What makes rap so captivating when compared to other genres is definitely its variance of sound and style in regards to sub genres based on location. Often times we forget that it’s only been about 40 years since DJ Kool Herc hosted his infamous block parties on 1520 Sedgwick Avenue and birthed a way of life in the process. In those 4 decades, we’ve developed quite the eclectic brand of sounds. Whether you’re located in the gritty, boom bap boroughs of New York, the bass heavy bounces of the Bay Area or the chopped and screwed styles of Houston, the area in which you were located in greatly influenced what got played and promoted. Though the rise of technology and globalization removed much of this dogmatic practice, some staples within the music can still be traced to it’s respected birthplaces.
But what about Toronto? A black sheep of sorts, the city has an interesting situation in that it is located fairly close to Detroit and New York, allowing their sounds to leech to the home of the Maple Leafs. Combined with Canada’s melting pot status, T Dot is a prime location for rappers who are looking to find their voice in a sea of hypocrisy. Repping the fresh, head nodding instrumentals that many older hip hop heads latch on to like a stage 5 clinger is Sha Prince, a young but hungry emcee who, like most artists in the game, isn’t a stranger to the everyday grind.
“Why You Mad?” has Prince flowing with the beat ( which is supplied by The Doppelgangaz and their track “And”) while he goes on about his necessary business in order to support his growing rap career. The video has him playing both clerk and robber as he discusses the need to get paid and does so in a laid back manner. Check it out down below and watch out for Sha Prince’s Latex & Perfume, which drops on October 31st.
Sha Prince
Why You Mad?
- Sept 20th, 2013