“I Hope We All Catch Our Dreams” – A MNFSTO9 Tribute to Redway

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Right before Years Ahead was released, a friend of mine asked if I was downtown, and what I was doing. At the time I was pre-occupied but still said, “Not much, what’s up?” He responded back saying Redway was having his album release party – an project produced by WondaGurl who had just appeared on Magna Carta Holy Grail – at Get Fresh Company. “Not another one,” I thought. Regardless, he was convincing and sounded passionate about this artist, so I made my way over. Unfortunately, I caught the tail-end of the event with people spilling out of 498 Queen Street W. in droves. The street became loud, as if family from years just reunited. I remember this night vividly because that was also the first night I met Redway – someone I would come to know as a passionate artist, and someone most people knew as a “us against the world” type of guy.

The project knocked, and Redway immediately got thrown into my list of Toronto-artists-not-named-Drake I’d share with my American peers who inquired often about our music. Quite frankly, Redway will always be in that list of mine. I also got aquainted with Redway’s previous music, but I was steadily hooked on Years Ahead – a title that now seems to hold more meaning than ever before. I’d miss the opportunity to work with Redway from a PR standpoint, something I’d later regret in 2014, but rambled about his music when I could. Even when I was hit up by CJ Fly’s management about openers for an upcoming show, I found myself telling her the story about this guy I’d just found out about who packed a popular clothing store to the brim.

That summer, I ended up running into Redway several times – at the most random times and places, and eerily almost too many times for someone I had just met, but that bright smile and coy demeanor was always welcomed. I also respected Redway’s hustle – the respect he showed others, the effort he put into his career, and how he thought of the city’s changing landscape. As I was putting together a last-minute Toronto showcase for the A3C Festival in Atlanta in August, I reached out to him to see if he wanted to be a part of it. To my surprise, he put trust in myself and this showcase, and said yes.

Manifesto’s annual festival was soon approaching, and it was no brainer to have Redway on the bill. It’d be the third year he’d perform at our festival. That day, he had an early set for Live At The Square. A few acts passed, tensions were already high, and 15 minutes before his set he still wasn’t there. “Hey, where are you!?,” I said in a frantic call. He said he was stuck in traffic – of course he was, as he was coming from Mississauga on a Saturday morning. “There’s talks about cutting set time, get here as soon as you can!,” I continued. With seconds to spare, he made it. With a big smile and positive energy, he took the stage.

Two weeks later, a troop of GTA artists would find themselves in the sunny air of Atlanta, GA. Most of us were also all kotched up at the same hotel (so it seemed), so throughout the week, I’d see Redway networking and building, or sometimes just posted up outside the hotel with his crew. The night of the showcase came, and just before Redway’s set, the steadily packed room started to disperse for one reason or another. In a bit of a panic, I wondered whether to stall his performance or not, but once again, I saw him take the stage with a smile. The room packed right back up, and a few ATL natives asked me who he was shortly after. “That’s Redway! He just released a project with WondaGurl that you should definitely check out,” I’d reply.

It’s been a year since that night in ATL, and by now, I’ve sent the video link to “YKTO” to almost all my American friends when they ask, “What’s Toronto like?” Having recently found myself back at A3C, I also found myself speaking about that ‘416 Showcase’ and what some of those artists were up to now. “We lost one of our guys from last year’s showcase this summer,” I blurted out after that realization hit. “It’s weird, you know… He was such a dope talent. He was the one who had next. He was one of the good ones.”

I’m one of hundreds who attended Redway’s vigil and funeral this past summer – a celebration of his life; ‘how he’d want it’, we were reminded. While my story of knowing him lasted a brief moment in time, the outpour of love and admiration for Shane Redway was – and still is – a consistent testament to who he was as a person. At this year’s Manifesto Festival, we wanted to pay tribute to the late Mississauga artist who touched hundreds of lives in his time. While emotions were high at Dundas Square, there was also a beautiful energy in the air. In my brief time of knowing Shane Redway, I can confidently say that that energy matched the smile of a man and an artist who’s legacy will always live on.

Exclusive Interview – Unmasking GoldLink: Exploring the New Generation of Future Bounce

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Photo Credit: Rog Walker

Back in 2013, I was at a festival in Atlanta working alongside Henny Yeguzu when he had mentioned he manages an artist from the DMV named GoldLink, that I should check out his music and that he’s going to blow. Naturally, based off the strength of Henny’s commentary, I did check him out, and realized he was something special. GoldLink made his official debut in 2014 with the launch of The God Complex, a 9-track mixtape that barely reaches the 30-minute mark – but that didn’t matter, the tape received media attention from Complex and Pitchfork to FADER and HHDX, and the 22-year old has been well sought after since. Earlier this year, GoldLink announced that he’ll be working alongside the legendary Rick Rubin to create new music as a part of a VSCO feature – what that truly entails, we’ll find out – but in the mean time, we spoke to GoldLink about his musical journey thus far, his native sound, and future bounce.

GoldLink will be headlining the Manifesto-curated Red Bull Sound Select event supported by Keita Juma and A K U A on September 16. Follow @GoldLinkon Twitter, and RSVP for RBSS!

It seems as if every three months a new tour or festival has been announced since the release of The God Complex last year – and you’ve also publicly stated you’re not a big fan of touring. What have been the best or worst experiences thus far?

A Goldlink show is an experience that brings unique sounds and styles in one arena. Touring can be taxing, but it’s always dope seeing the different kinds of people who come to the show and actually enjoy themselves.

In a similar breath, aligning yourself with the Red Bull network is bound to take you all over the world. For an artist who originally didn’t want to have an image attached to the music and stood by the concept of anonymity, to having a world brand associated with your name, how do you stay true to your artistic goals?

Red Bull is a great brand that’s done more for new music than some labels have. Red Bull is a part of festivals like this, and work with artists like me because they understand the music and understand the culture, so it hasn’t interfered with my artistic goals much; it’s only bolstered those goals.

At the top of the year, the word trickled down that you were working with Rick Rubin. Can you elaborate on what’s happened since February when the news dropped? In a two-fold question, how do you believe you captured the attention of a veteran ear like Rick Rubin’s by pioneering a new take on an electro-rap sound through future bounce?

Rick became a legend by having an impeccable ear. He has created plenty of waves in his career, and I think it was just a matter of him recognizing a cultural shift in music, and spotting a fresh new sound that emerged from that shift. People with great ideas happen to find each other, and I’m so honored to be able to have the eyes and ears of someone like Rick on the music I make and what I’m trying to do.

In July, a little bird tweeted that a new album is coming through Soulection titled, And After That, We Didn’t Talk. Can you speak a little more about that titled, as well as your relationship with Soulection?

Soulection is family, from day one. My sound grew with theirs, and now we’re both at a place where the world is listening – I couldn’t be more grateful to work with such a talented and progressive group of people and artists.

What about Lakim, Kaytranada, Sango or any of the other usual suspects in your discography… do they play a role in the new music you’re working on?

That’s family. They’ll always play a role.

Vulnerability in music can make or break an artist – meaning, there’s a fine line between putting your life out for the public and being unable to relate to. With you, you push the boundaries just enough that people get a sense of who you are. Why is it important for you to keep a sense of vulnerability in your music – not just as an artist overall, but also as a young man in the rap game?

As human beings, we have a natural desire to relate to others, and for others to relate to us. You gain a deeper connection with people when you can get them to see the world the way you do, and to do that, you have to offer a little bit of yourself. Keeping a sense of vulnerability in my music as an artist and a person allows my fans more insight into who GoldLink is – why I sound the way I do, why I say the things I say. It’s important for developing a stronger connection.

For a lot of young rappers / rap music fans, the concept of a bar-to-bar rap is almost an ‘outdated’ concept – yet you still have a huge respect for storyteller rappers like Slick Rick or Big L. How do these pioneers play a role in how you make your own music?

Slick Rick and Big L are pioneers of this rap shit first and foremost, we wouldn’t have a lot of hip-hop without them. My influences from legends like them are more subtle. I don’t take stylistic cues from them, but I may try to combine Rick’s pithiness or L’s dexterity in a story I may write.

Your stance on music, and from what you’ve said thus far, is about the art above everything – a lot like Kanye West. At the recent MMVAs, when Kanye accepted his Vanguard award, he said “Listen to the kids.” As someone from this new generation of artists on the come up, and at just 22 years old, what do you believe he meant by this, and why should we be listening?

Kanye has been at the forefront of culture since he came into music. What he was saying was relatively simple: kids are the future, let them build it. Young people are living and creating in a world that’s more different than it’s ever been – trailblazing is no longer unique, it’s required. We’re all forging new, exciting paths, and instead of trying to control or command the kids, just listen to what they’re saying, and where they’re trying to go.

WATCH: GoldLink – Dance On Me

Win Tickets to Nova Browning Rutherford’s ‘Like A Boss’ Seminar via The F-YOU Project

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It’s been said time and time again that everybody, whether they’re rich and famous or a blue-collared run of the mill person, has a story. This notion that we’re all attached by these shared experiences has been an ongoing trait in the F-YOU Project’s goals – uniting us not by who or what we know, but how we experience life. On August 28th, The F-YOU Project is holding #Triggers, an exhibit that will consist of photos and commentary, at The Richmond (477 Richmond St W). One of these photos include Manifesto alum Rich Kidd, who took a moment to reflect on a time where life wasn’t as peachy and he wasn’t rocking the mic, but rather selling dope and living the street life.

The following day, Nova Browning Rutherford, a personal development coach and speaker with …But I Love Me More, is holding a seminar titled, ‘Like A Boss.’ Focusing on assertiveness and the importance of it, the seminar will reflect on both the #Triggers exhibit, as well as how to transform stories of hurt into stories of success and triumph.

Manifesto is incredibly proud to once again support the F-YOU Project, and we’re giving away a pair of tickets (2) to see Nova speak this coming Sunday. Winning is simple – tell us your favourite quote about overcoming adversity and why in our comments or on Twitter (with the hashtag #triggers), and the lucky winner will be chosen at random. 

RSVP for the (free) #Triggers Exhibit, and if you don’t win tickets to ‘Like A Boss,’ they can be purchased here

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In Conversation With… Chronixx & Zincfence Redemption

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Artscape x Manifesto x The Remix Project x IREMEMBER
In Partnership with The Ada Slaight Youth Artist Mentorship Program
Present…   

In Conversation with…
Chronixx & Zincfence Redemption
“A Community Youth Gathering”

Moderated by Donisha Prendergast | Hosted by Big Norm

 

Reggae star Chronixx has re-energized today’s reggae sound by taking it back to its roots and pumping the heart back into the music. With songs like Rastaman Wheel Out,” the classic “Here Comes Trouble”  from his 2014 album Dread and Terrible and “Who Knows?” his hit collaboration with fellow conscious-raising reggae artist Proteje, Chronixx’s distinctive voice and positive ideals have quickly made the 22-year old a worldwide force. A young man with an old soul, he continues to cultivate his gift by linking the present with the past by connecting with reggae legends like Sly & Robbie, King Jammy and Leroy Sibbles.

 

Following in the footsteps of his father  (reggae artist Chronicle), Chronixx was known as Little Chronicle growing up and was surrounded and mentored by several legendary reggae musicians like Gregory Isaacs. Chronixx began his career working behind the scenes providing vocals and production assistance for artists such as Popcaan and Konshens but the death of his brother spurred on his emergence as an artist in his own right leading him to release his debut EP Hooked On Chronixx in 2010.

Hosted by Donisha Prendergast, a founding director of Manifesto Jamaica, this In Conversation With… event promises to offer an intimate and revealing conversation with Chronixx about the inspirations and influences in his life and the message in his music.

Chronixx-hero

Event attendees are encouraged to bring canned goods, school supplies, projectors and small cameras to be donated to The Homework Centre in Jamaica. THC is a small Community Space with shady trees located in the heart of the streets of concrete houses in Westchester, Portmore. Once a broken playground and old barbershop is now filled with books, documentaries, musical instruments and other information tools for all ages, collected from years of book drives at events and from our travels around the world.

Friday August 21, 2015
230PM – 4PM (Doors – 2PM)
Daniels Spectrum – Ada Slaight Hall
585 Dundas St. E., Toronto

This event is FREE with registration and seating will be first come first served, with seating preference given to YOUTH aged 18 and under.

Event Hashtags: 

#ICWChronixx
#ARTSCAPEChronixx
#MNFSTOChronixx
#TheRemixProjectChronixx
#IREMEMBERChronixx
#THEHOMEWORKCENTREJA
#CREATECLASSROOMSEVERYWHERE
#EACHONETEACHONE

Donisha-Prendergast

About Donisha Prendergast

Donisha Prendergast is a global citizen who has been on a journey around the world since birth it seems. As a child touring with Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers she witnessed how Reggae music was able to challenge social boundaries and even national borders with a true message of Love & Justice. Born and raised in Jamaica, this ‘80’s baby’ also saw the rise of dancehall and other sub-cultures driven by music. As a healer and community organizer she has put hands and heart into building a school for girls in the Mara Masaai region in Kenya with Free the Children, she has marched through the snow for justice with the Idle No More movement and the Indigenous youth and ancient elders of Canada. Donisha’s commitment to global community work includes her healing works with the youth of Tivoli Gardens Film Club, who she has been mentoring since the Incursion of May 2010 among many other projects as a founding director of Manifesto Jamaica.

About Manifesto’s In Conversation With..

Manifesto’s In Conversation with…series features intimate live interviews and audience dialogues with a diverse range of artists and leaders in their field. The talks provide an opportunity to go beyond the public performance persona of artists and creatives to explore these artists’ stories, career development experiences and valuable lessons.

We thank and acknowledge the Ontario Arts Council, Toronto Arts Council, Artscape, The Remix Project, IREMEMBER and the Ada Slaight Youth Arts Mentorship Program for making this event possible.

Save the Date

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It’s been a whole year, but we’re finally here- Manifesto 2015 has been announced for September 16th-20th, 2015.

Heading into 2015, this marks our 9th annual festival, which brings forth nine years of dancers, musicians, DJs, photographers, graffiti artists, painters, and intellectuals from the Toronto hip hop community and abroad in a weekend of artistic empowerment and good vibes. As a celebration of Toronto’s diverse cultural history, as well as our achievements as a music and art community, this year we’re focusing on bringing together all six boroughs under the theme of ‘One City.’

The notion of ‘One City’ drives forth the idea that homegrown talent is more than enough, and it’s time to celebrate ourselves. Canada is booming with talent in the arts and music sectors, and we want this year’s Manifesto Festival to reflect that. All of this year’s festival events have been crafted based on our domestic growth, and numerous local and celebrity artists have been selected to thoroughly represent everyone from Mississauga to Scarborough, and everywhere in between.

With that being said, we’d like to send very special congratulations to those who were selected to participate at our 9th Annual Festival of Community and Culture! As always, it was very difficult to select only a few from the hundreds of applications, but we promise great talent that represent the best from dance, music, DJs, art and designers.

For more information about this year’s festival, be sure to keep an eye on our website, and follow our social media for the latest announcements. And if you’ve never been to our festival and are curious to see what we can do, get a taste of what’s to come with our recap video from last year!

 

 

Freshest Goods at Bastid’s BBQ

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This weekend is the fifth annual Bastid’s BBQ at 229 Richmond St. West (next to the Ballroom) from 3:00 Pm-11:00 PM. For the second year in a row, Freshest Goods will be in attendance selling goods and products from local designers Vice x Virtue, MNFSTO, Original 6, Champstiles, Notaurious, Tomboy, and Wild Moon.

The BBQ is a great way to support local design and talent! As of this morning the DJ set times are:

  • Paul Chin 3:00 – 3:30
  • Rhek 3:30 – 4:00
  • Big Jacks 4:00 – 4:45
  • Bambii 4:45 – 5:30
  • Starting From Scratch 5:30 – 6:15
  • Wristpect 6:15 – 7:00
  • Skratch Bastid (1) 7:00 – 7:30
  • Big Toe’s HiFi 7:30 – 8:15
  • DJ Dopey 8:15 – 9:00
  • Hedspin 9:00 – 9:45
  • Chris Karns 9:45 – 10:30
  • Skratch Bastid (2) 10:30 – 11:00

 

Skratch Bastid is a long time friend to the organization and we are very excited to be a part of this community event. If you haven’t already purchased an early bird ticket, it isn’t too late to head over to his Eventbrite page and purchase one, or buy at the door for $20+tax.

For more information on the event and real-time updates, head over to his Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/384570968414194/

As well, make sure to stay up-to-date with our status at the BBQ through our Instagram and Twitter pages. See you there!

Submissions extended for the 2015 festival!

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The submission deadline for visual artists, DJ’s, musicians, volunteers and vendors for the 9th annual festival in September has been extended to July 13th 11:59PM. Those interested in applying for the culmination of hip hop culture in Toronto can go to mnfsto.com/apply and proceed with the application for your medium.

This years submissions have a $25 fee, with the exception of volunteer submitters. The fee is to pay for administrative costs attached to processing hundreds of applications. If you are unable to pay this fee, or have any questions, please contact info@themanifesto.ca

By applying you will get free admission to the event you apply for, as well as a 50% off admission for the summit.

Let us know on social media when you apply with the hashtag #mnfsto9 on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

INTRODUCING… ARTDATA!

By | Community, Dance, Events, Fashion, Music, Organizational, Programs, Visual Arts | No Comments

If you are a youth arts group in Toronto how do you measure success? It can’t be just about revenues. Or huge crowds to local events.

What we can measure is the cultural impact of Manifesto on our community at large.

Artdata is an interactive data visualization funded by the Laidlaw Foundation and the Toronto Arts Council that gathered data on the programs and reach of 12 youth arts groups across the city. The interactive map, the Toronto Star Website, and ArtData on our own website will be launched today.

Here is sneak peek at the footprint of the Manifesto programs of 2014.

ManifestoFootprint

So Toronto: this is how WE measure success! Total number of  programs across the city!

This is how we measure the global impact of our Manifesto messengers. Tour dates for 8 Manifesto messages between 1999-2003.

This is how our community – 12 other youth-arts led organizations – spell success! This is our collective footprint – measured by outreach programs, participation, audience and community partnerships.

manifestototalimpact

And if you want to see just how some of our young artists get around check this out!

Randell Screenshot

This is how you navigating the interactive visualization.

To see the impact of individual organizations, click on the stars across the map. To see the collective impact of our ecosystem click on the PARTICIPATION, TOTAL IMPACT AND SPONSOR buttons along the top of the map.

To view the impact of individual artists who have participated in youth-led arts groups, click on the ART TRAILS button.

Shout out to the Laidlaw Foundation and Toronto Arts Council who funded this project. #artdatatoronto

>> Launch ArtData

FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT FUNDRAISER

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flyer_back

The Second Annual FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT FUNDRAISER in honour of Dr. Mutulu Shakur will be on SUNDAY NOV 9 from 11.30am – 7:00pm at Six Degrees Community Acupuncture, 204 Spadina Avenue, Second Floor. 

This is an opportunity for everyone to explore different kinds of Traditional Medicine from Acupuncture, Yoga, Ayurvedic treatments, Shiatsu, Reiki and more all at PWYC and Sliding Scale rates in our HEAL & HONOUR space.  We will also be offering three informative panels on natural ways to keep healthy to EDUCATE & EMPOWER. This year we have also added an ART & ADVOCACY room with an interactive art space and photography exhibit by Amrit Singh breaking down barriers on how we see healing and most importantly, WHO we see receiving the healing.

The funds will be donated to the Friends and Family of Dr. Mutulu Shakur organization in NYC to support his legal defence, commissary, and publishing projects promoting justice for the Black community. In addition, partial proceeds will be given to Annishnawbe Health Toronto, to honour our Indigenous comrades whose land we practice on.

Dr. Mutulu Shakur is a Doctor of Acupuncture, Revolutionary, Freedom Fighter and Healer Activist.  He spearheaded a detox program using only Acupuncture at the Lincoln Memorial Hospital in the Bronx in the 1970s, started the first Black Acupuncture Organization (BAANA), and developed one of the first Acupuncture schools for Black and underprivileged peoples in Harlem to spread Traditional Medicine to those ignored in America.  In addition to his work as a Healer Activist, he was also a leader in the Black Freedom movement as a member and working with the Black Liberation Army, The Republic of New Afrika and The Black Panthers.  Dr. Shakur is also Tupac Shakur’s stepfather.

 

BOOKINGS CAN BE MADE AT: healeractivists@gmail.com, or by calling 416.662.0564, website: http://mutulushakur.com/site/2014/10/fight-the-good-fight-toronto-2014/

FB event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/853904977987630/

We were OVERBOOKED last year, so please book in ADVANCE to guarantee your treatments!

PLEASE NOTE: This is a safe space for all beings

 

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 9/14 SCHEDULE

 

CLASS SCHEDULE || FRONT ROOM (PWYC, suggested donation $10)

11:30AM-12:30PM – YOGA with Kim Crosby of Brown Girls Yoga & The People Project – ALL are welcome!

12:45PM-1:45PM – NADA (ear) Acupuncture Circle with Phil Jacobs (R.Ac) & Ann McKinnon – Acupuncture for Anxiety, Addictions, Stress

2:00PM-7:00PM – Photography Exhibit by Amrit Singh & Interactive Art Space

 

TREATMENT SCHEDULE || COMMUNITY SPACE (Sliding Scale $15-$50)

12:00PM-4:30PM – COMMUNITY ACUPUNCTURE with Kandiss Fernando (R.Ac), Rian Opeifa (R.Ac), Nada Askar (R.Ac), and Susanda Yee & Lamia Gibson of Six Degrees

5:00-7:00PM – Three mini-panels on Traditional Healthcare

 

TREATMENT SCHEDULE || PRIVATE SESSIONS (Sliding Scale $20-$60)

11:30AM-3:00PM – Book any individual treatments from:

–       Ayurvedic Head Massage and/or Ayurvedic Consultations with Sairupa Krishnamurti

–       Naturopathic Doctor Consultations with Melissa Chan, ND, Birth Doula

–       Acupuncture with Amrit Singh R.Ac (www.droptheneedle.ca)

–       Shiatsu and/or Acupuncture with Rian Opeifa R.Ac/Shiatsu Therapist

–       Acupuncture and/or Shiatsu with Lamia Gibson (www.pokeme.ca/)

–       Reiki Energy Work with nisha  ahuja (www.nishaahuja.com)