Maestro Fresh-Wes

If Michie Mee is the queen of Canadian hip hop, the title of king could only go to Maestro Fresh-Wes.

The achievements they attained early in their careers and history of Canadian hip hop make them royalty.

Symphony In Effect, the album holding Let Your Backbone Slide as well as Drop The Needle among others, was the first Canadian hip hop album I ever heard, bought and owned.

Legendary producer K-Cut produced The Black Tie Affair. Blazing tracks like The Maestro Zone, Poetry is Black and title song made their way onto my radio show playlists upon my return to Concordia University's radio station in 2006.

Maestro's 1993 Naaah, Dis Kid Can't Be From Canada?!! CD has escaped me for whatever reasons. I remember Fine Tune Da Mic but never heard the album in its entirety and it never crossed my music-buying path. Diggin' In The Crates' Showbiz was at the helm, making it all the more alluring for me to want to hear but it has yet to happen.

Ever Since & Built To Last did cross my path and are in my tender care among my other musical possessions.

It has been thrilling to catch a Maestro verse from time to time on the odd posse cut. A particular favorite is Classified's Quit While You're Ahead from the Self-Explanatory album.

The Maestro visited the Scène Bell stage for the Montreal Jazzfest.

Maestro wrote a book and I have been interested in reading it. That too has not yet crossed my path but with a little luck like McCartney, the 1993 CD and his autobiography will be mine around the same time. Until then, I have many Maestro discs and tracks to hold me down.

I thank him for his contributions to Canadian hip hop history.

I learned that Maestro Fresh-Wes will be getting her own stamp along with fellow Canadian hip hop icon Michie Mee 

Here's some footage from my historic 2013 Under Pressure DJ set where I have fun with classics from Maestro Fresh-Wes & Public Enemy.

Below is a playlist of my former Suite Delight radio show and link to an archived episode to bring you up to speed as to what I was doing years ago.  

Click here to listen.

The Suite Delight - March 11, 2014 Playlist:

1. The Roots - Proceed III feat. Bahamadia
2. Maestro - Stick To Your Vision
3. Classified - Quit While You're Ahead
4. Marco Polo - Back to Work feat. Artifacts
5. Moka Only - The Taste
6. DJ Format - The Place feat. Chali 2Na & Akil
7. Miles Jones - Coast to Coast feat. Kae Sun
8. Poor Righteous Teachers - Easy Star
9. Das Efx - Kaught In Da AK (Remix)
10. Zion I - We Got It
11. Dujeous - All M.C.'s
12. Substantial - That Damn Good
13. DL Incognito - The Masses

Michie Mee

 

If the term legend ever was deserved and applied to an MC, it would be fitting for Michie Mee.

She is the first Canadian MC to make an impact in the United States before Drake, Kardinal Offishall or even Maestro Fresh-Wes.

The Basement Flavor compilation released on First Priority Music featured two of the pioneer’s singles. I was in high school when the On This Mic/Victory is Calling 12” single was circulating and sought-after by the DJs and collectors of the day. Either song could wreck a party. With the co-sign of lady label mate MC Lyte at the beginning of Victory is Calling, Michie Mee and Canada were indeed victorious.

Like Backbone and Drop the Needle, Michie Mee’s singles destroyed high school dance floors and parties. At that time, those songs and artists being Canadian were after-thoughts. Now, they are at the forefront of our minds.

It was almost yesterday that Michie Mee was inducted into the Stylus DJ Awards Hall of Fame.  Not too long ago, I learned that Michie Mee will be getting her own stamp along with fellow Canadian hip hop icon Maestro Fresh-Wes.

Congratulations again to Michie Mee for yet another crowning career achievement.