Canadian hip hop artist to perform at Shaughnessy's Pub and Grill

The last time Canadian rapper Choclair performed in Sudbury, he was greeted by raucous cheers from fans in the Sudbury Arena.

Choclair, whose real name is Kareem Blake, opened for 50 Cent two years ago.

“I think many in the crowd did not realize I was on the bill. They cheered so loudly when I was trying to introduce one of my songs, Breath Control, I had to wait several minutes for them to quiet down,” Choclair noted.

Choclair will soon be returning to Sudbury, but will be performing in a much smaller venue this time.

He will bring his act to Shaughnessy's Pub and Grill Feb. 27 at 9 p.m.

Choclair told Northern Life he will perform a number of his past hits along with some new material. He said he looks forward to the intimacy of the pub venue.

Also appearing will be local musicians King and PCP, James Dunn, Nina Kitts and Kold Nawledge.

The musician helped to develop hip hop music scene in Canada in the 1990s, according to a release by promoters.

He belonged to a group of friends called the Circle, who collaborated to produce hip hop music.

By 1999, he had signed with Priority Records, releasing his debut album Ice Cold in 2000.

“The album went gold in 35 days and spawned the hit single Let's Ride,” she noted.

Though he has not released an album since Flagship, in 2006, Choclair said he is working on a new release.

“It is called C Evolution. It should be out in late summer. It has a cosmic urb sound, a fusion of old school drums and new school sounds.”

Local hip hop enthusiast Kayla Hiros said hip hop has had a bad image in mainstream society. This reputation is undeserved, she said.

“Hip hop is not the reason why youth cause trouble,” Hiros said. “Hip hop is really a cycle of life. It gives youth something to do. It shows that with hard work, developing your skills in the studio or on the stage, you can make something of yourself.”

Choclair said hip hop describes what is happening in neighbourhoods where violence is occurring, but is not responsible for the violence that takes place there.

He said many hip hop artists, like Lil Wayne or Public Enemy, actually help to inspire youth.

Tickets to the Shaughnessy's event are $15 at the door. For more information, phone 671-6186.