Tdot Pioneers 2011 Exhibition Catalogue Exhibition Statement Creativity is the sister of impermanence, word to Eklipz. Impermanence must be worldview of the marginalized. The marginalized are the parents of hip hop. Musical genius is the child of creativity and the creative child is a genius when privileged. This year, T-Dot Pioneers 2011 is housed in the Glenn Gould Studio at CBC radio, a child prodigy whose classical pianist training and innate creativity garnered him critical acclaim. The items that are part of this year’s exhibition are, once again, generously donated by our city’s original hip hoppers—dedicated innovators and risk-takers just like Glenn Gould. In fact, conservative opinions might suggest this exhibit in and of itself is risk-taking , by recognizing the creativity of our city’s immigrant and otherwise marginalized young people. Through a series of flyers from the 1980s and early 90s and a photo exhibit by Youngthe-
Hypenate, this year’s exhibit is focused on exploring, interpreting and analyzing space rather than individual pioneers. Community centres, night clubs and college radio stations were and are all spaces that made Toronto’s hip hop possible. Complementing the spaces that made hip hop possible in this city are innovative sonic art documented on vinyl and cassettes. In an era of manufactured and intentional obsolesce, as we have just recently witnessed the death of the compact disc after less than 3 decades of existence, the cassettes and vinyl on display in T-Dot Pioneers 2011 are resistant historical archives. They are where we might find a lyrical microphone master like the late Kweso, a surprise visit by Marley Marl on the Masterplan show or one of the earliest all Canadian mixtapes by B[OO]M! Comics. Stay up, DJ Grumps/Mark V. Campbell, PhD
Flyers Printed Flyers (generously donated by : DJ Jel, Ivan Berry, Cool B, DTS, Howard Hughs) Once the wallpaper for wooden hydro poles and community center info boards, these flyer are now historical documents that capture the times, locations, soundsystems and artists that were critical to the emergence of hip hop in Toronto. Below each flyer, various members of the hip hop community have responded to our request for narration. The voices of those in attendance at one of these parties relays first hand not just a detailed description but also conveys the emotional investment in what would eventually become know as the hip hop community. g
Boom Comics Artifacts Boom Comics (generously donated by Demuth Flake)
Boom Comics released its first issue in December 1991, issue # 0 received great feedback and eventually was distributed throughout Toronto area record stores. Boom Comics began as an outlet for many graphic artists in Toronto’s hip hop scene to do more than just flyers. Artists that were a part of B[oo]m included; Anthony Luke Clarke, Kevin Burtazzon, Base Poet, Little X and more. Founder DEA (Design Enforcement Agency) explained that these comics depicted life as it existed in Toronto neighbourhoods. Themes ranged from racism, stereotyping and overpolicing and the comic also included album reviews of local artists, charts and advertisements. Issues also included record reviews and sometimes included mixtapes with new local music. This was monumental in the early 1990s as very few all Canadian mixtapes existed. B[oo]m was reviewed in the U.S. magazine the Source and was involved in the Fresh Arts program in Toronto. Its influence as a grassroots zine was monumental as many other street magazines began poppin’ up in Toronto post 1991. g
Behind the scenes with Joel Goldberg (generously donated byJoel Goldberg) By directing “Jamaican Funk”, “Let your Backbone Slide” and “My Definition”, Joel Goldberg’s work was critical to the visual emergence of Canadian hip hop on television. Goldberg had the benefit of working with Maestro’s strong vision for his first single, with the story board hand drawn by Wes Williams himself. Goldberg’s importance is underscored here by his numerous awards including Muchmusic video awards and gold and platinum plaques. g
3 decades strong (generously donated by Carl Badwa) From 1987 to the mid-2000s, from boom bap to hip house to latin-influenced, MC B Kool aka Carlito has been hip hop. Starting off with Flemo’s Get Loose Crew in the 80s and transitioning to the Juno Award winning sound with Simply Majestic, Carl Badwa. Under the stage name Carlito, Carl continued to release music with the hit singles, “Asi Como Mi” and “Just Like Me”. g
Turnstylez Crew (generously donated by DJ Grouch, Lil’ Jaz & D-Scratch) The first Turntablist crew to represent Canada on the world stage, Turnstlyez battled in the 1998 International Turntable Federation battle. Turntstylez crew, consisting of DJ Grouch, D Scratch and DJ Lil’ Jaz, won the 1998 ITF Western Hemisphere Team Category in New York and went on to place 3rd in 1998 ITF world finals. Their routines and innovated techniques have garnered them critical praise from some of the culture’s finest Turntablists. Here are just some massive amount of accolades and media coverage Turnstylez received back in the 1990s. g
A Quiet Rumble (generously donated by Rumble) Before we were sliding our backbones there was a young and hungry emcee that ate his share mics and held his own against a fair share of now legendary emcees. The duo Rumble and Strong were first put on by Beat Factory records in the late 1980s. By the early 1990s, Rumble had signed a deal with Island records and was rocking stages from England to Jamaica. On display here are signs of this quiet giant’s legendary accomplishments; a dub plate with the much celebrated King Jammy, his celebrated single “Safe” and his first release on the 1987 Street Beat compilation. What’s not here is unreleased material with Cypress Hill and demo material from T.O. Vice!!! g
Ode to the cassette (generously donated by DJ DTS) A sonic archive of hiphop show over the past 20 years captures those artists whose careers are no more, those college radio volunteers that braved overnight shift. Victim to the intentional obsolesce desires of market capitalism, the cassette still holds personal significance as the medium by which once could carry around their favourite radio dj, the medium by which many first discovered hip hop and the affordable option (dubbed no less!) for youths with limited means. From a Kwesro freestyle to the special Black History Month specials on CIUT, this collection of cassettes is a gold mine of Canadian hip hop history. g
The Honey Jam (generously donated by Ebonnie Rowe) Honey Jam, the annual female artist showcase in Toronto, born after the success of an all-female issue of Mic Check magazine edited by founder Ebonnie Rowe. When it started in 1995 (shout outs to Jemeni and D’nise Harrison who were also part of the team that first year), Hip Hop acts represented a large portion of the artists. At that time Hip Hop events were dominated by men which can often be an intimidating situation for nervous young female MCs who were thrilled to find a safe haven at Honey Jam. Michie Mee, Motion, Tara Chase, Eternia and many other Emcees all rocked the mic on the Honey Jam stage. In the 15 years since its inception, Honey Jam has attracted women from all genres from Hip Hop to Country to Gospel to Opera along with dance crews and dj’s such as MelBoogie who has played at every Honey Jam more than 15 years Alumni, such as Nelly Furtado and Jully Black, have gone on to huge careers in the music business and garnered international critical acclaim. Honey Jam continues to be an important avenue not only to showcase talent, but also for artist development. g
A requiem for Flow 93.5fm (donated by Aisha Wickham & DJ Grumps) Over the course of several years, this urban format radio show operated as a grassroots distribution outlet via the Flowcase CDs. Free of charge, this discs ensured Toronto-based urban artists gained exposure. Critical for artist development in the early years of the internet, the Flowcase contributed to the advance the careers of JB (see vol. 6), Arabesque (vol. 3) and Rikoshay aka Shaun Boothe. g
Street Magazines (donated by Mindbender) Beyond simply promoting local artist and providing a training ground for our city’s plethora of talented writers, street magazines like Word, Peace, Divine Styler, Pound and Mic Check provided a sense of community for artists and fans alike. The inside jokes of Peace magazine’s top 100 or the coded hip hop vernacular of Pound ensured you knew that only other hip hoppers would get it. g
YOUNGtheHyphenate’s “Once Assembled“ (Featuring Kardinal Offishall) On location at a handful of some of the iconic Toronto venues where individuals Once Assembled. Meeting places like these represent the incubation for the idea of hip hop culture. The matching of skills and creativity exhibited at these gatherings shaped Canadian Hip Hop at large and Kardinal’s career in particular. g
Exhibition Mission Statement “Genius is a gift whose development requires assembly. Without the coming together of individuals and the galvanizing of minds, who in their essence may dier, there can be no testing ground for philosophy nor the revelation of genius. Thus, assembly itself is the womb in which the seed of the ideas are developed so that genius can be birthed. Since we cannot be our best in a bubble, let us then assemble.â€?g
To a history still being made:
Glenn Gould’s genius is partially evident and well-documented in this many recordings. On this wall of forty vinyl recordings, one can find evidence of Toronto hip hop’s creative genius. A variety of records are dispersed throughout Gould’s collection, some are rare, socially conscious, visually stimulating, underrated or just the unknown playground of vinyl manipulators. While many were partying away, records were doing their job; storing information. Far more than just the sonic entertainment etched into the grooves of vinyl, records also eloquently captured space into its grooves of information. Enter Play De’ Record on a Thursday afternoon, headnods and pound all around, DJs from Scarborough to Rexdale would be assembling, spending hours deciding on which records could best lace their mixtapes or bun down a dance. The price sticker from Traxx, a now defunct records store, can be found on some of these records, these stickers aren’t just reminders of regular pocket emptying but also ways to distinguish one’s records that ‘mistakenly’ find their way into someone else’s crate. The S3 in black marker found on some records also works to distinguish one crew’s records from another. Prior to P2P technology, a DJ was only as good as his/er last records. Protect your neck. Worn are the jackets of many records, a sign of frequent spins; a testament to the volumes of promotional work Toronto DJs have done to buss their own. Much like the risky musical experimentations of Glenn Gould, pressing vinyl in the 1980s and 1990s was an enormous and costly task. Notice how few records have elaborate cover art or designed record jackets. Just as important is the variety independent records labels that courageously did what majors wouldn’t—put out local artists. From Blueprint to Treehouse to 1Rock Records, Toronto’s hip hop communities worked to create their own scene, it was never a benevolent gift of wealthy record labels. Rather, Toronto hip hop is and continues to be the work of the city’s foot soldiers in a never gifted present.g