Why is it so few Getting Up Festival write-ups avoid using the word "bling"? It's neither funny nor cute, and distracts attention from a rare Toronto appearance of Nas (a man who predates the word by over ten years). This weekend's Getting Up Festival was unquestionably Toronto's biggest-ever hip hop and hip hop culture showcase, and perhaps need more recognition for that. All references to "bling" aside, clothing designer Mark Ecko put his money where......

Pretty cool how the CBC got chart topping American R'n'B star Usher to perform at tonight's Canada for Asia Tsunami Relief benefit. Oh wait, that's David Usher. Oscar Peterson and the Tragically Hip will do just fine, though. Besides, who needs Usher when we've got Keisha Chante! Holla!......

Say what you will about Maestro Fresh Wes and his infamous sacroiliac, but Toronto has never held down any sort of thriving hip hop scene. Save for K-oS and Brassmunk, local talent hasn’t made much of an impact outside of MuchVibe. There was that Snow song 10 years ago, but it’s widely accepted that he was embarrassing. And don't even TALK about Choclair or Kardinall Offishall as purveyors of the art form in the......