New National Music Centre exhibition celebrates 'Godfather of Canadian Hip-Hop', Maestro Fresh Wes
The career of the Godfather of Canadian Hip-Hop, aka Maestro Fresh Wes, is getting its close-up in a new exhibition that opens May 15 at the National Music Centre.
Toronto’s Wes Williams changed Canadian music in 1989 when he released “Let Your Backbone Slide” on his debut album Symphony in Effect.
There were hip hop scenes in cities like Toronto, Halifax and Montreal, but in 1989, hip hop was a musical genre that flew way under the radar of Canadian media, until Scarborough resident Williams named himself Maestro Fresh Wes and released Symphony in Effect, according to a 2019 National Music Centre feature by rock journalist Juliette Jagger.
“I came along in an era and time when there was little mainstream musical representation for the first generation of Black Canadians,” Williams told Jagger. “Up to that point, there really wasn’t a relationship with the industry, from our perspective.
“Back then (in 1989), we as a hip-hop community didn’t have our business hats on yet, and we were discouraged thinking nothing would come out of Canada anyway, so we weren’t really focused on all that.”
Maestro Fresh Wes went on to become the first Canadian rapper whose records achieved gold and platinum status, the first to break into the Billboard Top 40 – and the man who paved the way for a new generation of global Canadian music superstars.
Williams has been elected to the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame and in 2024 officially joined the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, making him the first hip-hop artist to be inducted into both.
The new exhibition will celebrate Maestro Fresh Wes’s four-decade-long career with an immersive video experience as well as the stage outfits he wore at the 2024 Junos in Halifax a few months ago.
“Canadian hip-hop artists like Drake dominate the global charts today, but it all started with Maestro Fresh Wes and the impact he made in Canada,” said Andrew Mosker, president and CEO of NMC in a media release.
“Having just celebrated the 50th anniversary of hip-hop," Mosker added, "we’re proud to share the story of one of Canada’s most important figures in the genre with this latest exhibition.”
“It's an honour to see my journey celebrated at the National Music Centre,” said Maestro Fresh Wes. “I hope this exhibition inspires future generations to not just make records but make history.”
Entry into Milestone: Maestro Fresh Wes is included with admission to the National Music Centre. The exhibition runs from May 15, 2024 to February, 2025.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Conservatives, NDP should be 'celebrating' EV deals: industry minister
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne says federal opposition parties should be 'celebrating' the recently announced electric vehicle deals, despite their criticisms the Liberals refuse to make public the terms and conditions laid out in the contracts.
$500K-worth of elvers seized at Toronto airport
Fishery and border service officers seized more than 100 kilograms of unauthorized elvers at the Toronto Pearson International Airport on Wednesday.
Banking mogul suing government after intelligence leaks leave him shut out of Canadian economy
Chinese Canadian banking mogul Shenglin Xian has launched a $300 million lawsuit against the federal government. It’s a means to find the source of intelligence leaks which Xian says has cost him his livelihood.
His SUV was stolen on Montreal's South Shore. Then he got a $156 parking ticket
A couple is frustrated after their SUV was stolen from Montreal's South Shore in March and they received a parking ticket for the same vehicle last week.
Woman with liver failure rejected for a transplant after medical review highlights alcohol use
For nearly three months, Amanda Huska has been in an Ontario hospital, part of it on life support, because of severe liver failure. Her history of alcohol use is getting in the way of her only potential treatment: a liver transplant.
Box tree moths have infested Ontario and experts say more are coming. Here's what to do to protect your garden
An invasive moth species is on the rise in Canada and, if you've planted a certain shrub, it could stand to ruin your garden.
Evacuation orders lifted in Fort McMurray Saturday as rain dampens wildfire activity
Residents of Fort of McMurray who were displaced over wildfire concerns were told to return home Saturday.
To plant or not to plant? Gardening tips for May long weekend
May long weekend is finally here, and with the extra time off you may be getting the itch to head out to your garden and plant. However, the old debate whether you should plant now, or wait, is still ever-present.
Sean 'Diddy' Combs abuse allegations: A timeline of key events
In the six months since singer Cassie filed a lawsuit against Sean Combs, a wave of similar cases and public allegations against one of the most influential music moguls of the past three decades have occurred.