Just A Lil' Dope

Historically accurate CIUT logo of the early 90s designed by Fiona Smyth

Although the May issue of Exclaim has run its course, I wanted to belatedly link to an item I wrote about Toronto hip hop history blog The Meaning Of Dope.

I've waxed nostalgic a few times on this blog about my experiences in Toronto's hip hop scene circa '89-'94, but now I feel like I don't have to anymore because JC and his crew have created a fantastic resource for grizzled vets like myself or wet-behind the-ears-hip-hop baybeez.

I've digitized two of my own cassettes for them so far. The first went up a few months ago - DJX on CKLN, filling in for Norman Otis Richmond's Diasporic Music. The second is hot off the digital presses: CIUT's legendary Masterplan show with its classic lineup of Jonbronski, Motion and Power recorded November 30/91. I have a lot of affection for that crew, especially John, who was a real mentor to me not only for hip hop but for the great diversity of soul-oriented sounds of the time from house to breakbeats to reggae to jazz fusion.

I don't know why I decided to record this particular show, although the cassette also has 30 excellent minutes of Reaz Baksh's Soca Zone (now Dhantal Radio), which was, to my knowledge, the first radio show in Toronto to play bhangra. I guess it was just one of those habitually boundary-breaking nights that campus radio was so famous for back then (and now?). Then again, it might have been because I'd just given John some material for a couple of IDs (or carts/cartridges as they were known back then). "Nuff drum and bass" is Jah Thomas, "Ok, Ok, let's take it from here" is a famous Lee Scratch Perry soundbite.

TMOD have the tracklist up as well.