When you think of Toronto music these days, your instinct is probably to think of Drake and the Weeknd. Their brand of moody, atmospheric hip hop and R&B have permeated the mainstream so much in the 2010s that it became known as the “Toronto sound”. In the mid-2010s though, Toronto rap experienced something of a renaissance and began shifting towards the popular sounds of trap and drill. Young rappers like Robin Banks, Roney, Mo-G and Smoke Dawg began making music unheard of in Toronto. Blending all sorts of influences like the autotuned melodies of Future and Speaker Knockerz, UK grime, R&B, drill, trap, and their Somali/Jamaican roots, the young rappers of Toronto carved out their own lane in hip-hop. Below are eleven songs from Toronto’s rising stars this year that aren’t in the mainstream but you should absolutely know about.
Lil Berete & Anders — Ride or Die
Drawing frequent comparisons to NBA Youngboy, Lil Berete has solidified himself as one of Toronto’s most promising upcoming rappers. With his gritty raps about street life and melodic intuitions that feel reminiscent of Akon and T-Pain, he stretches his cadence and delivery so that each bar stays stuck in your head.
Hailing from Regent Park, Lil Berete created the music collective “Southside to Northside” in hopes that it would help the two sides of Regent Park come together. As Lil Berete started breaking out internationally, he was signed to the XL Recordings imprint, New Gen. Working with producers like Kenny Beats and 169, Lil Berete has carved out a unique, versatile lane in Toronto rap. From trap to dancehall to EDM to grime, Lil Berete loves to experiment with new sounds and Ride or Die is no different.
Linking up with Sauga R&B star Anders, Lil Berete reflects on his newfound success while contrasting it with the pain it took to get here. “My hood a different type of war it’s on my six pack”, he raps before reflecting on his struggles: “Life ain’t easy, can’t follow the path my daddy went.” Lil Berete’s natural charisma shines here as he flexes and dances in a warehouse. Paired with Anders who brings a smooth verse and polished flow, they compliment each other perfectly on one of the best singles this year.
El’Plaga & Lil Rk — Metro Housing Baby
Paying homage to the Parma Court projects, El’Plaga and Lil Rk recount their come up on Metro Housing Baby. Produced by Tahj Money and TNT, the single features a minimal beat with a simple piano progression. It leaves plenty of room for the duo to flaunt their success and threaten their enemies. “I picked up the strap, and told my mom it’s for my safety/We was in field, shootin shit like the navy,” El’Plaga reflects on the hook. While El’Plaga takes a melodic, hook-oriented approach, Lil Rk’s flow is stone-cold: “If I go down dawg, don’t remember shit, amnesia/Earn my stripes like zebras/Three shots on me Adidas/About that action, no theaters”. They have a natural chemistry together as their flow and delivery balance each other.
El’Plaga and Lil Rk join rappers like Big Lean, Roney, and Sick Ppl in putting Parma Court on. With their melodic yet menacing approach to the Toronto sound, they are beginning to gain traction in the city. Following the success of Metro Housing Baby, El’Plaga dropped his debut EP, The Lost Tape. Showing off a surprising amount of versatility, El’Plaga has the potential to blow up in the underground. The future looks bright for these two and hopefully the success of Metro Housing Baby puts Parma Court on the map.
Loco City — Credit Card
Repping Bleecker Street on the west side of downtown, LocoCity has always been working hard to put his neighborhood on the map. In his interview with Noisey, he spoke on how Bleecker Street rarely gets the attention it needs: “I know everybody knows hoods like Regent Park, P.O., Rexdale, Jane and Finch. Other communities, they get the attention they need because they will go through a lot of shit… programs and people that help them, reach out to them. But Bleecker, we get none of that. We’re just there, under the shadow of everybody.”
So far, LocoCity has been successful as he has become one of Toronto’s hottest rising stars. Combining rapping and singing until they become indistinguishable, every bar that LocoCity raps feels like a hook. It’s this unique emphasis on melodies that sets him apart from his contemporaries. After releasing his debut project, Save Yourself in 2019, LocoCity would go silent while facing charges and potential incarceration. A year later, he dropped Credit Card, a surprise comeback single that racked up 100k views in a week.
Picking up where he left off, Credit Card features LocoCity bragging about his money and making thinly veiled threats: “Dummy boy, how you got a strap but you ain’t shoot it/Better use your brain before you lose it.” Despite the melodic sound, LocoCity always makes sure that his enemies don’t get the wrong idea: “Plus I’m ridin with it too/I heard your friend died, pussy, lucky it wasn’t you.” Credit Card sees LocoCity at his most confident and is a showcase of a star in his element.
Duvy — Painkillers
Duvy hails from Jane and Finch, the neighborhood to some of Toronto’s biggest rap names like Pressa and Houdini. Despite that however, the young 17 year old has managed to create an entirely different sound from what you might expect. Drenching his voice in heavy autotune and taking cues from Atlanta rap and slang, Duvy sounds much more like Young Thug or Playboi Carti than any of his Jane and Finch peers.
Duvy’s ability to contort his voice is his most distinct feature. His hooks are grounded in his natural melodic talent but he shines when he shifts to a higher pitch in his verses. On Painkillers, Duvy does just that as he contorts his voice rapping about the need to ease his pain and paranoia with drugs. “I’m still wit’ the gang/Hold me tight paranoia/We pourin’ up bro caught him dead man corner”.
Duvy has an unmatched hunger and output that other artists can rarely match the pace of. After dropping his debut album, Jane Babies in 2019, he followed it up with 16 singles in 2020. Along with countless snippets and previews, his work ethic has helped solidify his place as one of the city’s hottest rappers.
Yung Tory (feat. Pressa) — Timeout
Timeout features two of Toronto’s most established rappers: Pressa and Yung Tory. Driftwood native Pressa achieved fame after opening for Drake with his distinct, high-pitched nasal delivery. Pressa has since gone global appearing on tracks with Lil Uzi Vert, Tory Lanez, Giggs, Shy Glizzy and more. Yung Tory hails from Sauga and is currently signed to Timbaland’s MMG label. Along with longtime collaborator, the up-and-coming producer Kevin Rolly, Yung Tory has managed to create a distinct sound that blends his Jamaican roots with the sounds of Toronto rap.
Surprising it may be that these two haven’t appeared on a track together before, Timeout is a display of their natural chemistry. Over the electro-pop infused beat from Kevin Rolly, Pressa and Tory trade verses with their autotuned, high-pitched wails. “Trapping with the Eskimos/See I’m flyer than the most/Bitch I feel like Kobe Bryant/I turn 8 to 24,” Pressa raps with his inimitable reedy tone. With Timeout, it’s easy to see why both Pressa and Tory are at the forefront of the Toronto scene right now.
Bvlly & 3MFrench (feat. AR Paisley) — Price Gone Up
The music video for Price Gone Up was shot before Bvlly’s tragic death on Christmas of 2019. With an ear for addictive hooks and a talent for introspective storytelling, the 24 year old Malvern native catapulted to fame overnight with his 2018 hit, No Light Bag. Along with frequent collaborator 3MFrench, Bvlly created hits like 7AM in London and Ready For War and the duo quickly became underground stars. Enlisting the help of Sauga native AR Paisley(Toronto battle rap fans might remember him on KOTD), the Price Gone Up video features the trio flaunting their success over a brooding, piano-driven beat.
In retrospect, it’s easy to see how Bvlly was able to accomplish so much in such a short career. Bvlly carried himself well: he was soft-spoken and humble yet still commanding in presence. He was the perfect antithesis to 3MFrench’s gritty street anthems. Price Gone Up shows the effortlessness of his talent: switching naturally between bars and hooks, Bvlly makes rapping seem like an instinct. Though his career was tragically short, Bvlly’s melodic intuitions and natural talent helped him leave an unmistakable imprint on the Toronto sound.
Why G & J Neat — Ketchin Up
Why G and J Neat are both apart of the UpTop Movement banner, a collective of Northside Jane rappers. Along with fellow rappers like Pressa, Houdini, Burna Bandz, and Robin Banks, they’ve managed to put Jane & Finch on the top of the Toronto scene. Ketchin Up is a great example of what makes these two special: it’s 2 minutes and 44 seconds of trading ridiculous bars and hilarious wordplay.
There’s something bizarre yet incredible about the way Why G manages to rhymes words together with his delivery that’s constantly in danger of falling offbeat. “Blue fenty on me look like Avatar/Order purple lookin lavender/Bricks from El Salvador/I’ll serve your grandmother” he raps with utter conviction. Meanwhile, J Neat is rhyming outlandish bars like “We just did the dash up on 12 in a foreign/Momma caught me cookin work, I told her it was porridge” and comparing a girl’s neck game to an ostrich.
Without a single hook, bar after bar of IG quotables, and offbeat delivery reminiscent of Detroit’s rising stars, Ketchin Up doesn’t sound like anything else coming from the city. Just listen to J Neat rhyming “Louboutins” with “Esplanade” if you don’t believe me.
Houdini (feat. Burna Bandz) — Pay For Love
Though Houdini tragically passed away earlier this year, there was no doubt that he was Toronto’s biggest independent star ready to crossover into the mainstream. The Driftwood native got his start as part of the UpTop Movement collective working together with fellow Northside Jane rappers. With an inimitable swagger and love for designer gear, Houdini carved out a unique aesthetic that catapulted him to fame in Toronto.
Though Houdini collaborated frequently with Toronto rappers, there was nothing quite like the chemistry between him and fellow Driftwood star Burna Bandz. Exploding onto the scene with their hit singles, 456 and Late Nights, they would often be touted as next up after Pressa’s international success. Pay For Love showcases the duo at their most confident after years of hard work. “I fuck the baddest bitches, ain’t gotta pay em to fuck em/I’m really independent, how’d I make a hunnid?” Pay For Love is Houdini and Burna Bandz at their best: cocky and confident yet absolutely charismatic.
Before his death in May, Houdini had met with record labels in LA and had been working with artists like Pop Smoke and Calboy. The loss of Houdini has shaken the city and has become one of the biggest what-ifs for the Toronto scene. Despite having no management or label backing him, Houdini made himself one of the biggest names in Toronto and his influence in shaping the soundscape of the city’s music is undeniable.
Jimmy Prime — Keep To Myself
Everyone in Toronto knows Jimmy Prime. Known for coining the term “The Six”, Jimmy makes up 1/3 of the Prime Boys, a group consisting of Jay Whiss, Donnie, and himself. The Esplanade natives have been featured on Drake’s OVO Sound Radio and the Vice documentary, 6ix Rising. Closely associated with Halal Gang (Smoke Dawg, Puffy L’z, SAFE, and Mustafa), the Prime Boys made a name for themselves with their atmospheric brand of hip hop that teeters on the edge of R&B. Jimmy exemplifies this unique sound best: he favors melodic hooks and a slow, hazy flow that swirls together with the sparse, ambient production.
Keep To Myself finds Jimmy reminiscing and reflecting on fake friends, drunk nights, and a desire to keep his emotions locked up. Produced by Sticks, the ghostly production is a perfect fit for the exasperated Jimmy and is much more aligned with the OVOXO sound than the other rappers on this list. Jimmy’s voice is perhaps the most notable aspect of the song: with a cold, detached flow, he still manages to imprint a warmth from his melodic musings. Despite being notorious for rarely releasing projects, Jimmy and the Prime Boys have already left their mark on Toronto, both in music and culture.
Pvrx — Gang Code
Pvrx has been around the Toronto scene for a long time. A native of Rexdale, he started releasing mixtapes as a teen back in 2012 showcasing an aggressive flow and tough lyrics. Over the years, Pvrx would cultivate his sound and develop a more melodic-oriented sound as his storytelling skills would slowly become the focal point of his music. His hard work would culminate in appearances on Drake’s OVO Sound Radio and eventually, a deal with Def Jam. Releasing his debut album 3.14 in 2019, he would work with rappers like Dave East and Yung Pinch.
Gang Code is a testament to how far Pvrx has come and the years of hard work he’s put in. Featuring a distinct hook, he navigates the beat with ease as he blurs the line between singing and rapping. The way he shifts through different flows and spaces out bars so they fit neatly together with the dreamy production is incredible. The individual elements don’t seem impressive but once Pvrx pieces it together, the final sonic product is nothing like anything else you’ve heard before.
NojokeJigsaw — Numb
NojokeJigsaw hails from one of Canada’s first housing projects, Lawrence Heights, commonly referred to Jungle by its residents. He began rapping after an injury ended his aspirations of being a basketball player. His natural talent for music began to shine and he quickly gained traction in Toronto. Like other Toronto stars, NojokeJigsaw favors a melodic approach to his music with an affinity for autotune. At the same time though, his willingness to be vulnerable and a penchant for introspection has separated him from his peers.
Numb finds NojokeJigsaw reflecting on how the deaths of friends and PTSD have numbed his emotions. “I got me PTSD, seen shit you wouldn’t believe” he raps before reflecting on his losses: “Most my friends they dead, the other half they doing bids/I feel like I’m losing my mind”. At the end, he embraces the pain as part of who he is and notes that without struggle, he wouldn’t be here. This becomes the theme of his sophomore album, Late Nights Early Mornings, which was released this past year. On the album, NojokeJigsaw experiments with a variety of flows and sounds but his ability to tell poignant tales of loss is where he truly shines.