Bang Bang, Windows Up

Is it just me, or has there been a trend of crimes lately? It just seems that in a short span of time, a string of shootings have occurred in Toronto and surrounding areas... One after another...

First, the shooting at Eaton Centre sparked community mayhem in the downtown core of Toronto. Then... Little Italy, another shooting at a cafe. Scarborough had their own shooting recently at a parking lot of Kennedy and Hwy 401 and two shootings on Saturday-- a shooting in Richmond Hill and one in North York. On Sunday, a double shooting also occurred at Dufferin and Rogers in the city's West end.

Sunday Funday

Toronto was full of crazy events this weekend.
We had Raekwon, Ghostface and Canada's own JD Era perform Sunday night at Dundas Square for NXNE Music Festival. Approximately 8,000 people were in attendance, with two lucky attendees chosen from the crowd to perform "Protect Ya Neck". The same interactive performance took place at the Ghostface concert in Oshawa back in November of 2011 and its likely that this is a routine performance taken on my Wu members at their shows. The two guest performers were hyped up with energy and took on the role like champs.

A Damn Shame

It's a damn shame when people are soliciting money for a good cause, just for their own gain. By using this scam, an announcement has been sent by Autism Speaks:

"***IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT*** Autism Speaks has been told, by our supporters, that they have been solicited for donations from an organization identifying itself as the Autism Spectrum Disorder Foundation, implying that they either work with or for Autism Speaks. THEY DO NOT. Autism Speaks has no affiliation or association with the Autism Spectrum Disorder Foundation. Autism Speaks does not use an outside group or authorize any other group to raise money on our behalf through direct calls to individuals. In addition, Autism Speaks does not ever use automated calling to solicit donations."
http://www.autismspeaks.org/news/news-item/autism-speaks-warning-deceptive-solicitation-calls

Sad part is, it is not just the people that made a donation that are the victims of this scam, but the individuals diagnosed with autism and their families.

Cold world.

Father's Day Events in Toronto

Forget the commercials on buying dads the usual Gillette razors and Ties... I mean really, how many razors and how many ties does one need that every year, it's the saaaaame gift. Let that beard grow and rock a polo to work....If you want to go for the usual gifts, do it. But more important than gifting is showing. 


Father's Day Events:


:: Pegasus Hospitality Group is responsible for the information and reservations to a Father's Day brunch this Sunday which also includes a tour.


Time: 10:30am-1pm
Where: Toronto's Casa Loma
Contacts: 416-533-1573 www.casaloma.org


:: Tasty Tours presents Father's Day Sweets Tour at Ding Dong Bakery this Sunday which includes tours, discounts, samples and more. Enjoy Father's Day at Kensington Market.


Time: 11:30pm-1:30pm
Where: Ding Dong Bakery 321 Spadina Avenue Toronto (at Nassau)
Price: Adults $30, Children $10
Contacts: www.tastytourstoronto.com


:: Beer and Beach BBQ? Sounds like a plan this weekend. Grab your swimsuits (no speedos please!), sun screen and your appetite. This event is expecting a good 12,000 people this weekend. Buy dad a beer... get some bbq... go home and fall asleep.


Time: 
Friday, June 15 – 3pm to 11pm
Saturday, June 16 – 12pm to 11 pm
Sunday, June 17 – 12pm to 8pm

Where: Woodbine Beach (Coxwell & Lakshore)

Price: Free

Contacts: www.beachbbqandbrews.com

:: PHILLY'S GOING DOOOOOWN.... TD Bank presents The Toronto Blue Jays vs. The Philadelphia Phillies this Sunday. Take dad to a Jays game for the afternoon! First 20,000 attendees will receive a replica Jays batting helmet. 

Time: 1:07pm

Where: Rogers Centre (1 Blue Jays Way)

Contacts: 416-341-1234 www.bluejays.com

SHUT UP and DO.

Have you ever had to resort to drinking muddy water?
No? Then SHUT UP.


Let's not rank parts of the globe as "first world" and "third world" but as DEVELOPING and DEVELOPED.


Let's not believe that we have no responsibilities (individually, as a group, as a nation) at all whatsoever when it comes to people that are not blessed with privileges as you are.


What is really disturbing is that some people are unable to walk bare feet in the place of one that does not have access to basic necessities and still have the audacity to remove themselves as part of the solution.


I recently had someone I don't know question what it is I have done to contribute to the solution, just because I claimed they were ignorant. Trust me, he was ignorant. And best at that.
Is this really an argument with a premise? Question me because I questioned you, meanwhile, avoiding the issue and answering my initial question?


If I have tremendously contributed to the solution to the best of my abilities, is it not so that this person is still ignorant?


Maybe he was trying to equate my lack of efforts to his, except, I don't lack in effort.


My previous posts on privilege has apparently failed to reach people like him.


There is a world outside of Canada and the U.S. Just because you live in a privileged state, doesn't mean you wash your hands of global issues with the clean water provided.

Eaton Center Shooting

Another shooting occurred Friday at the Eaton Centre. Very little information has been released, except for the recollection of events by witnesses. The shooter opened fire in the food court Friday evening, endangering the lives of innocent people.
It is a damn shame when an individual decides to endanger the lives of innocent bystanders because of some desperate need for retaliation to "prove" something.

As of today, police are keeping tight-lipped about the shooter and the investigation as a whole.
Among the victims were Ahmed Hassan, 24, who died from multiple gunshot wounds. According to CP24, Christopher Husbands turned himself in to 52 Division and is to appear in court this afternoon.

Many question how the shooter could have gotten away. Police procedures have changed from containing the perimeters and and waiting for a task force, to entering straight into the perimeters and allowing victims to exit the premises. This allows people to remove themselves from the danger zone instead of being forced to stay inside with the shooter, and potentially be harmed in the process.

The Eaton Center was closed for the remainder of the weekend, and reopens today.

This incident brings back the Jane Creba murder back on Boxing Day of 2005, when a shooter opened fire among hundreds of shoppers on Yonge Street.

When we forget we're all humans, that is when disaster strikes.

Hall Pass?

Andrew Vanderburgh arrested fellow officer for DUI (2009)

Rookie Toronto police officer Andrew Vanderburgh  arrested a fellow officer Breton Berthiaume (Halton Police) back in 2009 for DUI and is getting what Metro News calls, "Rat Treatment". Other officers are treating Vanderburgh as a snitch... for doing his job. Arresting one of his own is apparently a big no-no. Get real, the man drank and drove, and sure, he was off duty, but so are some of the other non-police officers that drink and drive. Berthiaume was driving wrecklessly on the Don Valley Parkway.

No Street Hockey... More Twitter

Yonge/Eglinton (Photo: The Star)

What is all this fuss about banning street hockey?
Let the kids play!

We live in an age where kids are busy with their Playstations, iPads, Twitter, Angry Birds...

I can't lie, I was obsessed with Angry Birds... then Cover Orange... Then Fruit Ninja... Draw Something... And the list goes on.
So when the kids want to go outside and get some exercise, they will have to pick something that confines them to their driveway or backyard (if they have one), or they'll have to get to a park somewhere. Some people just aren't happy with kids playing hockey on the street. Sure, there are risks involved: Someone can hit your car, or more a more understandable reason is that kids running in the street + cars driving = disaster.
However, I don't find it to be much of an issue. The kids on my street play street hockey all the time, with no complaints from neighbours. They have fun playing and sometimes making up their own rules and assigning teams. What's wrong with that?
Sure the aforementioned games such as Angry Birds teaches you strategy. But so does hockey.

There are too many limits but on kids activities these days. With the cuts in funding for arts programs in schools and the intense focus academics is too restricting for a child or youth that is still learning to manipulate his/her environment. We're adults and yes, we may know what is good for the kids. But do we know all the time? Aren' we putting too many NO's and not enough possibilities?

Jerry Seinfeld Performs in Toronto

There is no uncertainty when buying tickets to see Jerry Seinfeld perform stand up, regardless of the American sitcom ending after nine seasons. There are no contemplations on whether to attend or not because of the lack in confidence of a good performance. Despite the large span of fourteen years since the show ended, Seinfeld will always manage to make you laugh--- forget the Seinfeld Curse. I was fortunate enough to attend the first show tonight, and as expected, it was worth every penny.

Seinfeld took the stage at Sony Centre for Performing Arts tonight, performing two shows. Opening act was Chuck Martin, director and writer (Arrested Development, Bee Movie). After Martin's set, lights dimmed and before the audience knew it, Seinfeld ran across the stage.
The show was nothing less than the expected--- hilarious. Comedians can go on about general topics and make them funny without what seems, any effort. However, Seinfeld picks out punch lines about water, of all things, at a degree that no other comedians could reach. He tackled smart phones, twitter/facebook, public washrooms, marriage and topics that were relatable to the audience, yet in hilarious perspectives they were oblivious to.
The show ended with clapping and cheering, and with the audience on their feet.

Jerry Seinfeld performs two more shows in Ottawa in June, then more shows throughout July and August of this year in the U.S. (Nevada, Connecticut, New Jersey).

Toronto Love: JD ERA

JD Era- Performing at Manifesto

I've been trying to catch up with this guy for the last two months. His "Thirt3en" mixtape had squatting rights in my CD changer in my car for a good year until someone "borrowed" the CD.

But as promised, as soon as he was off the Unexpected Victory tour with Raekwon through 35+ dates in the U.S. and 13 dates in Canada, I was finally able to chat with JD Era at his listening party this past Tuesday. 

Sitting beside the man of the hour, with a Canadian flag on the sleeve of his polo, I asked the most important questions I wanted to ask in the time limit I had, as I wasn't the only one trying to do an interview. Regardless, I still was able to steal some of his time during a party dedicated to Era's blood sweat and tears for his new project, No Handouts.
JD Era is Toronto, from head to toe, without a doubt.

As I'm leaving the interview, he jokes around, telling me, "Make me sound good...!". 

No need to make any effort, Era. Talent and skills speak for themselves.

--------

JD Era's listening party for No Handouts happened this past Tuesday. Photographers, interviewers, friends and fellow artists gathered to support him on his new project. DJ Dax (host of Era's Thirt3en Mixtape), DJ Ritz, Shi Wisdom, Jeni (Flow 93.5), Kardinal Offishall, TorontoRappers.com were just a few of the large group of attendees.
Era was personable, professional and had this ambitious demeanour. He was hungry for his piece of the pie in the rap game, and with his new deal, he had just been handed a big ass fork.

JD Era (right) and Wu Tang's Raekwon a.k.a. The Chef (left)

JD Era just tells you what it is. He just says it, but not in the basic form of language that you and I may use... He's got this wit, or a clever routine, rather. His talent isn't hidden, but it was somewhat prevalent in Toronto. However, we weren't the only ones to notice.

Last year, Era was signed by Wu Tang's Raekwon (pictured above) to Ice H2O Records as the first on the roster, a big move for the Toronto artist. Less than a year later, he was given the opportunity to tour with Rae (Era calls him Rae, I figure I will too). He had just performed the last show in New York off the Canada/U.S. Tour, in what must have felt surreal. Era says,

"For me, the tour was f***ing epic. I come from being kind of in Canada, and doing shows in Ontario... I got to start out doing 13 dates in Canada, and Rae took it to the next level by letting me tour the States, you know, so that was another like 35 dates. So, the tour was crazy, I got to go to the middle of nowhere, like Pontiac, Michigan and to bigger cities like Chicago, Baltimore, New York, and you know, they showed me love. The tour was special for me, to break out of the Canadian rap mode and kind of do something different"

For those of you that may not know him, Era isn't new.
If you pay attention to Toronto music and culture, you'd know that Era won the Marc Ecko freestyle competition six years ago, solidifying his credibility. "Every year it feels like we progress a little bit more. From the Ecko days 'til today, it's like, it's crazy for me to see the progression. I came from a freestyle background, I wasn't writing verses, I wasn't writing songs. Now I'm writing records, and people are acknowledging that they like my music, not just my raps or freestyles, but my full records. For me to be at this point in my career, it's amazing. I want to push it even further, not just for people to like my songs, but to them liking my entire album".

So, here is this Toronto artist that is in this cycle of constantly aiming higher after every accomplishment. Era's got the formula down pat, and we've seen this in works before. You know Drake, you know Kardi, Choclair, Maestro, Saukrates, K-OS and so on.
As Jonathan "Bizz" Brown from Hip Hop Canada reported, history in New Orleans, Miami, Atlanta and L.A. shows that regional risings is not because of a solitary artist, but it is because of a collective of top shelf artists. Era's on this top shelf, but I was curious to see who else would land on the top percentile for our city right now. Era was curious too, "We got a lot of artists doing their thing. For me, I wanna see who's gonna step up to the plate... Who's gonna take the torch? I'm waiting on the new energy".

Kardinal Offishall (center) shows support to
JD Era at his listening party -- May 1st, 2012
Photo by Jonathan "Bizz" Brown

Era was signed along with fellow artist Gangis Khan. Khan and Era reacted to the cosign in different ways, as The Torontoist reported, Khan released 3 mixtapes in a span of 5 months. Era, on the other hand, decided to be methodical. When I asked about his approach, he expressed his preference for being methodical, in order to take the time process his ideas, "For me, it was to present one project as opposed to a bunch of tapes. But for Camo's [Gangis Khan] movement, it is important for him to put out a bunch of music, it's how his people gravitated towards him, but definitely it was a purpose for me to take those steps".  Era appeared on five tracks of Raekwon's "Unexpected Victory", which also appearances by CNN and Styles P. This is a major move for Era to be in a project with such big names, and not to mention, the big cosign by The Chef himself.

A great moment during the listening party was when Raekwon was able to call via Skype to congratulate Era on his project, "I'm proud of you, you definitely accomplished the unstoppable... toast to everyone that came out to represent you. All the radios, social and media networks... I just had to say, congrats".
So Era has this big cosign, a big ass fork and drive that'll likely guarantee success. He's got the support of a beautiful city and a wide range of opportunities to school you on how its done. Don't get it twisted, though, there are no hand outs here. Era's working hard for his share and understands the process and consequences of his determination.
He raps, "They askin' me is it true? You signed wit' homie from Wu... You from Toronto... your name is who?"... How does he answer to that?
I'm guessing he's just gonna be methodical and rap a couple verses to you and let you know that when it comes to this, Toronto don't play around, and neither does he. Plus, considering he can freestyle, he might have to embarrass you on the mic in the process.

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JD Era "No Handouts" CD Release Party:

Venue- Body English (Misssisauga)

Hosted by Raekwon, Angela Yee (of Power 105) and Jeni (of Flow 93.5)

May 18th, 2012