Hip-Hop

Murda Beatz is in the House

How did hip hop producer Murda Beatz connect with Migos, Cardi B and Drake? Lots and lots of networking

Fort Erie record producer Shane Lee Lindstrom has made a name for himself in hip-hop circles as Murda Beatz. By Nick Krewen Special to the Star July 31, 2019 Raw talent is one thing, but how does a budding producer from the Canadian border town of Fort Erie become a top dog in hip-hop and work with the likes of Migos, Cardi B., Drake,  Nicki Minaj, Chance The Rapper and…

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Clairmont The Second is up for a climb

Nick Krewen Special to the Star July 20, 2019 Clairmont The Second may be one of the more ambitious rappers out there, but he’s in no rush to achieve the lofty stardom to which he aspires. “We knew from the start that it was going to be the long game,” said the Juno-nominated hip-hop artist born Clairmont Humphrey, who hails from the Jane and Weston area of Toronto and brings…


Frank Dukes at Regent Park School Of Music

Meet Frank Dukes – the go-to producer for superstars like Rihanna and Drake

Nick Krewen The Toronto Star July 12, 2019 He’s the go-to guy when you’re a pop music superstar looking for a hit – and he’s from Toronto. Frank Dukes may not be a household name to the general populace, but the 35-year-old songwriter and producer is on the speed dial of everyone who is anyone in pop music these days. Lorde, J. Balvin, Post Malone, Rihanna, Eminem, Travis Scott, Camila…


KILLY: Capturing The Energy of the Moment

Story by Nick Krewen | May 2, 2018 For SOCAN Words & Music… KILLY season has arrived. Five years after his first club performance, Scarborough’s Khalil Tatem – a.k.a. KILLY – is killin’ it for real: joints like 2017’s “Killamonjaro” and “No Romance” are racking up streams and views well into the eight figures. Now, with his 11-track independent album Surrender Your Soul, and a summer world tour that will…


Want to buy a piece of a Drake song? Track’s rights sold via pioneering digital currency scheme

Vezt lets investors and fans purchase a share of future revenues from ‘Jodeci (Freestyle)’ and many more to come. Nick Krewen, Music  Sun., Dec. 10, 2017 For a man who is at the top of his game, Drake can’t seem to stop making money — even when it’s for other people. Only this time, it’s a different kind of money, one that could have far-reaching implications as the music industry…