Roots Rhymes Collective

We’re excited to share that the marketing design for our 2023 “We Do It For The Culture: A Hip Hop at 50 Event Series” program is the official 2023-2024 recipient of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) District II Award. Congratulations to the entire team!

Presented in partnership with the as part of its newest exhibit “The Culture: Hip Hop and Contemporary Culture in the 21st Century,” is pleased to announce the first of our 2025 initiatives:

“REMEMBERING RAPCITY: THE LEGACY OF CANADIAN HIP HOP TELEVISION.”

To learn more about our upcoming program, please read the details below or visit the link in our bio (where you can also book tickets for our upcoming event).

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Event details:
On the occasion of its 35th anniversary, Roots Rhymes Collective (RRC) and the AGO celebrate the legacy of MuchMusic’s ground-breaking and innovative hip hop television program, RapCity. Launched in September 1989, RapCity has been credited with platforming Canadian hip hop talent from coast to coast, as well projecting what has been dubbed the “Canadian Hip Hop Nation” to international audiences outside of Canada’s borders.

Join us for a discussion with some of RapCity’s creators and legendary personalities as we celebrate RapCity’s contributions to the history of Canadian and global hip hop landscapes. Conversations will reflect on RapCity’s early days, its power as a platform for hip hop culture and its practitioners, and its challenges and triumphs as the show took its place in Canadian television history. Speakers to be announced in early 2025.

With only a day away, today we put a spotlight on Michele Geister - our Director of Artist Relations & Partnerships at Roots Rhymes Collective - who will be sharing her story on Saturday November 25th from 12-7pm.

Raised in Kitchener-Waterloo before moving to Toronto in 1985, Michele Geister is a creator, producer, director and feature writer of iconic content for television, radio and print, on international networks in Canada, Jamaica and Europe. Recognized for her contributions toward the development of the Canadian Black and Hip Hop music industries through her MuchMusic series: Soul in the City and RapCity; she is also the creator and original director of Jamaica's beloved morning show Smile Jamaica, and the independent lifestyle series – Island Dreams and Vibes Cuisine. In addition to her work in Hip Hop, she is also a go-to media consultant for veteran and new wave reggae stars. More recently, she serves as Media Director of the Source Farm Ecovillage–an intentional off-grid community in Jamaica that is active in its efforts to combat climate change by prioritizing food security, permaculture design, and traditional plant medicine therapies. Invested in edutainment for young people, she is also the co-creator of the Unuh game app and learning management system that uses neuro linguistic programming principles to assist youth with their personal development.

“Making A Scene,” the fifth event of the “We Do It For The Culture: A Hip Hop 50 Event Series,” is our flagship event and is co-presented by Roots Rhymes Collective (), The Urban at York University (), Hart House at the University of Toronto (), CIUT 89.5 (), and Hip Hop Education Center ().

To register for our upcoming conference, visit the link in our bio.

With only a day away, today we put a spotlight on Jeff "Spade" Duke - our chief curator at Roots Rhymes Collective - who will be sharing his story on Saturday November 25th from 12-7pm.

Jeff Duke is a b-boy (a dancer for artists such as Michie Mee, dream warriors, and with crews like intrikit); graffiti writer (Crazy Roc of the Graffiti Knights); emcee (Spade of the Canadian Hip Hop duo Citizen Kane), and independent record label owner (Treehouse Records). Raised in Scarborough, Toronto, together with Rob "Blye" Paris, duke released his debut single, "Soul Survivor" in 1995, his debut album The Epic in 1997, and then his sophmore album Deliverance in 1999 - a release that was considered to be one of the best Canadian Hip Hop offerings of the 1990’s. Citizen Kane’s efforts to promote Deliverance, in the face of Canadian hip hop's struggle to gain commercial and critical attention in that era, was filmed by Duke's sister — Alison Duke — for the National Film Board of Canada’s documentary Raisin' Kane: A Rapumentary (released in 2001). The duo was also nominated for a Juno Award — first in 1999 for Rap Recording of the Year for their EP The Epic, and then again in 2000 for their album Deliverance. In May 2020, Citizen Kane teamed up with TopLeft Recordings to put out the Scartown Unreleased ClassIcs mixtape - a collection of past recordings from 2001 to 2005 that were never released - which was mixed by DJ Law and mastered by Quarter Inch Kings.

“Making A Scene,” the fifth event of the “We Do It For The Culture: A Hip Hop 50 Event Series,” is our flagship event and is co-presented by Roots Rhymes Collective (), The Urban at York University (), Hart House at the University of Toronto (), CIUT 89.5 (), and Hip Hop Education Center ().

To register for our upcoming conference, visit the link in our bio.

In less than one week - on Saturday November 25th from 12-7pm - we will be joined by director Rob Freeman and Play De Record owner Eugene Tam for a director's cut conversation of Freeman's film "Drop the Needle."

Drop the Needle details the prolific history of the famous Toronto record shop that was nestled on Toronto’s busy Yonge Street. Directed by Rob Freeman, the documentary details the social and cultural impact Play De Record has had on Toronto’s bustling music scene for over 30 years. While the cast is made up of former Play De Record staff as well as influential Canadians like Russel Peters, Scratch Bastid, Kardinal Offishall, and Saukrates, the star of the film is Eugene Tam, who opened Play De Record’s doors in August of 1990. The film traces Eugene’s humble beginnings and rise to becoming the go-to vinyl shop for DJs. Play De Record went from being Eugene’s passion project to seriously impacting the Hip-hop, house, dance, electronic, and black music scene of every genre in the city.

“Making A Scene,” the fifth event of the “We Do It For The Culture: A Hip Hop 50 Event Series,” is our flagship event and is co-presented by Roots Rhymes Collective (), The Urban at York University (), Hart House at the University of Toronto (), CIUT 89.5 (), and Hip Hop Education Center ().

To register for our upcoming conference, visit the link in our bio.

In less than one week - on Saturday November 25th from 12-7pm - we will be joined by David "Gordo" Strickland who will share his story as one of the architects of the Toronto Hip Hop scene.

David “Gordo” Strickland is an award-winning engineer, mixer, producer, DJ and visual artist. Known for being behind the boards on iconic Hip-Hop and R&B records, strickland has worked on seminal tracks by the likes of Pete Rock, Erick Sermon, EPMD, Keith Murray, Redman and Method Man, k-os, Ghetto Concept, Jelleestone, Kardinal Offishall, Jully Black, Choclair and Drake. strickland has deep family roots running generations back to the East Coast along Mi'kmaq, Innu and Beothuk lines. His latest album, spirit of hip hop (June 29, 2020, Entertainment One), highlights some of North America's Hip Hop progenitors and innovative Indigenous artists alike to share an embodiment of the teachings, art, traditions, and music of the community, aligned with his Indigenous heritage. spirit of hip hop (remixes) arrived on November 20, 2020 as a follow-up featuring fresh takes on the album tracks by Gordo himself, and some of his esteemed colleagues. From control room to canvas, David is also a prolific visual artist that has been featured at many galleries across Canada. one of his original pieces graces the indigenous now playlist on Apple Music.

“Making A Scene,” the fifth event of the “We Do It For The Culture: A Hip Hop 50 Event Series,” is our flagship event and is co-presented by Roots Rhymes Collective (), The Urban at York University (), Hart House at the University of Toronto (), CIUT 89.5 (), and Hip Hop Education Center ().

To register for our upcoming conference, visit the link in our bio.

In less than one week - on Saturday November 25th from 12-7pm - we will be joined by Sady who will share his story as one of the architects of the Toronto Hip Hop scene.

Sady is a member of The Graffiti Knights - a crew recognized as early pioneers of graffiti in Toronto, Canada. Growing up in Scarborough in the early 1980's, The Graffiti Knights left their mark along the LRT when it was first built as a way to express themselves as young artists, and to let those who rode the LRT on the daily know, "We are here, and we see you." The Graffiti Knights would continue to paint along the LRT, and other Scarborough spots in the early to mid 1990's - inspiring countless youth to choose art over crime. they consider themselves - to this day - a powerful motivating force for positive youth action.

“Making A Scene,” the fifth event of the “We Do It For The Culture: A Hip Hop 50 Event Series,” is our flagship event and is co-presented by Roots Rhymes Collective (), The Urban at York University (), Hart House at the University of Toronto (), CIUT 89.5 (), and Hip Hop Education Center ().

To register for our upcoming conference, visit the link in our bio.

In less than one week - on Saturday November 25th from 12-7pm - we will be joined by Kish (also known as Big Kish) who will share his story as one of the architects of the Toronto Hip Hop scene.

Andrew “Big Kish” Kishino is the first artist in Canada signed to a major label (A&M in 1990). He is perhaps best known for his 1991 hit single “I Rhyme the World in 80 Days” featured on his debut album Order from Chaos which reached number one on the RPM Cancon chart. In 1994, Kish released his follow-up album A Nation of Hoods on Isba/Sony. Both a Juno Award nominee and the winner of a Canadian Music Publishers Association songwriting award, as a producer and engineer Big Kish was also instrumental in bringing the vision of artists to life – including emcees such as Dan-e-o, IRS, Concrete Mobb, Citizen Kane, Down to Erf and MVP. In the aftermath of his work as an emcee in the Toronto scene, Kish relocated to Los Angeles to work as both a hip hop music producer, music industry mentor and later a voice actor. As a voice over actor, Kish is well known for his work in Lucasfilm’s The Bad Batch and Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Netflix’s The Monkey King, Cartoon Network’s Steven Universe, and video games such as Halo Infinite, Call of Duty: Black Ops, Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order, and Fortnite. An Audie Award-nominated audiobook narrator as well, Big Kish has read for titles such as Fonda Lee’s trilogy of Jade City, Jade War, and Jade Legacy, Traci Chee’s We Are Not Free, and MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios by Joanna Robinson, Dave Gonzales and Gavin Edwards.

“Making A Scene,” the fifth event of the “We Do It For The Culture: A Hip Hop 50 Event Series,” is our flagship event and is co-presented by Roots Rhymes Collective (), The Urban at York University (), Hart House at the University of Toronto (), CIUT 89.5 (), and Hip Hop Education Center ().

To register for our upcoming conference, visit the link in our bio.

In less than one week - on Saturday November 25th from 12-7pm - we will be joined by DJ Mel Boogie who will share her story as one of the architects of the Toronto Hip Hop scene.

DJ MelBoogie is one of the country's best-known female DJs. For 30 years, her roots have been deeply embedded in radio, formerly at CHRY 105.5FM, followed by over a decade at CKLN 88.1FM as the DJ/Co-Host of Droppin’ Dimez Radio - Canada’s ONLY All Female Hip Hop Show. mel is currently an on-air host and DJ on Toronto’s VIBE105FM. she shared the stage with some of Canada’s greatest icons of Black music, including Kardinal Offishall, the Dream Warriors, and Choclair. She has been a judge for the prestigious Polaris Music Prize for the past four years, and recently became the first female Chair for the JUNO Awards Rap Advisory Board. mel has also opened for some of the most respected names in entertainment, including Kevin Hart, LeBron James, Lauryn Hill, Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, Q-Tip and has gone on tour with some of Canada’s top artists, including Maestro Fresh Wes, Michie Mee, The Sorority and more. since 1995, mel has also been the resident DJ for Honey Jam, Canada's longest-running all female showcase.

“Making A Scene,” the fifth event of the “We Do It For The Culture: A Hip Hop 50 Event Series,” is our flagship event and is co-presented by Roots Rhymes Collective (), The Urban at York University (), Hart House at the University of Toronto (), CIUT 89.5 (), and Hip Hop Education Center ().

To register for our upcoming conference, visit the link in our bio.