Tip of the hat

Last week, Escape Entertainment and Revolver Muzik did the city of Montreal a solid by putting out Real City’s Finest Vol. 2, a compilation of rap music straight from the 514. Even though it can’t be definitive—putting out everybody’s music on one mixtape would be endless—this is the closest you will get to feeling the pulse of hip hop culture in the city when it comes to music. Mixed by Critical Hype and hosted by Don Smooth, with over 20 artists—MCs and producers—doing their damn thing, this compilation is giving a push to local cats that are hungry and will use all the help they can get. Between staples of Montreal hip hop like D-shade, Narcicyst or even Bad News Brown, and fresh blood such as Hindu Kush (Loe Pesci & Sam Osa), my man Full Course or Mr. Bits, this mixtape don’t discriminate. I’m down with that. Montreal hip hop is slept on. Yes. There is no unity. Yes. Too many haters. Yes.

But for every negative aspect that we can muster, there’s also positivity, and cats like Escape and Revolver are just the tip of the iceberg. All it takes is a spark. Unity can be a gift and a curse. If we all sounded the same and represented the same branch of hip hop, then we couldn’t boast the diversity in our scene. We got hustlers and teachers, movers and shakers, black and white and every shade in between, so let’s respect our difference and unite in the fact that we are all trying to put on for the city.

That being said, I’m gonna pitch in my own chips this year by organizing a series of shows and events that will hopefully offer a forum for hip hop culture in the city. In turn, I can no longer be the objective voice of hip hop for the Mirror, so this will be the last Beatseeker you will read in these pages. I loved the gig and I have appreciation and respect for all of you that I met, shared music with or just nerded out to hip hop with. Keep your heads up and your shoulders levelled. Peace.

WHO WILL CARRY THE TORCH? HIT ME UP…
DABEATSEEKER@GMAIL.COM