The Top 6 From The 6ix
Toronto, also known as Canada's music capital, Drake's hometown and nowadays, "The 6", is one of the most vibrant cities in the world. It's also a place where its rap scene has been on a wave for quite some time now - but how can it not be?? When you have big names like Drake and The Weeknd representing and literally putting Toronto on the map for hip-hop and rap, other local artists are trying to find their way to similar success. 2017 was a good year for the city's rap scene, and it doesn't look like it'll be slowing down for 2018.
Here are six names you may or may not know, coming straight out of the 6ix!
This Toronto rapper is most definitely one to watch and just like his name, his music is pretty dope too! Not only does he bring that new school hip-hop to the table, he speaks the truth in his music, talking about real life experiences. As of late last year, Shaq released a self-titled EP and from the looks of it, we'll surely be seeing more of him in 2018.
The name may sound familiar, but did you know that Jimmy is responsible for coining the term "The 6"? Yup, a lot of people think that Drake came up with it, but even he admits to not creating the name, giving all the credit to Jimmy. This Toronto-born rapper has been in the game for quite some time now. Prime's latest EP Bleeding Bull showcases his autotuned flows and prior to that, he dropped Block Boy in 2015 and even worked on Drake's If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late project. Things are really looking up for Jimmy, and if you haven't been keeping up, now's the time to start paying attention. As for the meaning of "The 6", it's a reference to the city's area codes – 416 and 647 – as well as the city's six different boroughs.
This rap duo's sound is somewhat described as “high fashion trap music." Back in 2014, Atlanta's Ca$tro Guapo and Toronto native Fiji teamed up to form CMDWN (short for 'come down'), after a night of partying. After working with Derek Wise, an affiliate of The Weeknd's XO crew, the two have been making music ever since. The group already has two albums under their belt, Atlanada and Castro VS Fiji, and are currently working on their third studio album, Atlanada 2 due for release later this year. They've also had the chance to collaborate with a few other artists, such as Nessly and Lil' Yachty. Make sure to keep an eye out for CMDWN - the freshest rap act to date.
This up-and-coming rapper from Mississauga, a suburb of Toronto, has already created a name for himself. From a young age, Paisley has always shown an interest in music. Just recently, the 20-year old debuted his music video for the song '1 of 1', from his latest project titled Screwface, which accumulated over 100,000 streams within the first month of its release. Be sure to remember the name, 'cause this young artist is just getting started!
Just like Prime, SAFE (his real name is Saif Musaad), is quite known in the city of Toronto. Born in Abu Dhabi, Saif's family moved to Toronto when he was just two months old. At the age of 13, the rapper/crooner started writing lyrics and eventually tried his hand at recording music. It wasn't until he met OVO founder Oliver El-Khatib at the video shoot for Jimmy Prime’s “Northside”, that things really took off. The 21-year-old dropped his self-titled EP awhile back and after listening to it, it's 'safe' to say that this kid's got a bright future ahead of him.
It's been said that Layla is one of the city's brightest voices - and they were right about that! This local singer released her new EP, PREEPAID this past year, and her unique sound sure does stand out. Her style of rap blends well with all the elements of hip-hop and R&B. With talent like this, Hendryx is an artist you should definitely keep an eye on.
