ISSUE 4 | APR

MADE IN CANADA
Artist
&
talent
SPOTLIGHT
I S S U E 0 4
A P R
Canada‘s Talent
Canada‘s Talent
MUSIC, FASHION, ENTERTAINMENT
Featuring interviews with artist such as
J.Riley , JuSTINA JL, B.ROB & Sierra Blacc.

A P R
04
I S S U E
1 9
1
03 Artist Spotlight
07 Interview
26 Fashion
32 Photography
40 Videographer
47 Rising Stars
2023

I’ve been making music since I was 14 but I didn’t start writing raps until I was 17. My first release
under my stage name “Fleetwood Huey” was in 2019 with my first EP “A lil’ Sumthin”. I’ve always
been a creative kid growing up doing everything from cooking, playing guitar,drawing, writing
stories and poetry. My oldest brother was a rapper and he would have me in his room listening
to his music and encouraging me to sing Melodie’s. It was only a matter of time before I
decided I wanted to express myself through music as well.
Plans for 2023? Album? Mixtape?
After taking a hiatus in 2022 to deal with some personal matters, I’m coming back to the
scene in 2023. Im focusing the first half of the year on releasing singles with a new
perspective and tone from my previous work as well as focusing on marketing, pr and
networking. I do plan on dropping my 3rd mixtape late December or early January next
year. I’m planning on taking time with my music to make sure there is progression in my art
Where are you from? City or province?
I’m from Surrey, British Columbia, In a small area called Fleetwood
Who inspires you in today’s music?
Since immersing myself in the Vancouver/Surrey music scene I’ve been getting a lot of
inspiration from my peers. The people I looked up to and was initially inspired by to do this music
thing seriously were artists like Joey Badass, Isaiah Rashad and Kendrick Lamar. However the
people that’s been inspiring me today are artists like Graveheart, Kiko, Malo, Jream, J-Rez and
5am Zeri.
CANADIAN TALENT
How long you been doing music? What inspired you?
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT
FLEETWOOD HUEY

Ever since I dropped my first EP Monsoon Season in 2020, I knew exactly what I wanted my first album to be.
The title is even hidden on a track in reverse. Now, that specific concept and album I don't know if I'm ready
to release that yet but there's definitely a project out this year to coincide with some big shows I've got
happening. Right now, I'm finalizing some dope features and finishing up the recording stage for that
project. It's something pretty different than my last EP, more out of the box. I'm excited as hell to share it
with y'all.
CANADIAN TALENT
It's always gonna be going back to the classic albums for me. Eminem, Biggie, Tribe, Hov. Lots of DMX
inspiriation for this next project. Really it's the ability to provide a different sound for this generation. The style
of rap I do isn't as big now as say, 10, 15 years ago. I like to describe my style as old-school lyricism over
new-school beats, it's an easy way to stand out and let people know my type of sound right off the bat. Just
like Run the Jewels, they're a huge wish-list feature for me. I actually met them over the summer, Mike even
called me "RTJ as a person". I just want to shock, I want to make you laugh and go "Damn." within the same
verse. I just want to inspire new artists like I was inspired as a kid. I wouldn't be here without rap.
I've been rapping my whole life - literally since like 8 or 9. My dad introduced me to rap with CD's playing
in the car on the daily. The classics, Jay-Z, Eminem, Biggie, Pac, he never liked Nas though! Throughout
middle and high school is when I really started taking my skill to the next level, first always impressing in
freestyles and then leveling up to writing my own songs. When I hit 16 or 17 I was like okay, this is it, this is
what I'm doing for the rest of my life as a career.
I'm from Toronto, Ontario. Growing up in such a big and busy city like Toronto
has definitely helped my creative process and given memories plenty of wild
stories to rap about.
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT
ETHAN TORRANCE
@jeffadamsofficial

I’ve been around music all my life. As a kid music was always being played in my house, my dad also
played guitar so i’d always be watching him. I played piano at a young age for a year or two, then
clarinet in elementary school. “I use to tell my friends I was able to play “how to love by lil wayne” When I
got to high school around gr 10 a couple of my friends rapped so we’d often end up free-styling and as
time went by freestyling became a habit for me, I loved everything about it. Then around 17 I recorded my
first song, it was nothing serious but it was good and It was my first introduction to a studio and having
someone engineer you as you record. From 17- 21 I was just steady working on my craft, writing songs
and verses everyday, freestyling as much as I could. I dropped my first song at 21 and now i’m 23. I’m still
constantly working on my craft daily and tryna level up, it’s a non stop journey of constantly elevating our
selves. So to
answer your question i’ve been making music for 6 years seriously.
CANADIAN TALENT
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT
ITS8OND
I was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario
I got singles dropping every month, and tons of hits in the vault. I’ve been thinking bout
dropping a body of work but there’s nothing “officially” planned yet
I’m constantly being inspired by new artists and old artists. These days with tiktok and instagram
i’m always seeing talented people on my feed. Latley tho I’ve been listening to a lot of Nipsey
Hustle, Future, 6lack, Baby Keem, and SZA

INTERVIEW WITH
B.ROB
Independent singer, songwriter and rapper, B.ROB
released his second offering, “Undeniable”. The
mixtape features 8 tracks, infusing B.ROB’s signature
style with opulent beat selection, and matter-of-fact
storytelling. Combining wit and reality to tell tales of
love, loss and personal evolution, B.ROB lends his
artistry to what he calls R&B for the streets. B.ROB has
been song writing his whole life, but made the decision
to focus on recording his own music while in
quarantine. B.ROB is bound for greatness.
08 • HIP HOP MAGAZINE

“We recently
dropped a
Mixtape entitled
“Undeniable” on
March 9th, 2023.”
Q: Is there a particular artist signed or unsigned that you’d like to work/feature
with?
Q: How long have you been doing music? And what inspired you?
Q: Where we’re you born? City you live? or rep?
Q: Music plans for 2023? What can the people expect? Etc (Album,Mixtape)
Q: Who or what inspires you musically?
Q: How was your childhood? Was music a big thing in your family?
A: “I’ve been doing music since Summer 2020 - I was helping some friends write
songs and recording demos when I realized I should really be doing this myself,
the demos sounded crazy and my people said to put it out!”
A: “I was born in Scarborough, Ontario to Jamaican parents. I rep the EST
(East Side of Toronto) where I was Established.“
A: “We recently dropped a Mixtape entitled “Undeniable” on March 9th, 2023. It’s
Different. Truly Undeniable. More Music On The Way as well! Check out my “400
Series” on YouTube for some unreleased freestyle raps not available on DSPs.“
A: “Life inspires me. I write music about my personal experiences and the
stories/experiences of my friends and family. Some of the artists that have
helped influence my sound include: 50 Cent, Jay-Z, Drake, Lloyd Banks, Ma$e &
The Notorious B.I.G.”
A: “I always gravitated towards the music. Hip-hop, Rap, R&B, Soul & Dancehall
helped raise me. I played Piano & Drums in the school band and at Church
growing up. I also used it to be a DJ in my university days.”
A: “There’s a few artists I have plans to do some features with over the
summer so stay tuned for more new music coming soon.. Other artists I would
love to make a song with are legends like Jay Z, 50 Cent & Drake.”

U N D E N I A B L E T H E M I X T A P E
I just want to make good music that
people can listen and resonate with.
Q: Have you experienced any obstacles that you have had to
overcome within the industry?
A: “Yes & No. In the short time I have been apart of the
industry I feel like I have gained the respect and support
of most of the other artists and industry professionals I
have encountered. I also think I have been super under
rated and over looked. Time humbles everyone though.
I know more obstacles are coming, that’s just a part of
the game!”
A: “Create a tape better than the last.. “Keeping Me
Honest” It was free ball, I just wanted to show growth
and improvement.“
Q: What was your thought process while creating ‘undeniable’ ? Did you
go into the project with a direction or free ball?
A: “B.ROB on all Digital Streaming Platforms. All my
social links are available here: https://linktr.ee/b.rob
but @b.rob.est on IG/TikTok”
Q: Where can the fans find you (socials networks)
Q:The record ‘undeniable’ has the feel of some old
Jay-Z! Congratulations big tune by far the best on
the tape IMO. Was that your intentions when
recording that record? What was your thought
process going into this record?
A: “I just wanted to make the best rap song of all time. I
made it with my bro Moor, I went crazy on my verse
then he blacked out on his verse so I had to switch up
the beat and try and out rap him haha”

B.ROB
Q: What would you consider the most impactful record on the tape in your
opinion? Do you have a favourite?
A: “Most impactful so far would be “Treason” It went viral on TikTok and then
were able to do a couple initiatives surrounding that single push - an open verse
challenge, a BeatStars beat remix competition, flew to the UK to shoot the
music video to name a few. We also have this filter on @estworldwide
instagram where you can become part of the cover art which is pretty cool. My
favourite on the tape would probably be Undeniable.”
Q: What do you want the fans to take from you’re music? (Youth,day ones,
family,the world)
A: “I just want to make good music that people can listen and resonate with.
I think my music is relatable to a lot of people and my pen game is
different.”
Q: When you’re in the booth do you feel pressure? Do you go into your
sessions alone or with a team?
A: “No pressure, I perform under Pressure! But there is definitely times
where I go to the studio and don’t get anything down. Some days I go
crazy and record multiple songs, some days I just go to listen to beats &
write. I usually go with my manager and some of the team, but there are
days where I am all alone. My main energy ngineer moved to New
Zealand - so it’s really just me sometimes and John on FaceTime
running ProTools remotely. When the music is close to being done, I’ll
bring in others to come hear it and help make the final tweaks.”
Q: Before we wrap this up is there anyone you’d like to
give a shout to?
A: “Shout out to MadeinCanadaHipHop for having me! Shout out to
everyone around the world streaming and supporting the music.
Shout out to my team EST. Undeniable The Mixtape by B.ROB Out
Now”!

INTERVIEW WITH
JUSTINA JL
Sometimes when you hear a song for the first
time, you just know. That was the case with
Toronto based, Bahama-raised artist Justina JL’s
debut single “Truesay.” There is something special
about Justina JL that feels like the beginning of
something important. Justina JL is an upcoming
R&B singer from the Bahamas, who now resides in
Toronto, Canada.

Being a
woman in
this industry
is hard as it
is”
A: Two years, I started January 2021 I started music as a form of therapy while
going through a hard time in my life and dealing with a 5 year marriage that had
came to a end . It started out as therapy for me until I realize how much talent I
really had once I decided to not just be a shower singer .
A: I was born in a city called Nassau from The Bahamas . I currently
live in Vaughan
Q: Music plans for 2023? What can the people expect? Etc (Album,Mixtape)
A: Late part of 2022 I had lost my voice for nearly 5 months and tore my vocal
cords. Now that we are in 2023 I am just getting back into the music world and
working on doing way more performances and making my presence known in
the city. You can also expect a album from me before the year is out.
A: Seeing so many young women make a statement in the music world is a
video stand inspiration that there is a place in this industry for me and a
constant reminder that talent is nothing without consistent hard work .
Q: What do you want the fans to take from you’re music? (Youth,day ones,
family,the world)
A: I hope that me singing different genres of music that it can help my fans
relate to different tracks in different ways and reach different people and
walks of life . Wether that be sad music , love music or even party turn up
music . Once it touches someone’s soul I’ll be happy.

THE SECRET TO SUCCESS IS SIMPLE
Q: Do you feel Canadian talent is
under looked? Or the eyes are on
us?
Different songs or vibes call for
different types of studio sessions.”
A: I had a rough child hood growing up in the hood on the island
and going to public school where I found myself in a lot of
situations but thanks to my mom who was a single parent she
raised me the right way through it all and taught me the value of
life .
Music was always a big part of my life and how I expressed myself
but for the most part I was just a shy shower singer lol.
Q: When your in the booth do you feel pressure? Do you go into
your sessions alone or with a team?
A: Different songs or vibes call for different types of studio
sessions. Sometimes and most times I am alone and sometimes
I go in there with friends and turn up a little and just record and
vibe .
A: I feel like Canadian talent is
definitely under looked , however in
the last two years I feel like we are
being put out to the world more and
more and slowly getting more
recognition which is amazing.
Q: where can the fans find you
(socials networks)
A: I am on all streaming platforms
as Justina JL or you can find me on
Instagram at Justinajl_

JUSTINAJL
Q: Have you experienced any obstacles that you have had to overcome
within the industry?
A: Ive experience as a female in the industry it can be a blessing and a curse . I’ve
experienced a few situations where you can be given a feature and when something
doesn’t go a certain way or you don’t do something they want they will hold the track
or when certain artist take you as a threat they will block opportunities for you . I also
learned that a lot of males in the industry do not know how to keep things professional
making it hard for women to work with them.
Q: Is there a particular artist signed or unsigned that you’d like to work/feature
with?
A: I’d really love to work with kehlani. I love the energy and live she brings
through her music and on stage with her fans .
Q: Do you feel Canadian talent is under looked? Or the eyes are on us?
A: I feel like Canadian talent is definitely under looked , however in the last two
years I feel like we are being put out in to the world more and more and slowly
getting more recognition which is amazing.
Q: Is there anyone you’d like to give a shout to?
A: I’d like to give a big shoutout to my Best Friend Nick Swabez who is also a artist
who pushed me to start recording and work on my talent and who also took me to my
first engineer Austin Lee where I recorded my first track. I’d also like to shout out my
mom and all my closet friends who come out to my shows and always give honest
feed back to my unreleased tracks and show nothing but support and love .

INTERVIEW WITH
J.RILEY
Independent UK rap artist JRiley hails from Luton, north
of London. Heavily influenced by his mother’s singing
career from a young age, JRiley has grown up
surrounded by music with artists such as Michael
Jackson and Kanye West to look up to. JRiley became
involved in the grime scene that emerged whilst finding
his feet in school and he went from spitting bars in the
playground to developing a niche sound at the age of
26. His sound can be described as a more melodic form
of rap which slots him perfectly into the rapidly evolving
UK hip-hop scene.

I have a
project
‘Roughchild’
dropping April
27th 2023”
Q: Music plans for 2023? What can the people expect? Etc
(Album,Mixtape)
A: “Not many people know, but I was born in Birmingham and when I was
around 12 I moved to Luton and spent my teen years there”
A: “ I have a project ‘Roughchild’ dropping April 27th 2023, due to be the
most vulnerable open music I ever made testing out my new sense of
awareness and tapping into all sides of my emotions.“
A: “my life and my experiences, I try not to look too far externally for
inspiration because I feel that the best inspiration comes from within. What
you do with your time what you think about those events, and what you feel
when they’re happening, that’s where the true inspiration comes from.”
A: “music was huge in my family. My mother is a singer and my dad
plays the drums.”
A: I’ve been making music my whole life, main inspiration was my
parents but I became influenced by the UK grime scene and after that
the hip hop and rap scene.

M Y R E A S O N W H Y
Nobody is right it’s all just a bunch
of opinions, in the end yours is the
only one you have to live with.”
Q: Have you experienced any obstacles that you have
had to overcome within the industry?
A: “Of course, people telling you this isn’t good enough
or telling you we think you sound better doing xyz, I
think it’s always good to pick sense from the nonsense.
Listen to everything but make your own opinion based
on what you’ve heard. Nobody is right it’s all just a
bunch of opinions, in the end yours is the only one you
have to live with.“
A: “ Im not somebody who speaks
on a day to day about how I feel, I
would rather put that into the music
so I want people to listen and
understand how I’m feeling why I’m
feeling this way and what I do to
deal with this emotions, we’re all
human so maybe it will inspire
someone to understand it’s normal
to feel the way we do and you can
make it out of whatever dark zone
you might find yourself in.“
Q: What do you want the fans to
take from you’remusic?
(Youth,day ones, family,the
world)
Q: where can the fans find you (socials networks)
A: “JRileyRC on everything everywhere“

J.RILEY
Q: When you're in the booth do you feel pressure? Do you go into your
sessions alone or with a team?
A: Aint no pressure it’s all in your head, I don’t feel pressure because I’m
making music for me first, I think pressure appears when you start making or
creating for anybody other than yourself, you let others expectations of you
enter the room and it gets tekky.
Q: On your projects ‘my reason why’ & ‘life of Riley’ did you
intentionally go into those projects knowingly vulnerable? What
was your thought process going into those projects?
A: like I said earlier l, I don’t like to speak on my emotions so when I do
make music that’s my time to say how I feel, it’s not intention it just
happens, I don’t like to make music in any other way.
Q: Do you feel United Kingdom talent is under looked?
A: Uk talent isn’t overlooked it’s just new and like anything it takes
time to really take over the whole world but slowly everyone is
starting to see the UK has hella talent
Q: Is there a particular artist signed or unsigned that
you’d like to work/feature with?
A: I really like JRiley and I think he’s cold
A: “Ty Dre that’s my darg wavey artist from Canada, Aiko a very dope
tattoo artist from Toronto she just got me right with some new ink, and of
course Made In Canada mag for the love and interest you’ve shown to
me it’s love.”

INTERVIEW WITH
SIERRA BLACC
Sierra Blacc is a naturally talented singer/songwriter
and recording artist in Toronto, Canada. She’s always
had a passion for music, singing since the age of three
and learning to play instruments during childhood
including the viola, flute, piano and guitar. She began
experimenting with and developing her sound in May
2020 by blending her old school R&B influences with
her contemporary ones. Since then, she’s released ten
singles and has gained streaming success with editorial
placements such as Mood Ring and R&B Right Now.

What ultimately
inspired me to
pursue music was
the passion, the
love I have for it”
A: My first words were 'twinkle twinkle little star' so I've literally been singing
since I could talk. That's what it says in my baby book anyway.
I sang in school choirs and learned to play a few different instruments in
school. When I was in grade school, I played the recorder (soprano and tenor)
and the viola. In middle school, I played the flute. I took some private piano
lessons for a bit and taught myself some guitar for fun.
What ultimately inspired me to pursue music was the passion, the love I have
for it and the desire to share my gift with the world.
Q: Music plans for 2023? Album? Mixtape?
A: I was born in Toronto, lived in different areas of Toronto and areas
outside of Toronto but Toronto's my home and always will be. It's where I
feel most comfortable and even though I live outside of the city for now, I
spend most of my time in Toronto so I'm reppin' it.
A: Oh, I got plans for days. I don't wanna say too much, just expect more
music, more videos, more vibes, and more Sierra Blacc.
Q: where can the fans find you (socials networks)
A: Instagram: @sierrablacc | Twitter: @sierrablacc | TikTok: @sierrablacc
YouTube: @sierrablacc | Soundcloud: @sierrablacc

I just want my music to give listeners
those impactful moments that really
resonate. “
Q: When you're in the booth do you feel pressure? Do you go
into your sessions alone or with a team?
A: I used to feel the pressure and got a little nervous when I
was in the booth, especially when I first started recording
music. I knew I could sing, I knew what I could do vocally
outside the booth when I was on my own, I just needed to
build my confidence and find my voice in the booth.
D E T E R M I N E D T O W I N
Q: Have you experienced any
obstacles that you have had to
overcome within the industry?
A: I've experienced and overcome a
lot of different obstacles in the music
industry. It is what it is. There are
obstacles you gotta overcome in
every industry. At the end of the day,
all you can do is roll with the
punches, learn from those
experiences and just keep it pushing.
Q: What do you want the fans to take from your music?
(Youth,day ones, family,the world)
A: I want the fans to connect and resonate with my music. I
want the fans to be able to relate to the feelings, emotions
and lyrics. I want everybody, (my friends, family, day ones,
the world, especially the youth), to understand that they
really can achieve anything they put their minds to if they
truly want something and work towards it.

SIERRABLACC
A: My childhood was great! I grew up in a home with a lot of love and had a close
relationship with my family. My parents loved listening to music so there was always music
playing at the house. If it wasn't my parents playing their music, it was me or my sister
playing ours so there was anything from Top40 to Pop, to R&B, to Disco, to Classic Rock, to
Latin, to Country to Hip-Hop and everything in between playing at all times.
Q: Is there a particular artist signed or unsigned that you’d like to
work/feature with?
A: Hell yea! There's so many of them but just to name a few I wanna work
with: The Weeknd, Tory Lanez, Russ, Bryson Tiller, Jessie Reyez, RealestK,
Rihanna, 6LACK, Metro Boomin and Scott Storch
Q: Do you feel Canadian talent is overlooked? Or the eyes are
on us?
A: I feel like the eyes are really and truly on us right now. We may have
been overlooked but we have artists like Drake, The Weeknd, Tory
Lanez, Justin Bieber, and others to thank. They've garnered
international attention because of their music, talent, success etc. which
has ultimately provided us a spotlight of worldwide interest in what
Canadian talent has to offer.
A: I wanna give a shout out to my fans, supporters, team,
friends and family - you know who you are, thank you for
everything you do and everything you are. I love you all, and
this is just the beginning so buckle the fuck up for the ride!
A: Music inspires me when I listen to it and when I make it. Starting a project from nothing
with either a reference, a concept, a mood, a voice note I've taken or a hook I've written,
building the production, writing and recording the lyrics, mixing it, mastering it and having
a finished product that you're proud of is one of the most inspiring things for me. I get a lot
of inspiration from listening to music as well because when I listen to a song, I really take
everything in as a music fan and an artist. It helps me grow as an artist because it
inspires me creatively. I know the feelings or emotions I experience or thoughts and
memories I have when I listen to certain tracks, I just want my music to give listeners
those impactful moments that really resonate. Listening to music inspires me to make
music, and when I make music, it inspires me to make even more music and better
music. I'm also inspired by other artists or producers that I've met, seen in action at the
studio, and who I've had the pleasure of working with in the past or still work with today.

COOKIES
TORONTO
CANNABIS CULTURE ISSUE 04 | APR
Canada's first Cookies store opened in Toronto on Jan. 29, 2022.
The brand gets its name from the fact that one of the founders, rapper Berner,
invented the popular cannabis strain Girl Scout Cookies, and he's still legendary for
it to this day.By this point, Cookies has also become known as a community and
lifestyle brand with merch that's sometimes as sought after as their weed.

KOLLAR
URBAN FASHION
ISSUE 04 | APR

URBAN
SIMPLICITY
David Kollar, born in Slovakia, arrived in
Canada with his mother and sister at a
young age. In the early years, he started
to become interested in streetwear by
purchasing and selling exclusive products
he bought online. Kollar has always had a
keen eye for design, and a strict attention
to detail. At the age of 16 he started his
own t-shirt line, styling friends and
becoming an aesthetic influencer among
his peers. A small dream turned into his
first mens cut and sew collection; Kollar
Clothing in 2011. In 2013, David Kollar
made his first trek to the Liberty Fairs in
Las Vegas.
Kollar Clothing is a multimillion-dollar
men’s lifestyle streetwear brand
delivering luxury apparel at an
accessible price point. Currently
available and sold in over 120
retailers across the world and online.

LUXURY
CLOTHING BRAND
Born in 2011, KOLLAR CLOTHING is
the result of refusing to conform. We
were born out of the want to make
clothes for those that think
differently, regardless of industry;
whether it be fashion, music, art, film,
etc. We salute the people that aren’t
satisfied with “normal”, that want to
challenge the status quo & be
different. Every member of our team
wasn’t satisfied with the traditional
norms of success & decided to pave
our own path, and so we want to be
the brand that you think of to keep
you looking your best while you pave
yours. NEVER CONFORM, STAY TRUE
TO YOUR IDENTITY IN ANY
SITUATION, WE’LL BE HERE TO MAKE
SURE YOU LOOK YOUR BEST WHILE
DOING THAT!! 28 • HIP HOP MAGAZINE

CONTACT
I
S
S
U
E
0
4
|
A
P
R
EMAIL
customerservice@kollarclothing.com
WEBSITE
www.kollarclothing.com
INSTAGRAM
@KOLLARCLOTHING
OUR APPEAL LIES WITHIN THE DELICATE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HIGHLY INNOVATIVE DESIGNS EXECUTED IN
THE MOST REFINED AND SIMPLISTIC MEANS AS POSSIBLE. KOLLAR CLOTHING ONLY DISTRIBUTES THE
GARMENTS TO HANDPICKED BOUTIQUES WITH A STRONG SENSE OF LIFESTYLE, TO KEEP THE RICHNESS OF
THE BRAND ALIVE.
Kollar Clothing began being showcased in sold-out shows at TOM Toronto Men’s
Fashion Week, World Master Card Fashion Week and was featured in media
ranging from
Espagne GQ to the Huffington Post to prime time American network television
shows on Netflix. The self-taught designer, who was inspired by his mother’s
talent as a seamstress and motivated by his desire to create great apparel, was
rising to the top of the world of men’s fashion. While Kollar’s lines and influence
grew, his focus remained the same: to create for the selective.

PHOTOGRAPHY
ISSUE 04 | APRIL 2023
TYPICAL MITUL

Mitul Shah is a photographer dedicated to
capturing thoughtful and memorable experiences.
Specializing in cityscapes and architectural
photography (as well as live music recently), he’s
worked with brands such as Google, Delta Hotels
and has been featured in the Metro News.
I S S U E 0 4 | A P R

Depends! It can range from ~48 hours to a couple
weeks depending on the client and how much
time I spend editing until I feel the photos are
"complete."
I picked up photography during my second
year at Ryerson, almost ~8 years ago now.
Things grew for me quickly, and I was able to
thrive by capturing cityscapes and
architectures through Toronto. I had my work
featured all over Blog TO and Metro News. Over
the course of the pandemic, I took a break to
figure out what's next and I've leaned into
becoming a stronger concert photographer,
where I've got the opportunity to cover Pusha-
T, Roy Woods, DVSN and much more.
MITUL
TYPICAL
Q: How long you’ve been doing photography for?
Q: where you were born and raised?
I was born in Kenya, and my parents
immigrated to Scarborough when I was in
second grade. Scarborough played a huge role
in shaping my creative hobbies through
countless after-school programs.
Q: What made you choose photography & prior to
shooting do you have ideas in mind for visuals?
It was a natural result of having a deep love for
Toronto and wanting to explore every inch of it
– as I walked around neighbourhoods, I always
had my camera on me to capture whatever I
could find interesting. For my personal work, I
don't usually plan much other than where I'd
like to be. For professional work, I'll usually put
together a moodboard with the client to get an
overall vibe and see what location would be
best for the shoot.
Q: What’s The Image Turnaround Time?
Q: where you can be located (Social media
you use)?
Instagram: @typicalmitul
Twitter: @typicalmitul
Portfolio: https://typicalmitul.com
Q: how did you get good at photography?
Q: which lens is your favourite? Why?
A: “As cliche as it sounds, practice made
perfect. I spent hoursjust walking around
Toronto and capturing anything that
appealed to me”.
A:“No doubt the 24-70, as it is the most
versatile and 90% of the time the only one I
need to carry. Being able to capture many
different styles of photography with just one
lens is the best.
Q: what is your favourite settings?
A: “I always shoot in aperture priority, mainly
because most my photos are taken while on
the move and I don’t have time to adjust all my
settings if I were on manual. I also don’t believe
there is one setting better than the other, all
depends on what you shoot.
Q: whose work has influenced you most?
Most of my work was deeply
influenced by Jamal Burger, Scott
Borrero and Vivian Maier. Being able
to capture brighter things within
gritty cities has been the kind of vibe
I’ve been pulled to.

T O R O N T O ’ S F I R S T
4 / 2 0 & M U S I C E X P O
L L O Y D B A N K S + P E T E R J A C K S O N
L I V E E N T E R T A I N M E N T , G I V E A W A Y S , V E N D O R S & A L O T M O R E

Q: Have you experienced any obstacles that you have
had to overcome within the industry?
A: Some of the obstacles that I had to experience in the industry
when trying to make your way up is one, you are competition to
other directors they’re automatically not going to like that. Some
of them will go the extra mile to talk shit or take you down, say
your copying other people, that’s one obstacle. Another obstacle
is when your trying to offer Artist free videos to get your name
out there or try to do videos for these bigger artist, they're not
going to want to work with you because one, maybe your work is
not good at the time or two, they’re only going to want to put on
their people. It doesn’t matter how good you are in this industry,
if you grew up in a neighbourhood with a famous rapper and
your from his hood you might be better then that guy but he is
going to choose that guy over you, because that artist grew up in
his hood and he knows him so it’s very hard to try and get big
artist to do videos with you.
Q: what inspires you when your shooting music videos?
Do you already see the direction of a video before
shooting
A: What inspires me to shoot music videos is the fact it’s my
passion, I love it. It's not a job to me, that’s where I get lucky.
It only becomes a job when things get annoying, when artist
want a millions changes on their video or they’re being
annoying about something. Other then that, that’s my
favourite thing about doing it, thats what inspires me to do it.
Someone that inspired me to do it was ‘M works’ 3-4 years
ago before I started doing this, I was dead broke. I felt like a
failure, I was depressed and to myself. I was like I can’t go
down like this and I used to pay m works to do my videos back
in the day. He's the one who inspired me to do it because I’m
like this guys showing up, he gets to have fun with us,
everyone’s offering him free shots. His job looks fun and easy
the man made 5 bills today like what! I’m like I gotta wake up
and start doing this too, because I know I have a talent for
shooting and editing videos.
In terms of the direction of a music video shoot, you could
tell me like no details. You could tell me just pull up to this
spot, we going to start shooting. Thats no problem, I don’t
need to sit there for two hours before the shoot and plan out
a shot list. I’m a visual learner, I’m a hands on guy. so I know
what to do already, just give me a location and something to
work with and I’ll make it work. I’ll do different angles in one
location, different lenses, I’ll hide behind something to get
different angles and make it work.

Q: How would you describe your video style?
A: My video style I’m not too sure, I got inspiration from a bunch of different editors
and directors. I put it all into one you know, some of them may not be happy about
that but the thing is there is only so many effects you can do in this game. So when
artist come and say I seen you do the same effect as someone else’s video, well duh
because there is only so many effects we can do. If I’m doing 15-20 videos a month
how much is that per year? You want me to do completely different effects for every
video, that’s almost impossible! you know what I mean? there’s only so much we can
do, we can’t do Walt Disney productions over here where we’re like making a fat
person skinny or like doing super advanced effects you see in transformers videos, I
don’t know how to do that. Obviously I got my inspiration and direction from other
editors you know.
Q: what is your ideal turnaround time ?
My turn around time is really quick compared to a lot of the directors in the city,
that’s why a lot of artist work with me. I usually say week and a half, there have been
times where I took longer then a week and a half where I took like 2 weeks. I’ve had
some emergency cases where I’ve taken 3 weeks but people still love working with
me and they came back even after I took that long, because like I said those were
very rare occasions. Some videos I can finish in 2-3 days sometimes I finish videos in
24 hours for really big artist so it all depends you know.
Q: Born and raised? How long you’ve been shooting for?
Born and raised in Toronto, Canada. I’ve been shooting for about 4 years,.
Q: Who’s an artist you’d like to work with that you have not? (Signed or unsigned)
An artist I would like to work for obviously thats drake, that’s the top of the
top if you get that then your life’s going to change type thing you know.
Q: What other social media do you use other than Instagram?
Social media we just use Instagram, we have an email but it’s better to
message on Instagram, because we’ll reply way faster.

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R I S I N G
S T A R S
C A N A D I A N
NORTHSIDE BENJI
NorthsideBenji is a Canadian
musician known for his
mellow, darkly futuristic
brand of hip-hop.
LIL OT
Lil Ot is a rising Canadian
rapper out of Hamilton,
Ontario.
EVERYTHINGOSHAUN
EverythingOShauN - ALA
BEKE the official video is
Out Right Now
AR PAISLEY
Paisley began his career by
releasing his debut album
"Screwface" in 2017.
MANDIA MUSIC
Mandia is a Ottawa born
Greek Canadian, she’s a Hip
Hop/R&B /Soul sensation.
CHOLOCASH
Cholocash is in a lane all by
himself within the Toronto
music scene, choosing to
take risks with his sound.

N O R T H S I D E B E N J I
B R A M P T O N
A second EP, Frienemy, arrived in September 2019, as did several
supporting singles including "Secret" with Neena Rose and "Too
Soft" with Houdini. He also appeared alongside British rapper
Nine's track "Don't Change" in 2020. Tragically, Houdini was shot
and killed in May 2020 while walking in downtown Toronto. The
following year, Benji released his full-length debut album, The
Extravagant Collection, which he dedicated to Houdini. Northside
Benji keeping fans fed with the release of his new Prophecy EP that
dropped in February of 2023 The EP consists of five songs, none of
which previously came out as singles. In the hours leading up to
Prophecy dropping, Benji put out “5 AM in London.” The song also
came with an accompanying video composed of unused shots Benji
had filmed in London. The rest of the Prophecy EP continues on the
same spacey aesthetic used on “5 AM in London,” with songs like
“Green Light” and “Blue Jay” showing off Benji’s more introspective
side.
NorthsideBenji is a Canadian musician known for his mellow, darkly
futuristic brand of hip-hop. Benji broke through to wider recognition
with his 2019 track "Levels" featuring the late Toronto rapper
Houdini. The song was included on his debut EP Caviar Dreams,
which was followed the same year by the Frienemy EP. All of this
paved the way for NorthsideBenji's 2021 full-length, The
Extravagant Collection. Benji grew up in Bramptont, Ontario and
started rapping and writing his own freestyle songs in his teens. He
began posting tracks online around 2016 and eventually signed with
the independent Music 4 Life, issuing the 2017 track "Confessions."
In 2019, he released the single "Levels" featuring fellow Canadian
rapper and longtime friend Houdini. The song caught on, eventually
achieving gold certification status. Both "Levels" and "Confessions"
were included on Benji's debut EP, Caviar Dreams, which found him
working with producers BricksDaMane, Tahj Money, and others.

L I L O T
H A M I L T O N
Lil Ot is a Canadian rapper out of Hamilton, Ontario. Lil Ot released his debut
single with a melodic vibe called "First Day Out" on January 24th, 2020 currently
sitting at 199.5K views on youtube as of March 2023.. He is currently unsigned.He
then released in order, "Norf", "Love Lost", "True Story", "Street Lights", "Jungle",
"Letter 2 My Dawg" and "Betrayal". He also opened for Lil Berete at his former high
school, performing at the time unreleased songs such as "Love Lost" and "Norf".
Fast forward to January 12th 2023 Lil OT dropped his debut album titled
‘Jamesville’ which quickly hit the top 10 charts on Apple Music.

E V E R Y T H I N G O S H A U N
T O R O N T O
EverythingOShauN was born to immigrant
parents of Nigerian and Jamaican descent,
widely regarded as two of the most influential
nations of the world. With Bob Marley and Fela
Kuti being the music forefathers along with the
influence of the Toronto sound,
EverythingOShauN naturally brings a blend of
melodic, bold and carefully thought out
soundtracks. These sounds are pulled from his
determination, his aspirations and deep
reflection with the help of producer and
brother, Xpress aka DJXP.
EverythingOShauN started the year 2020 off to a
running start and did not slow down. Tracks like
Come and See & Queen, Odinma & Worldwide lead
up to the Maybe It’s Nothing Maybe It’s Everything
album release in November to which OShauN hit
the 1Million Stream mark before the year ended.
For 2021, EverythingOShauN released the mellow
Nothing Is Stopping Everything EP and that was
only the beginning. OShauN also created original
music which was featured in Doordash official
documentary, Soul of the City while his track,
Come and See was featured in a TIFF film and hit
Starz television series, Heels.

A R P A I S L E Y
M I S S I S S A U G A
AR Paisley (born Amarit Rehal in 1997) is a Canadian rapper and songwriter. Paisley began
his career by releasing his debut album "Screwface" in 2017. His second album "Timeless"
was released in 2019. He released his most recent album "AR Paisley Vs AR Money" in
2020. His musical influences include Ludacrisand 50 Cent, as well as the late Tupac
Shakurand Biggie Smalls. The XXL Magazine dubbed him as "a lyrical student of Jay-Z and
Ludacris" while the Sidedoor Magazine included him in the list of top Canadian artists to
look out for in 2021. His claim to notability arrived when popular Toronto meme
Instagram account 6ixbuzztv posted, asking its followers to name the city's most
underrated rapper, and the comments were immediately flooded with mentions of AR
Paisley.

M A N D I A M U S I C
T O R O N T O
Mandia is a Ottawa born Greek Canadian, this
Hip Hop/R&B /Soul sensation Mandia grew up
singing and dancing across festival stages in
Ontario since the tender age of 8 years old.
This led her to a passion of perfecting her
vocals and spending years studying classical
and the theory of music. Her talent and strong
and powerful vocals led her to reach a spectrum
of music lovers much in the same way as her
music heroes Celine Dion, Beyonce, Mariah
Carey, Whitney Houston and Christina Aguilera
have.
As she performed and shared her music on You Tube she
garnered the attention of music producers in both
Canada and the U.S. which led her to working with some
of the top songwriters and music producers in the
industry at only the age of 15 years old.These were
collaborations of Grammy Award-winning producers
1500 or Nothin and Songwriter James Fauntleroy
(Beyoncé, Rihanna, Justin Timberlake) in the U.S. and
Kuya Productions (JRDN, Shaun Desman, Nelly). In her
teen years, her work has appeared on Much Music, YTV,
ETalk, Family Channel, and radio.

C H O L O C A S H
T O R O N T O
Cholocash is in a lane all by himself within the Toronto music scene, choosing to take risks
with his sound instead of following existing formulas. A lot of artists can rap and sing, but
at a young age Cholocash has demonstrated an ear for making songs with strong writing,
catchy hooks, and powerful radio-ready Pop Rock vocals. As one of the hardest working
artists coming out of Toronto, he continues to garner praise from both young audiences and
OG’s alike. He even got a cosign from Canadian hip-hop pioneer Maestro Fresh Wes who
recently praised him for his hard work. He provided fans with a behind the scenes look at a
new music video shot at the Canadian National Exhibition so there’s more in the stash. But
despite his growing momentum, he’s faced some setbacks over the past year, but for him it’s
all motivation.

NORTH SIDE
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ISSUE 4 | APR

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