Kardinall Offishall: Toronto's Everyday Rudebwoy

Kardinall Offishall: Toronto's Everyday Rudebwoy

By Ryan B. Patrick
Pride Entertainment Writer
November 16, 2005
Pride News Magazine

There's a song titled, "Everybody Gone Gangsta" on rapper-producer Kardinal Offishall's newest album that perfectly describes the spate of gun crime that Toronto has been experiencing. "I think the mentality that our younger generation has in Toronto right now is real messed up," Offishall tells Pride News Magazine over the phone.

The American rappers that are hot right now, he says, seem to be those glorifying a certain kind of criminal lifestyle that kids are emulating. "I don't believe that the majority of us are ignorant, but there are people that really can't tell the difference between what they see on TV and what is real life."


But the differences between the States and Canada are vast, and there are a lot more opportunities for youth over here, he says, adding that some youth are trying to create a situation that doesn't exist here.

"There are a lot more guns on the streets these days, but guns have always been on Toronto streets," Offishall says.

"It's the person behind the gun as opposed to the guns themselves. There's always been a code of the street, but right about now, a lot of those things are getting thrown out of the window. As far as how it connects to hip hop, there needs to be more balance in the music. The mentality right now is real jacked up."

The song is one of the 14 cuts off the immensely talented Offishall's latest, the aptly-titled album, Fire and Glory, which came out on November 15.

The Scarborough-born rapper's own experience with the music industry has been a trial by fire of sorts and he's long overdue for some glory. The long-awaited album (his first since 2001's Firestarter Vol. 1: Quest For Fire) is a testament to Offishall's matchless "reggae meets hip hop" style.

His first album had him on the cusp of international superstardom. His hits "Bakardi Slang" and "Ol' Time Killin'" earned a gold certification in Canada and were heavily requested on U.S. outlets such as Black Entertainment Television.

But, much like other Canadian artists that were courted south of the border with promises of U.S. record deals and superstardom, things didn't quite go as planned. A couple of years back, he was signed to MCA and was putting the finishing touches on sophomore LP, Firestarter Vol.2: The F Word Theory. A video was shot for the lead single, The Neptunes-produced "Belly Dancer", but the forward motion died when the record label abruptly went under and Offishall (government name Jason Harrow) got lost in the shuffle.

While he wasn't exactly dumped, he was transferred to Geffen/Interscope, the project was indefinitely shelved and Offishall was in a frustrating position where newer artists such as 50 Cent got top priority.

But instead of moping about, Offishall picked up his hustle, touring Europe and Japan, recording countless mixtape-side projects and making cameo appearances on records. His last big mixtape, Kill Bloodclot Bill, riffed off the popular Quentin Tarantino flick and graphically expressed his displeasure with the record industry.
The "Bill" in question was the record industry itself. But, ultimately, it's all about moving forward, Offishall says.

"You can't really deal with the spilt milk stuff," he says. "Really and truly, everything is for a reason, and there are so many things in life that you go through things and think 'Why am I going through this?' but there's definitely something to be learned in every single thing in life. I try to deal with the forward movements."
Offishall has always been about doing his own thing, in his own way. This mentality caused a minor kerfuffle recently, when, during his set at the August 14 Getting Up music festival in Toronto, he came out with a guitar on stage and attempted to play, saying, "They say I have to play an instrument to sell some records."

He then smashed the instrument, prompting some to say the antic was a veiled diss at fellow Canadian hip hop artist k-os.

Whether it was a diss or a subtle and clever commentary on the Canadian music scene is up for interpretation. Nonetheless, the event was reported in a local newspaper and, a week later, k-os himself wrote a harsh letter to the paper, which both criticized the fact the skit was reported and that it insinuated that Canadian rappers such as Offishall are trying too hard at imitating American hip hop instead of creating their own style.

When discussing the incident, Offishall remains diplomatic, insisting that there is no animosity between the two artists.

When it comes to African Canadians, there are going to be forces that try to create a "divide and conquer" type situation, he notes. "It wasn't really anything. I know k-os, so, when we spoke about it, it was a 10-second thing. It's one of the things that come with the business."

The artists have known each other for a while and retain a mutual respect for each other, he says.

Offishall's new release is a partnership/distribution deal between his Black Jays imprint and Virgin Music Canada, which provides for greater flexibility and creative control. "I'm constantly in hustle mode. I've always functioned as an indie artist, no matter what the circumstances, so it keeps me in a mind-state of hustling, and [I] take whatever I'm doing to the highest possible heights. Not so much has changed…I keep it moving."

The first single, "Everyday Rudebwoy", is a delicious adaptation of Sly Stone's (by way of Arrested Development) "People Everyday", and touches on racial profiling issues.

It's a standard example of his trademark dancehall-hip hop fusion. Indeed, Fire and Glory (largely produced by Offishall) is a carefully balanced mix of humour, conscious tracks, party jams and straight-up hip hop, and features a veritable melting pot of guest appearances, including Vybz Kartel, Spragga Benz, Busta Rhymes and Toronto's own Ray Robinson.

Even though he owns the masters from the F-Word Theory, the new album had to be fresh and function as a cohesive whole, Offishall says.

"The good thing is that I make so much music, that I'm able to just choose the ones I want. With me, there's so much material, it's a fun process going through and having all the bases covered."
This everyday rudebwoy has become Toronto's unofficial hip hop ambassador, and Offishall is living proof that a Canadian rapper can embrace his Toronto roots and still retain street cred. He proudly reps Toronto and his West Indian heritage every chance he gets.

And things seem to be paying off - he's gearing up for a major tour with 50 Cent, the official U.S. launch of Fire and Glory, upcoming guest appearances on some high-profile records and the continued development of his Black Jays clique (a assortment of emcees and vocalists, including core members Lindo P, Ro Dolla, Solitare, Darryl Riley and Nicole Moses). Right now, he notes, international recognition is a bonus.

"Everything feels like a blessing right now," he says. "I don't do this for accolades. I do this because I love music.

"A lot of people in my shoes might have given up a long time ago."