The T-dot

In Toronto and absolutely loving it here. This city is bananas! I met Canadian hip-hop pioneer Maestro Fresh Wes (flick above, on the right) at the 604 Hip-Hop Expo a couple of weeks back and he talked me into adding T.O. to my city list for my global hip-hop book. Now that I'm here, I can't believe that I was going to overlook the T-dot. Can't figure out why I haven't spent much time here before. It's crazy.

Anyway, I kicked off my research last night with an interview with the man himself. Maestro and his boy 2Rude schooled me on local hip-hop history for hours. Those dudes have some amazing stories to tell. Maestro is as old school as it gets in this country--he's been rhyming since 1979. Will definitely make the book.

Spent all day today in meetings and tonight kicking it with my cousin and my friends. My friend Meg baked some ridiculously good lemon tarts with raspberries on top.

My feature on white kids in hip-hop made the cover today of DOSE newspaper. This link gives you most of the story, but there was interviews with Adam Mansbach and with the Hold My Gold chicks as well. Have to head back to Lotus Land tomorrow. Would rather stick around here. But I'll be back.