The Canada Black Music Archives Announces Black History Month Programming

Fri Feb 07 2025
King Lou and Capital Q of the Dream Warriors Photo Credit: Derek Brin.

Highlight: Performances by hip-hop legends Dream Warriors and Mathematik, DJ sets, special guest speakers, and the Canadian Cyphers exhibit at the City of Toronto Archives.

This Black History Month the Canada Black Music Archives celebrates Toronto’s hip-hop icons and the impact the city has had on the genre. Often overlooked due to the popularity of our neighbours to the south, Toronto hip-hop is long overdue for its flowers.

Starting February 1st and running to the end of the month, Canadian Cyphers: Elements of Toronto Hip-Hop will be open to the public at the City of Toronto Archives located at 255 Spadina Rd. This exhibition offers a glimpse at the many greats who have built the Toronto hip-hop scene and the elements that set the genre apart. Explore album covers, photographs, turntables and more. The exhibit will also feature items from Toronto’s iconic 100 Miles brand and an audiovisual display featuring a mix of live performances and interviews from hip-hop’s early days.

Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame Adds Four Ground-Breaking Songs to Music History

Fri Oct 13, 2023
Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame

INFORMER, DRINKING IN L.A., MY DEFINITION OF A BOOMBASTIC JAZZ STYLE and ECHO BEACH, redefined and reimagined music in an era of ‘no rules’

Song inductions will be honoured on November 1st in Toronto with performances during CSHF’s Legends Series, supported by the RBC Foundation through RBC Emerging Artists

The ‘80s and ‘90s ushered in a new era of music that transcended genres, introduced music experimentation and fusion, and was unapologetically rebellious. The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame (CSHF) is celebrating and inducting four generational and culture-defining songs co-written by Canadians, recorded by Canadians, and that have become internationally influential:

· Informer, the biggest selling reggae-rap recording in the ‘90s co-written by Darrin O’Brien aka Snow with American rapper /producer Shawn Moltke (MC Shan), Terri Moltke, and Edmond Leary