Nine years to the day.

I’ll be the first one to tell you I’ve never stepped inside a Fat Beats, but fuck it, I acknowledge the influence this store has had on the underground movement at large since hip-hop’s second golden age and beyond. This store has hosted its seminal figures, indie and otherwise. To commemorate this moment in time, I’ma post up some clips of some great hip-hop moments immortalized in its four walls.

Do remember the Fat Beats movement is still going strong, albeit in an online presence. Cop your shit from FAT BEATS ONLINE

You had to have heard this by now, but I’m fully going in and saying this is one of cooler things I’ve heard this year. Catch me doing Ashtanga Sun Salutations to this moody Beebz. If you’ve got a little more than a half hour to spare, vibe out to it! Shouts to Shamantis

J. BIEBZ – U SMILE 800% SLOWER by Shamantis

I’ve been heavy on the movie tip as of late, and it’s been a long time coming for me to see this one. This took the Grand Prix at Cannes last year and with good reason. It’s an amazing coming of age movie set in pretty rough conditions. The main character grows up in front of you, and you root for him every step of the way. The plot is paced well and it’s two and a half hours you don’t realize go by. Highly recommended.

CLAP SNARES FTW. Piano rendition FTL.

My longtime cohort Robert Bolton had been AWOL from the Toronto scene for the past year getting his diploma paper up (congrats) and is now back in the city picking up on the project he had left off.

Along with Alexander The, they comprise the Nintendo-rap group Times Neue Roman. Having done their fair share of basement parties and indie showcases, they’re set to release the music that earned them their hi-energy reputation.

LISTEN TO THEIR “TALKING SPORTY” EP HERE
LISTEN TO THEIR “TALKING SPORTY” EP HERE
LISTEN TO THEIR “TALKING SPORTY” EP HERE

Watch an old video (cut by me) documenting their pop-up performances throughout the city out of the back of a U-Haul truck (along with Styrofoam Ones) during Nuit Blanche 2008.

Arowbe’s second project is BROADWAY SLEEP, a collaborative effort with Alexander The, Sarah Shafey, and Ralph Joesph.

Their sound is wholly different from TNR, drawing from a more organic source for their product.

Read up on their upcoming releases and preview their tunes here
Read up on their upcoming releases and preview their tunes here
Read up on their upcoming releases and preview their tunes here

…how do you not love RON-RON???

Congrats to the man, big respect for sharing it with his family, and for being himself.

Very inspirational.

He was the man.

and put the world onto these dudes

NY Times Obit