Backburner "Run Wild" [SINGLE]

 

The Backburner crew take time out of their individual projects to combine for a new song in celebration of the 30th Anniversary of their label, Hand'Solo Records. The shit's so phat it had to be the first single for the label's celebratory compilation, Bassments of Badmen 4. Over a slamming boom bap beat courtesy of Peter Project, each of the 8 MCs brings their own unique style for a lesson in how hip hop should be done. A bit of humour, a lot of braggadocio, and all skills! Backburner run wild!

Written and performed by Chokeules, Jesse Dangerously, More Or Les, Timbuktu, Ghettosocks, Savilion, Wordburglar and Thesis Sahib

Produced by Peter Project

Cuts by Uncle Fester

NOAH23 X FRESH KILS "MILLION DOLLAR DEAL" [SINGLE]

“Million Dollar Deal” is the lead single off Tuff Racket, the upcoming collaboration album by Canadian hip hop staples Noah23 & producer Fresh Kils. The track is reminiscent of Outkast with its electric guitar, bounce beat, and intelligent triplet flow. The 6/8 time signature also provides the single a unique feel to the flow. With its creativity and unmatched technical prowess, “Million Dollar Deal” proves how powerful a duo these two are. There’s no denying that the boys are coming out the gate extremely strong in preparation for their summer album release on Hand'Solo Records, and this is just the first salvo.

Written and performed by Noah23

Produced by Fresh Kils

Noblonski & Nolto "Dandy Lions" (feat. The Gumshoe Strut) [SINGLE]

 

What makes the lions dandy is their devotion to dress and appearance. But, “Dandy Lions” abandons pretence and presentation. It answers the door in a bathrobe. In the evening. “Dandy Lions” is a pleading justification for letting things go, for procrastination, and for experimenting with different ways of living. Noblonski's beat provides a peaceful and relaxing scene, in which Nolto promises he'll simply continue to monitor the results of his dereliction, and The Gumshoe Strut struggles to balance and prioritize his time and attention. The result is a call to inaction: give up the things that don't matter, and see what happens. Go gather more data.

The Dirty Sample's remix abandons the peacefulness of the original and replaces it with a "sick day" spent in a dark basement playing video games, giving a new perspective to what data may be gathered.

Written and performed by Nolto and The Gumshoe Strut

Produced by Noblonski

Epic "Survey in a Box" [SINGLE]

From the MC that has delivered unique concept songs about sleeping shirts, hockey player Alex Hemsky, swimming laps at the public pool, and viewing the Northern Lights, comes this new song about being a rapper, a dog dad, and filling out a survey while buying dog treats. “Survey in a Box” is the third and final single from Epic’s Heater in My Truck II. The beat by Gods&Nmbrs is a chill mix of smooth piano, flute, and sax over hard boom bap drums, a perfect soundscape for Epic’s emo folk rap delivery that is as unique in hip hop as this concept. Epic freestyles his resume and puts the survey in a box!

Written and performed by Epic

Produced by Gods&Nmbrs

Epic x Moka Only "Hathaway's Diner" (feat. Emprime) [SINGLE]

 

On this freestyle track that also serves as the second single to Heater In My Truck II, his upcoming new album dropping February 27, 2026 on Hand’Solo Records, Prairie rap legend Epic is joined by Emprime for this ode to local eatery Hathaway's Diner over a spacey boom bap funk groove courtesy of Juno Award winner Moka Only. While the intro and chorus name drops the diner, Epic and Prime also touch on additional topics such as being an aging rapper, living in Canada, and there is even an homage to the Smoothe da Hustler classic “Broken Language". “Hathaway’s Diner” is new school rap with old school ideals.

Written and performed by Epic and Emprime
Produced by Moka Only

Epic "Lethal Test Pressings" [SINGLE]

Since returning to rap after almost 15 years of semi-retirement, Epic has been extremely prolific. "Lethal Test Pressings" is the first single from his upcoming new album, Heater in My Truck II, his third new album in as many years and the sequel to his 2003 vinyl-only album. On “Lethal Test Pressings”, Epic honours the most sacred of hip hop formats, the vinyl release, and specifically the rare test pressing. Over a chill but groovy drum- and guitar-driven boom bap beat by legendary producer DJ Moves (Hip Club Groove, Len), Epic drops lyrical references to hip hop and Canada delivered in his unique Prairie rap flow. Drop another bomb on them, Epic!

Written and performed by Epic

Produced by Moves

Cold Camp x The Dirty Sample "Snow Kings" [SINGLE]

 

“Snow Kings” rises with the intensity of a storm you can see coming from kilometres away; it’s inevitable, heavy, and darkly beautiful. The Dirty Sample’s production rolls in like a sudden snow squall, the soaring strings, key stabs and boom bap drums creating a backdrop upon which every word feels stamped into frozen ground like boot prints. The verses by Bully Bravo and Chaka Boy proclaim scenes of resilience and royalty born from cold streets, not gold suites, giving the track a regal edge without losing its grit. There’s a calm weight to it all, the kind that comes from weathering winters most people never dare imagine. Cold Camp’s “Snow Kings” stands as an anthem for those who learned to rule the freeze instead of run from it.

Written and performed by Bully Bravo and Chaka Boy

Produced by The Dirty Sample

Cold Camp x The Dirty Sample "Avalanche" [SINGLE]

 

 

The first single from Calgary crew Cold Camp's upcoming sophomore album, Winter Dreamz, moves with weight and clarity in a steady build that crashes down with purpose. The Dirty Sample’s chime-filled beat for “Avalanche” feels hypnotic, almost serene, until the rhythm hits and everything shifts. His remix switches out his original production for a gritty, off-kilter NYC gutter beat. On the mic, Chaka Boy and Bully Bravo are confident, composed, and unshakable. This Cold Camp anthem highlights momentum, pressure, and power in motion. 

Written and performed by Chaka Boy and Bully Bravo

Produced and Remixed by The Dirty Sample

Pasquale - "I Might Be Gone Fishin'" with Chadio

 

The intro track for Kamloops beat maker Pasquale’s second iteration in the Chadiohead series takes Chadio‘s vocals from his original song “Gone Fishin’” off his debut solo album, Underestimated Raindrops, and pairs them with the main guitar sample from Radiohead’s “I Might Be Wrong”. The result is “I Might Be Gone Fishin’”, featuring Chadio’s classic braggadocio and rapid fire staccato over hypnotic guitar and haunting crooning in the background courtesy of Mr Yorke, plus Pasquale layers in some boom bap flavoru to tie it all together. Another fine mashup to prepare you for the upcoming Chadiohead 2.

Raps by Chadio

Production by Pasquale

"Hey Motherfucker" - It's Proteus x Black Art Ninja!

 

For the second single and title track from Proteus and Black Art Ninja's upcoming new collab album, Hey Motherfucker, producer BAN builds the beat around a metal-style garage-punk Volca bassline with squealing electrolobotomy synths in the background, rebirth and Volca drums, and catchy backing vocals by the Black Art Ninja Choir (Peachy Tickles, Misty Beavers and Jimmy 'Poppa' Noodles) on the hook. It makes for a weird but catchy tune. Lyrically, the single is raunchy and risqué, pushing the boundaries of good taste as you might expect with a song called "Hey Motherfucker". Proteus presents hentai hip hop in all its glory, loading the lyrics with sex and violence - and plenty of anime references! Should you prefer something safer, you would best digest "Hey Motherfunker", the radio edit that is both much cleaner and shorter - and lyrically rearranged. And if you want to go more extreme, you would want to explore “Hey Motherfucker (THINK Reimagine)" on which producer THINK includes a longer vocal cut that increases the crass quotient, the length of the song, and also assaults our eardrums with an extra layer of guitars added throughout. Pick your poison level on this maxi-single and jump into the deranged world of Proteus and Black Art Ninja.

Written and performed by Proteus

Produced by Black Art Ninja

Introducing "Mr Proteus"!

 

With an abundance of lo-fi singles and videos under his belt, Proteus should need no introduction, but that’s what you’re getting anyway for the first single from his upcoming album, Hey Motherfucker, with frequent collaborator Black Art Ninja on production. “Mr. Proteus” reveals an MC with a dense delivery of braggadocio raps that reference everything from anime through comics and sci-fi to the supernatural in a mix of written and freestyle flows. BAN’s uptempo beat is a catchy Motorik Volca 303-style bassline with an 808 and Volca drum pattern. A squealing improvised Electrolobotomy custom synth line drops in throughout along with backing vocals by Peachy Tickles, Misty Beavers, and the BAN Choir singing the praises of—and sometimes insulting—Mr. Proteus. The single also contains a shorter radio edit that flips around the order of the lyrics to create a song that is significantly different from the original album version. Welcome to the weird world of Proteus!

Written and performed by Proteus

Produced by Black Art Ninja

Max Moon - "DEAD END$" featuring ShrapKnel

 

 

Canadian rap artist Max Moon delivers another fresh and captivating take with “DEAD END$”, the third single from his upcoming debut record, The Grand Howl, out September 26, 2025 on Hand’Solo Records. For this raw and moody self-produced joint, Moon taps in Philly/New York duo ShrapKnel, made up of Curly Castro and PremRock. On billy woods’ vanguard label Backwoodz Studioz, ShrapKnel has become venerated for their distinctive approach to lyricism and unorthodox production choices. The team-up is an instant fit. The result is an alluring, driving, stream-of-consciousness cypher, intersecting human relationships, culture and perception. The beat shifts from dark boom bap to loose, distorted breaks, and a blitz of drum and bass flavour supports Castro’s ever-unique, blazing delivery. 

The single is accompanied by an esoteric reconstruction of the song with a bold remix by electronic experimentalist Emilio Portal, a past Max Moon collaborator. “DEAD END$” also receives the visual treatment with an animated lyric video incorporating stop-motion by Max Moon himself.

Written and performed by Max Moon, PremRock, and Curly Castro

Produced by Max Moon 

Art by Apdtum

Max Moon - "Little Do They Know"

 

For the first single off his debut solo album, Nickel City MC Max Moon teams up with Toronto MPC & production heavyweight Fresh Kils, one of only two guest producers on his mostly self-produced The Grand Howl. On “Little Do They Know”, Max barrages the listener with reflective art rhymes across a warped canvas of gitched-out jazz-rap. He expresses a pride in modesty and a focus on the essential’s of life, or as describes it: “Don’t need much, a hand to hold, some skin to touch”. He also asserts his individual and singular approach to the genre. “Little Do They Know” is bound to leave heads spinning as Max Moon shows the world that he does things in a way all his own.

Written and performed by Max Moon

Produced by Fresh Kils

Art by Apdtum

Chadio & The Gumshoe Strut present "Flow State"

 

On “Flow State”, Kamloops-based MC Chadio sinks deep into the zone — pairing effortless delivery with a beat that shuffles, swings, and hypnotizes. Producer The Gumshoe Strut laces the track with jazzy textures and lo-fi grit, creating the perfect space for Chadio to do what he does best: glide. This one isn’t just about rhyming — it’s about tapping into something meditative, focused, and fluid. If you’ve ever found yourself locked into a creative rhythm or lost in your own momentum, “Flow State” is your soundtrack. A perfect follow-up to the head-nodding “Bring It Back,” this track expands the Root Sellers soundscape — still grounded, still raw, but with an introspective twist.

Written and performed by Chadio

Produced by The Gumshoe Strut

Cuts by Chaps

Chadio & The Gumshoe Strut "Bring It Back"

Now based in Kamloops, BC, veteran MC Chadio returns with “Bring It Back”, the second single from his forthcoming album, Root Sellers. Dropping this summer via Hand’Solo Records, the project marks a new chapter — rooted in experience, sharpened by time, and driven by purpose. Over gritty, soul-infused production from acclaimed beatmaker The Gumshoe Strut, Chadio blends clever wordplay, lived-in perspective, and a deep respect for the craft. It’s a boom-bap burner that feels equally at home on dusty speakers or in fresh playlists. Already known to many through his “Sunday Bars” live rap sessions on Instagram, Chadio continues to carve out space for thoughtful, grounded hip-hop that hits hard without shouting.

Written and performed by Chadio

Produced by The Gumshoe Strut

Mickey O'Brien & Lee Reed fight "Plutocracy"

 

Sudbury-based rapper Mickey O’Brien returns with a searing new single that cuts through the noise with unflinching social commentary and raw energy. Fusing gritty boom-bap with razor-sharp verses, “Plutocracy” confronts economic injustice and corporate power with an urgency that speaks to the times. O’Brien and politically-charged lyricist Lee Reed trade bars like battle cries, while Uncle Fester’s surgical scratching and the cinematic production of Danny Miles, drummer for the Juno-winning rock band July Talk, elevate the track into a protest anthem built for the underground. 

Written and performed by Mickey O'Brien and Lee Reed

Produced by Danny Miles

Cuts by Uncle Fester

The Dirty Sample is "Feeling the Sun"

 

It’s the first day of Spring. The end of the day. The warmth has tired your very bones and all you want is a place to feel the sun soaked into your skin. Glorious! Like this song. The perfect soundtrack to your sun bathing activities. The Dirty Sample achieves this aspiration with off-kilter drums, some keys, and a drenching of the vocal sample that gives this song its title. Ah, the beauty of “Feeling the Sun”.

Produced by The Dirty Sample

Chadio & The Gumshoe Strut - "Been A Minute"

    

"Been A Minute" pairs veteran wordsmith Chadio with longtime collaborator and producer The Gumshoe Strut, delivering a track that’s equal parts introspection and head-nodder. Chadio’s bars cut with quiet confidence, tracing themes of distance, reconnection, and personal evolution, while The Gumshoe Strut lays down a dusty, soul-laced groove that feels lived-in and cinematic. It’s a smooth listen with bite—proof that underground doesn’t mean undercooked. If this is the tone-setter, the album’s about to hit deep.

Written and performed by Chadio

Produced by The Gumshoe Strut

Cuts by Chaps

Epic & Deadly Stare serve up "Chickpeas"

 

After living in the inner city for most of his life, Epic retired from his career and moved away from the centre of the city, a change that provided some unexpected time to take a look back at his life and the little details that define who we are. The inspiration was unexpected and Epic soon discovered that Northside life was in sharp contrast to life in the decaying Edmonton centre. Surprisingly, the shining Christmas lights on the many neighbourhood bungalows were most noticeable. With a beat from Deadly Stare (Triune Gods, Endemik Music) that underscore life’s rhythms and precious moments, “Chickpeas” invites us warmly into Epic’s world.  

Written and performed by Epic

Produced and Mixed by Deadly Stare

Mastered by W.C. Spicer

Epic & Deadly Stare drop their Turntables in the Van

 

Capturing the dizzying buzz of the road and the excitement of nightly shows with horns, claps, and raps, "Turntables in the Van" cranks up the boom bap and takes us along for the ride. Inspired in part after witnessing Fugazi’s tour van washing machine routine and realizing the need to tour smartly, especially when traversing Canada’s vast landscape. Epic and Deadly Stare cram the band into the van to bring their music to the people. What is a band without turntables, anyway?

Written and performed by Epic

Produced and mixed by Deadly Stare

Mastered by W.C. Spicer

Artwork by Shauna Doris