Earlier this year Hip-Hop lost one of its legends when Prodigy, one half of the duo Mobb Deep, passed away. Before Prodigy passed, Mobb Deep were apparently working on planning another Canadian tour, but rather than cancel their plans, Havoc decided to honour the legacy of his partner in rhyme by embarking on the tour…
Author: syphersights
Concert Review: Nas & Lauryn Hill at the Budweiser Stage in Toronto
Just one week after seeing Jay-Z headline his Made In America festival in Philadelphia, we’ve returned home to see two of his biggest rivals over his multi-decade career perform at the Budweiser Stage (f/k/a Molson Amphitheatre). While Lauryn Hill only competed with Jay in terms of chart positions, awards and accolades for their 1998 albums,…
Review: Jay-Z +More at The 2017 Made In America Festival in Philadelphia, USA
For six years and counting, the Made In America Festival has filled Philadelphia’s Benjamin Franklin Parkway every Labor Day weekend with music fans there to see reputable artists of all genres perform. With diverse lineups, it’s a way to have people of all tastes and backgrounds party together, which is something America seems to desperately…
Concert Review: Kendrick Lamar – The DAMN Tour in Toronto (2nd Show)
Just one month ago, Kendrick Lamar put on an epic performance with his very first headlining show at the Air Canada Centre, and now he’s brought his DAMN Tour back to Toronto for a second show! He’s had one hell of a year, further solidifying his spot among Hip-Hop’s elite superstars with his third major-label album DAMN, which…
Concert Review: R.A. The Rugged Man at Club 120 in Toronto
After spending most of the summer hitting several large stadium shows and festivals, it’s about time we got back to that grimy, hardcore, underground Hip-Hop with a small-venue show, where the drinks are cheap and the artists are closer. On a night when Hip-Hop fans around the world were celebrating the 44th anniversary of the…
Concert Review: J. Cole – 4 Your Eyez Only Tour in Toronto (2nd Show)
After spending years paying his dues and building on his fame, J. Cole has finally reached that level where not only can he perform in large arenas like the Air Canada Centre, but his demand is so high that he can do two stadium shows in Toronto on the same tour. In a busy week…
Concert Review: Method Man & Redman at Toronto’s 2017 Festival of Beer
Toronto’s Festival of Beer (TFOB) is back with their summer fest, and it may be the dopest Hip-Hop party of the entire summer! Taking place at Bandshell Park, the festival consists of several beer tents housing brewers from around the world with 416 different beers to sample, a grilling tent featuring world renowned…
Concert Review: Kendrick Lamar – The DAMN Tour at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto
It’s hard to believe it’s been almost five years since Kendrick Lamar performed in Toronto. The last time he was here was in 2013 opening for Kanye West on The Yeezus Tour, at a time when he was just starting to break ground on a mainstream level with his major-label debut album, good kid, m.A.A.d city. He’s…
Concert Review: Main Source at the 2017 Unity Festival in Toronto
Celebrating its ten-year anniversary, Unity Charity is back with its annual summer festival. While they work throughout the year to engage and support the GTA’s youth using Hip-Hop in their after-school programs, Unity’s summer festival is a celebration of their work, with many young, local artists participating. The festival includes events throughout the week showcasing…
Concert Review: Gorillaz at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto
After a six-year hiatus, singer/songwriter/producer Damon Albarn and visual artist Jamie Hewlett have reunited to bring us a new Gorillaz album, and the band has now embarked on their first tour since 2010. Not known for touring heavily, this would be only the third time Gorillaz have toured in Canada over the near twenty years…
Concert Review: Shad at First Canadian Place Park in Toronto
The tradition continues! As one of Canada’s greatest Hip-Hop artists, Shad continues his streak of performing in Toronto at least once a year. In past years we’ve seen him perform in all kinds of settings, ranging from revered music halls like Massey Hall, to headlining festivals like NXNE, to filling up small nightclubs like the…
Review: The 2017 NXNE Port Lands Festival in Toronto (via CulturedVultures)
This past weekend, NXNE returned with their second annual “festival within a festival” at the Port Lands. After putting on several club shows throughout the week curated by well known artists picking some lesser known favourites to perform, NXNE tried to make their weekend celebration bigger and better than last year. The Port Lands Festival…
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