, Fiona has a busy remainder of 2012 slated. There are the BET awards on July 1 and a tour tentatively set to start in August. She’s also already thinking about the next album.

“I really want to get started on the new project, I want to get started on it sooner than later,” she says. “I have a vessel of creativity ready to explode.”

And speaking of creativity, the album’s title has had many people asking what the “MF” in ‘The MF Life’ stands for. Most people have obviously cited her own initials and a certain well-known expletive, but have there been others Fiona’s heard?

“Melanie Fiona, Mighty Fine, Magnificent Fantastic, Mother ….,” she says with a laugh. “Matter of Fact Life, Music For Life, yeah I’m loving it and loving all of them.

Published: June 11, 2012

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Hedspin, Vancouver DJs scoop up 2012 Stylus Awards nominations

The Vancouver DJ community will be well-represented at the 2012 Stylus Awards, with eight of the city’s best deck masters scooping up nominations, including Redbull Thre3style champion DJ Hedspin vying for Fan Choice Club DJ of the Year.

Other nominees from Vancouver include:

- DJ Flipout (of The Beat 94.5 FM), Radio Mixshow DJ of the Year - DJ Rich A, Breakthrough DJ of the Year - DJ She, Female DJ of the Year - DJ Sage and DJ Marvel, Underground Hip Hop DJ of the Year - DJ Doe-Ran (of CiTR 101.9 FM), College Radio Show of the Year - DJ Kevin Shiu, House DJ of the Year

The 7th annual Stylus Awards, described as the leading award show in the DJ community in Canada, will take place May 28 at the Danforth Music Hall in Toronto

Published: May 9, 2012 www.hcconsultingonline.com 647. 348. 3468

Stylus Spotlight: Pre-Award Show Nominee Party

Showing love to the DJ and supporting Canada’s music industry was the motive of the night at the third annual DJ Stylus Pre Award Show nominee party at The Mod Club Sunday night, which was hosted by Rock Da House and sponsored by vodka brand Stoli Canada.

DJ Ritz, who is a 2012 Toronto DJ of the Year nominee, spun hip-hop and R&B tracks throughout the evening while guests, which consisted of industry heads, DJs, artists, producers, management and supporters of the craft, took the opportunity to mingle and celebrate their achievements and recognize those who are making a large impact on Canada’s music industry.

David “Click” Cox, co- producer of the annual DJ Stylus Awards, says that the pre-party is a big part of the Stylus weekend as it allows for a more laidback, casual vibe than the awards ceremony and gives an opportunity to artists to showcase themselves at an industry event.

“They deserve the recognition, they deserve to be heard and they deserve to be seen,” he says. “That’s the main motive behind it all.”

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The seven performers of the night which consisted of artists such as Raz Fresco, Shaun Boothe, Shi Wisdom, Son Real and JRDN all varied immensely in style, yet all were welcomed equally by the audience. With acts from Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto who ranged in music genres such as R&B, hip-hop, from young to mature and involved both male and female acts, the event exemplified the diversity of artists in Canada.

M.A.G.N.U.M, hailing from Montreal, nominated for Mixtape of the Year, also hit the stage and spit a lyrical set, which energized the crowd for the remainder of the evening. He says the more relaxed vibe of the night was the motive in order to celebrate and enjoy the music and networking, as opposed to the award ceremony, where the spotlight is solely on giving the DJs the recognition they deserve. The Montreal emcee says it’s not all about performing and winning awards; everyone involved, or who attends the Stylus Awards, wins.

“It’s a good scene; it’s a platform for all these artists to get recognized on a national scale. Whether you’re nominated, or you win, or even if you’re in attendance, it’s a good place to network,” he says.

Four awards were given out throughout the evening which included Most Original DJ Mixtape of the Year to Dames Nellas for his work on Hip-Hop Ain’t Dead, It Lives In The North Vol. 4, Club MC of the Year was awarded to Almighty Chops, DJ Manifest & Flo took home the Stylus College Radio Show of the Year for their Toronto Morning Live show on CHRY 105.5 FM and Underground DJ of the Year was awarded to DJ Law.

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“We have so many talented artists in Canada,” Cox says. “We have so many different awards that we really can’t do it all in one night.”

Words By. Samantha O’Connor + Photos By. Michelle Green

Published: May 28, 2012

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Stylus Spotlight: It Starts With A DJ For Toronto-native Steven Chexx, who now lives in Dallas, attending this year’s 2012 Stylus Awards It Starts With A DJ conference just reinforced what he’s been telling his Dallas people for awhile now. “I’ve been telling people Toronto’s about to be on, Toronto’s about to be on, and it just proved it,” explains Chexx. “All those producers up there are making a name for themselves outside of the city, nationally and into the U.S. now,” he adds, making reference to the conference’s producer panel discussion which featured A-listers, like Boi-1da, Arthur McArthur and Rich Kidd. “I thought [the conference] was a beautiful experience.

Published: June 5, 2012

Stylus Spotlight: DJ Starting From Scratch

DJ legend Starting From Scratch is a staple in the Canadian urban music scene and has been involved with the Stylus Awards since it began in 2006. After winning three awards during the first year, Scratch took himself out of the runnings to join the corporate side of the show. This year, he looks forward to co-hosting the event and taking in the new generation of DJs that he has helped pave the way for.

Published: May 13, 2012

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Photos of the 2012 Stylus Awards

The 7th annual Stylus Awards took place Monday night at the recently revamped Danforth Music Hall, with Keith Dean and The Weeknd taking home fan choice awards for Club DJ of the Year and Artist of the Year, respectively. Other notable winners included Lissa Monet as Toronto DJ of the Year, Drake's "The Motto" for Canadian Hip Hop Single of the Year, Deadmau5 for Electro DJ of the Year, and Tasha Rozez for Female DJ of the Year.

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Hosted by TRIXX, in addition to the award ceremonies a series of performances livened up the night, the highlight of which was a Dj Anchor-produced special tribute to the late Beastie Boy Adam Yauch by SUPERNATURALZ Crew. Kreesha Turner, A Game, Dru, The Airplane Boys, and Hall of Fame inductee Michie Mee also graced the stage on Monday evening.

Founded by Mike Zafiris, the Stylus Awards are designed to recognize homegrown DJs, hop hop artists, producers and Canadian club culture in general. Although mainstream artists do often take home awards — and why wouldn't they? — the event also highlights up and coming DJ talent in Canada. For a full list of winners, check out the Stylus website.

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PHOTOS

TRIXX

Blake Carrington

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Queen of Hearts

Ken Galloway, DJ She and DJ Rich-A

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Dru

Airplane Boys

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DJ Starting from Scratch

Maestro Fresh Wes

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Michie Mee

Spinning

Published: May 30, 2012 www.hcconsultingonline.com 647. 348. 3468