KRS ONE Jane & Finch Block Party JUNE 2009

Toronto hip hop has a long history that stretches back to the origins of the genre. Michie Mee is known for being the first lady of Canadian hip hop. During the 1980's, KRS ONE hit the rap scene around the same time as Michie Mee did and there has been a bond between the two ever since.

In an interview with Vice / Noisey, she stated she would rhyme for Scott La Rock and KRS-One of Boogie Down Productions outside a "seminal Manhattan hip hop venue.“ At Latin Quarter I was convincing Scott La Rock and KRS-One that I rapped and that there was rap music coming from Canada,” says Michie Mee. ‘There ain’t no hip-hop in Canada’” says Michie Mee adopting a gruff masculine tone to represent their response. “Yes there is,” says Michie mimicking her retort.

“And off I went. Rapping. And then they said. ‘She speaks funny.’ I was speaking funny with my Jamaican accent, but I’m Canadian at the time. When they heard Canadian you might as well be Jamaican.” Evidently, Michie Mee impressed the duo enough to eventually record with them. After her first forays into recording songs “I’m Not Afraid” with a live band at an Eglinton and Oakwood studio and the four-track demo of “Dangerous” that nodded to the Conroy Smith reggae track of the same name, Michie eventually recorded with the duo who would become known as Boogie Down Productions.

Michie and L.A. Luv recorded the songs “Run for Cover” and “Elements of Style.” The latter track featured KRS-One, fresh off the release of the seminal Criminal Minded introducing Michie Mee as ‘Canada’s greatest musically inclined intellectual representative.’ Signing off on the intro over Taana Gardner’s infamous “Heartbeat” break, KRS-One declared “This is BDP recording live from Canada.”

ALSO CHECK OUT KRS ONE IN BEFORE THE 6: NOW OR NEVER TORONTO RAPPERS & HIP HOP

#krsone #janeandfinch #noworneverdocumentary #toronto #torontorappers #hiphop