The Top Hip-Hop Songs -- Canadian Edition

I heard my first hip-hop song before I learned to tie my shoes -- perhaps even before I could walk. The song was Hey DJ by the World Famous Supreme Team. I can't remember where it was I heard it, but that song remains, indelibly, in my memory. Later, in elementary school, I became a fan of Run DMC, the Beastie Boys, and LL Cool J. It wasn't easy finding out about hip-hop in those days (no Internet + living in Canadian suburbia = [Joe Flaherty voice] scaaaaary), due to my young age and the lack of radio and video play, but through word of mouth and dub tapes I was able to hear such seminal albums as Paid In Full, Critical Beatdown, In Full Gear, Criminal Minded, and others.

And fortunately, when I was in the sixth grade (1989, this was), Much Music, Canada's answer to MTV, launched the half-hour video show Rap City, thus enabling me to further expand my hip-hop knowledge.

It seemed to me, in those halcyon years, that all hip-hop came from New York (or New Jersey). This was of course false, but it wasn't until I heard NWA's Straight Outta Compton and Canada's own Maestro Fresh Wes's Symphony In Effect that I began to realize hip-hop music's reach extended farther than the 5 boroughs.

It wasn't easy in those days for cats outside of NY or Cali -- Maestro was aided by can-con -- to get put on. ED OG, MC Breed, Common, and others were initially overlooked because they weren't from one of the coasts. Things started to change in the early-to-mid-nineties, however, with the help of the burgeoning scene in the south. The Geto Boys were pioneers in that regard, but later, with the east and left coasts caught up in a beef of retarded proportions, the south -- Georgia and Lousiana, specifically but not exclusively -- assumed the crown as the best-selling region in hip-hop.

It used to be It ain't where you're from, it's where you're at. Nowadays, thanks to artists such as Too Short, Outkast, and others, that axiom doesn't apply. And I for one can't be happier, because it's only a matter of time before we get to bear witness Montana's first great MC.

But I didn't always feel that way. I used to be a sceptic of all things not NY or LA. It took Common Sense's Resurrection and Outkast's Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik for me to change my outlook, but thank Rakim I did. It's no fun living a narrow-minded life.

Still, I guess I hold some of those old prejudices. Although I consider myself worldly and open-minded, I believe that there hasn't been a classic hip-hop album released outside of the US (not including Portishead's Dummy and other albums sitting on the border of the genre). During my first two years in Korea, I eagerly sought out Korean hip-hop, but was left unimpressed for the most part -- save for the terrific 180g Beats by DJ Soulscape. While not a classic, I consider it not only great Korean hip-hop, but great hip-hop period. Same goes for Joosuc's Last Man Standing. That beat is doper than Bill Romanowski.

But will the international hip-hop scene ever birth an album as great as Paid In Full, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, or Illmatic? I doubt it. Being from Canada, I've heard people claim Symphony In Effect is a "classic". It's not. To me, the best hip-hop album from Canada is the Swollen Members' Balance*, and that gets cornier and harder to listen to the older I get.

There have been, however, some great songs. I normally do ten songs for these installments, but this go 'round, in my attempt to compile a list of great hip-hop songs from Canada, rather than great Canadian hip-hop songs, I honestly couldn't come up with a dime. Readers are encouraged to comment and add to the list, but I ask that you please be objective. Peep the first track I've included to witness my own -- and maybe your -- hypocrisy.

Also, if you're interested in downloading any of the songs below, good luck. I was VERY surprised that most of them are near-impossible to locate.

And if Raging Bull didn't just receive its long-awaited Korean DVD release, perhaps I'd be more perturbed by the fact.

Without further delay, here is the Northern Nine:

Northern Touch by the Rascals (feat. Checkmate, Choclair, Kardinal Offishall and Thrust)

OK. Deep breath. This is not a classic hip-hop song. The only reason I'm including it is because I learned my lesson after omitting Nas's Ether from the Top Ten Hip-Hop Disses. This is strictly a preemptive measure. Don't get mad at me for leaving it off the list, alright?

I will concede that this was an important song for Canadian hip-hop at the time, but again, that's not what this list is about. Because I'm lazy, here's my reasoning, taken from an email I sent to denz late last week:

I was all set to write the Canadian installment, but 2 things happened: 1) I want to cite 10 dope songs, and for the life of me I can't find 10 songs that qualify. I mean, there's "dope for a Canadian hip-hop song," and then there's "dope PERIOD". I want the latter. 2) Even the songs I remember as being great are, in retrospect, pretty booty lyrics-wise. Which I don't get; it's as though the MCs are rapping in a 2nd language or something.

Seriously, ask any Canadian hip-hop fan my age, and they'll likely tell you that 'Northern Touch' is a classic. But check it out for yourself:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=MGgdA9KiLG4&search=rascalz

The lyrics are weaker than near beer, and the beat is lifted from "Get At Me Dog" (via EPMD, of course).

Fuck it; instead of embiggening (word to Jebediah Springfield) my nation's contributions to hip-hop, I may end up crucifying them.

Jamaican Funk, Canadian Style by Michie Mee

I don't believe there exists a Jamaican Funk, Jamaican Style, but whatever. Michie would go on to guest-star on the Canadian sitcom My Secret Identity, sing lead vocals in the band Raggadeath, and later co-host CKLN's Power Move show (where a young Sparkly one first tasted the limelight), but it's in the boombastic beat and lyrics of Jamaican Funk that I will always fondly remember her.

Science Is Everywhere by Tom Green

Believe it or not, I did some boning up (stop laughing), and stumbled upon this gem after listening to Organized Rhyme's Check the OR for the first time in over 15 years. It finds that near-impossible promised land of being both dope and hilarious. Bobby Jimmy would be very, very proud.

PS - peep this YouTube video of Tom Green playing his demo to none other than the Geto Boys' Bushwick Bill.

[Edit: video has been removed. A download is available at www.tomgreen.com.]

Let Your Backbone Slide by Maestro Fresh Wes

http://youtube.com/watch?v=n3ggBQ76wdU&search=let%20your%20backbone%20slide

Here's my question: if you were a hip-hop fan in 1989, and weren't living in Canada, would you consider this a classic? I hasten to say "no," but I'll let the non-Canadian readers decide.

Dreaded Fist by the Rascalz

Never gets old. It's the beat that does it (it certainly isn't the crappy video). Easily downloadable, by the way.

Choppin' MCs like MacMillan Bloedel? Gangster.

Hustlin' by Kardinal Offishal

Again, killer beat. Kardi also kicks afrolistics with the lyrics.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=_D0YSaU3khU&search=kardinal

Father Time by Saukrates

Meet Canadian hip-hop's boy wonder, Saukrates -- a gifted musician, producer and lyricist. He was once signed to Def Jam, but his project got shelved. Hands up if you had a similar experience with that label.

Really Livin' by The Rascalz

My 2nd favorite hip-hop song from Canada. Sadly, I could neither download it nor peep the video on You Tube. What the fuck is wrong with this world!? If anyone has a copy, I'm willing to trade a kidney for it.

Nothing At All by Maestro Fresh Wes

Bar none, the best hip-hop song from Canada ever. Again, goddammit, good luck locating it. Although it doesn't do the track justice, here are the lyrics (with some errors, but I'm editing from memory):

Ladies and gentlemen, I'm about to introduce
A smooth groove that I just produced,
so don't dance or prance, move your head to the rhythm,
As we scan this land that we live in, it's plagued with racism,
C-A-N-A-D-A, Canada, I'm watchin it decay everyday,
Young minds are beein mentally crushed,
and mushed in, thanks to men like Rushton,
And others who wanna smother the dream,
Of a black mind revolutionary regime,
We gotta redeem ourselves from the chain,
By removing all stains of the chain on the brain,
we gotta roll with force,
cause the Klan's on the move in the great white north,
We gotta hurdle the system,
Cause hate penetrates multi-culturalism,
Listen, I want an explanation,
Why are Mohawks being kicked out of their reservations,
And beein put in misery
Stealin their land to create sporting facilities,
The native man of the land is who your killin,
And then got the nerve to celebrate Thanksgiving,
Claiming every man is equal,
I hate to see what y'all got planned for my people,
I tell my brothers and sisters to read the signs,
to open their eyes cause it's time,
to get together, no time to stall,
Cause without togetherness, we got nothin at all,

Brother (x2)
We got nothing at all
Nothing at all
Brother my brother
We got nothing at all
Nothing at all

My first album, Symphony In Effect, went platinum,
In Canada that made me the first black one,
to ever reach that goal,
I even got offered a movie roll,
I turned it down, I didn't wanna be no star,
Portrayin' a nigga that dwells behind bars,
They wanted me to act like a prisoner,
That ain't positive at all, thats just givin a,
Negative image of black men, forget it,
LTD what did I tell em? I ain't with it
I'd rather work on my sound and stay down,
And move and groove with the underground,
God gave me the gift to write,
I shed light on the blind with a rhyme when I recite,
A fresh poem, a page or stage or a story of glory
Not derogatory,
I never walk the streets with my nose high,
Frontin like I'm so fly, I never pose high,
Why?
'Cause I made a little money?
I'm still viewed as an S-L-A-V-E see,
It doesn't matter how good you can rap jack,
It doesn't matter how much money you stack,
'Cause if you're black without knowledge of self your trapped,
and gonna fall,
with nothin at all

Brother (x2)
We got nothing at all
Nothing at all
Brother my brother
We got nothing at all
Nothing at all

Third verse, how should I start this,
I'll talk about my homie Egerton Marcus,
A brother from Toronto who's goddamn great,
Olympic middleweight champ in 88,
He excelled to the second highest level in Korea,
bringin' home a silver medal,
Made the papers for a couple of days and that was it,
Huh..the media wasn't sayin' shit,
To keep it short and keep it simple and plain,
If Egerton was white he'd be a household name,
With commercials and endorsments, like Shawn O' Sullivan,
Livin' large and everybody would be lovin' him,
Well he's my brotha so I give him recognition,
I sell a lot of records so the kids are gonna listen,
To all the boys and girls,
Ben Johnson's still the fastest brotha in the world,
Don't let the media dictate, be pro black,
'Cause Jimmy Swaggart got his TV show back,
Therefore we as a race should support,
Black achievement, never let society distort,
Your mind away from comprehension,
Cross cultural pride is what I'm tryin to strengthen,
And lengthen, I want you swingin' to my melody,
Just last year the Miss Canada was ebony,
To the blacks, whites, yellow and browns,
Maestro Fresh-Wes is down,
With everyone, but I must say loud,
Like ( ) I'm black and goddammit I'm proud,
To be able to reach and teach while i cash checks,
Tour all over the world and collect respect,
In every area, puttin my fans in hysteria,
Showin the black man was never inferior,
Now everybody's gotta do this,
So right about now I say peace to Lennox Lewis,
Michee Mee and her phat DJ,
LA Lover, and my man K Force and of course,
My brotha K-Kut from Main Source,
Self Defence and Ebony MC,
And the pimp of the microphone, HDV,
First Offence and my man Mr. Metro,
For bein' down with the Maes from the get-go,
With support from y'all there's now way i can fall,
With nothin at all

You know what I'm sayin

Brother (x2)
We got nothing at all
Nothing at all
Brother my brother
We got nothing at all
Nothing at all
Brother (x2)
We got nothing at all
Nothing at all
Brother my brother
We got nothing at all
Nothing at all

Note: Are you a fan of Canadian hip-hop and disagree with the songs listed? Feel I left out some great ones (really looking forward to all the "how could you not include the Dream Warriors?" comments)? Send me a well-written response via email and I'll include it as a guest-post.

Additionally, if you have a list of your country's greatest hip-hop songs, and would like to see it here, get at me, chien. Denz has Bosstralia covered, but articles on classic British, French, Kiwi, Palestinian, etc. hip-hop is very much encouraged. Maybe I'll even win a Pulitzer.

* Rap Essentials Vol. 1, if we're counting compilations.